By Gaylen Duskey
realfang@citlink.net
The word around Ritchie Middle School is that its seventh grade (B) girls
team probably is better than its eighth grade (A) team.
Tuesday night the word was right.
Ritchie's B team pulverized Calhoun's B team 38-3 with only a long
three-point shot by Amara Yoak with 10 seconds remaining allaying the
shutout.
The A game was much closer but with a twist.
Ritchie saved two quarters (middle school students are allowed to play only
four quarters per night) for several of its seventh grade players and it
made use of them as needed.
First Sue Hardbarger hammered home a pair of three point goals to give
Ritchie a 6-0 first quarter lead. She had played two quarters in the B game
and scored 10 points.
When Hardbarger went out at halftime after using up all four of her allotted
quarters Calhoun began hacking away at the margin and pulled close, trailing
by only four points.
That's when Ritchie turned to another seventh grade player - Leann Villars.
After Calhoun had made the game close Villars took over in the fourth
quarter and scored six points - she, too, had 10 points in the first game -
to keep Calhoun at bay.
Ritchie went on to win the game 22-14.
Emily Brady, Kristin Ballengee and Kayla Roberts led the attack with four
each while Ashley Houchin added two.
Calhoun plays its last game of the regular season today at 4 p.m. when it
entertains Braxton Middle School.
Following today's game Calhoun plays at top-seeded Clay Monday at 6 p.m. in
the first round of the Central West Virginia Athletic Conference tournament.
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