Weddle Lifts PH to Win Over Honaker in Coalfield Clash

PILGRIM’S KNOB, Va. – Patrick Henry wanted to get the ball in the hands of its shooters at the end of the CNX Gas - CONSOL Energy Coalfield Clash finals Saturday, one of its five shooters.

Kelsey Weddle’s jumper from the right elbow with two seconds remaining lifted Patrick Henry to a dramatic, 43-42, win over Honaker in Saturday’s title game.

Rachel Artrip scored 17 of her 18 points in the second half as Honaker came all the way back from a 34-20 deficit, and took a 41-39 lead on a bucket by Emily Musick with 1:20 remaining.

Artip added a free throw to make it 42-39 with 44 seconds left, while Weddle hit two free throws to draw the Rebels within one at the 32 second mark.

Artrip was called for a five-second violation with 17 seconds remaining, leaving Patrick Henry to set up a play for the win.

“We don’t run any set plays for single players,” PH coach Tommy Thomas explained. “We had four options on the last shot, with one player on the back side to rebound.

“These girls have played together a long time, and all of them know to roll to the basket if they’re open. Kelsey hit a shot on an almost identical play [Friday].”

Weddle finished with nine points. Kasey Uecker and Cadence Wilmoth each scored 14 points to lead the Rebels. Wilmoth hit two 3-pointers and finished with a double-double with 12 rebounds.

“We have four or five good shooters on this team,” Weddle explained. “I was just the one who got open.”

Honaker had two fouls to give after the Rebels called timeout with nine seconds left, but did not attempt to foul or go for a steal.

“I should have had the girls try to foul,” said Honaker athletic director-turned-coach Trevor Coleman, who returned to the bench for the first time in five years when Tigers head coach
Nathan Bredding resigned for personal reasons Dec. 18. “We just wanted to play tough defense, give them one shot and get the ball back, we had been playing pretty good defense.

“They whittled away enough time to where we didn’t get the ball back. But I’m proud of our girls. They didn’t quit.”

Patrick Henry (6-1) turned the ball over six times in the fourth quarter. After holding Artrip to one point in the first half with a box-and-one defense, the Rebels could not slow the
Honaker star down in the final quarter-and-a-half.

“We lost our intensity,” Thomas said. “But Rachel Artrip is such a good player. She hit some shots she missed in the first half.”

Brittany Hess hit four 3-pointers and scored 12 points for Honaker.

John Battle 64,Whittlesea 32
Five players scored in double figures as John Battle took third-place honors in the Coalfield Clash with an easy win over the visitors from Australia.

Ashley Bryant scored 14 points and Krista Korpol added 12 for the Trojans. Brittni Altmann (11), Lindsay O’Quinn (11) and Justine Scott (10) also scored in double figures.

Mandy Phillips scored a game-high 16 points for Whittlesea.

John Battle built a 35-17 halftime lead.

PREP BOYS
Roanoke Catholic 67, Twin Valley 22
The first and third place games were played in reverse order Saturday at the CNX Gas - CONSOL Energy Coalfield Clash.

Twin Valley just wishes the outcome could have been reversed, as well.

Roanoke Catholic gave the host Panthers a 67-22 thrashing in the tournament finals Saturday.

It was the second straight Clash championship for Roanoke Catholic, which won two games in the tournament by an average of 39 points. The title game was played first, and the third-place game last so Roanoke Catholic could get an earlier start home in the snow.

Hurley claimed third with a 65-53 victory over Whittlesea, Australia, in the consolation finals.

Twin Valley (6-2) got the tempo it wanted, but little else in the championship finals.

The Panthers struggled to get shots away against the taller, faster and more talented Celtics, and it got worse after leading scorer Josh Smith picked up his third foul early in the second quarter. The Celtics went on an 18-1 run after Smith left and took a 38-9 halftime lead.

The second half was just as ugly.

“We were intimidated, especially inside,” Twin Valley coach Brian Moore said. “They made us alter our shots. They’re just a better team than we are.”

Three players scored in double figures for Roanoke Catholic. Stefan Vulevic scored 16 points, Matt Moats added 15 and Clarence Turpin tossed in 14 points.

Smith was held to seven points and eight rebounds.

The Panthers turned the ball over eight times before they scored, and finished with more turnovers (26) than points (20). The Celtics pressed and trapped most of the game, even with a 40-point lead near the end.

“I wouldn’t do it, but my guards needed to see that kind of pressure, so I’m glad they did,” Moore added. “This should help us in our district.”

Hurley 65, Whittlesea 53
The first place game was ugly at times. Hurley coach Mark Cooper thought sloppy was too kind a word for the third-place contest.

Larry Burks scored eight points in the second quarter, when Hurley used a 17-2 run to take the lead for good. The Rebels (4-5) led 31-18 at halftime, and 34-18 early in the third period.

The Pacers got within 41-36 on two free throws by Josh DeFazio near the end of the third quarter. Hurley hit enough free throws in the fourth quarter to protect their lead.

“We played poorly,” Cooper said. “We’re a team still struggling to find an identity right now.”

Cooper’s sons, Tyler (21 points) and Austin (11) were among five Rebels in double figures. Dustin Waynick added 11 points, while Burks and Thomas Allen each scored 10 points.

Daniel Ioannidis scored 13 points, while Yilton Ismail and Brendan Hughes each added 10 for Whittlesea.