PETERSBURG, W.Va. — Preston Hartman poured in 29 points, with his final bucket giving him 1,000 in his high school career, as fifth-ranked Keyser powered past Petersburg, 88-55, Saturday night at Petersburg.
Hartman hit 13 field goals and a free throw for his game-high total. He went over the 1,000 mark with a field goal with 1:52 remaining, and now has 1,001 career points.
Hartman was also busy on the glass, hauling in a game-high 19 rebounds for the Golden Tornado (10-6), which has won three of its last four.
Jeremy Green and Matt Wilmer also had big nights, Green with 22 points and Wilmer with 16 points, four three-point goals and five assists. Wes Washington added eight points.
Ryan Wratchford hit seven three-point goals and finished with 23 points for Petersburg. Ben Halterman had 10 points and David Taylor nine.
Keyser led by just 41-34 at halftime, and the Vikings were still within striking distance after three periods, down 63-52. But the Tornado dominated the final eight minutes, outscoring Petersburg 25-3.
Keyser’s jayvees improved to 12-1 with a 70-61 victory. Ethan LaRue had 17 points and R.C. Pratt 16 points and seven rebounds. Petersburg’s jayvees hit 14 three-point goals. Chase Feaster had 24 points and seven threes, and Matt Mongold 14 points and four threes.
Keyser plays at Northern and Petersburg hosts Moorefield on Tuesday.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
For Taige Redman, it’s a wonderful life!!!
Mike Burke
Cumberland Times-News
Attending the annual Dapper Dan Awards Banquet always provides me with a great sense of hope. Not because its arrival means we’re only two weeks from pitchers and catchers reporting, although that certainly doesn’t hurt, but because I come away each year more and more impressed with the young people who live, go to school and play here in our area.
Sure, we thrill in their skills and their composure in the arena, but you don’t really see what a kid’s made of until he or she is put in the position of accepting an award in front of a large gathering and expressing his appreciation, as well as some insight as to what makes him tick on the field, in the classroom and in the life that is just in store for him.
If you’ve seen Taige Redman play sports for the Keyser High School Golden Tornado, you see a marvelously skilled, determined and hard-working athlete. When you see him in a public-speaking forum, you see the present and the future, and you feel both a sense of confidence and excitement for both.
For beginners, young Mr. Redman looks like a movie star. He’s obviously physically fit, he carries himself with a calm confidence, and I usually don’t say something like this in the newspaper about a young man, as not to embarrass him or myself, but he’s ... Well, he’s a damn good looking kid.
He’s a handsome young man because he’s comfortable in his own skin and he projects that to one and all in the room with his gentle, impeccable manners and his genuine care for those around him.
Upon being recognized as the co-defensive player of the year last week, the decorated Keyser linebacker, who played a big hand in the Golden Tornado’s undefeated regular season and Times-News Area championship, looked to be the most comfortable person in the room. What he told the estimated crowd of 300 made every one of us comfortable to be in the room with him, and proud that a young person such as he has built the foundation to what will be a successful life right here in our neck of the woods.
“This is an honor,” he said in accepting his award. “It validates all of the time and effort. But to represent the Dapper Dan, who gives so much to help crippled children ... As an athlete, it’s a privilege, but to represent an organization that helps crippled children is an honor.”
And with that, young Mr. Redman offered his thanks, excused himself and returned to his seat to enjoy the rest of the show.
Taige Redman is the type of person you hope has good things happen for him, and on Wednesday morning something beyond good did.
Just after 9:30 a.m. on national signing day, the linebacker was about to put his Taige Redman on an NCAA National Letter of Intent to continue his education and football career at Ohio University, along with his Keyser teammate Jeremy Green. And that was a very good thing, indeed.
However, before Redman could sign the letter, Golden Tornado assistant coach Scott Furey burst into the room with an energy befitting his last name and said, “Don’t sign that.”
The West Virginia University Mountaineers, whom Taige Redman grew up wanting to play for, were offering him a full scholarship.
We said he looked like a movie star? Well, this was beginning to become a pretty good movie.
Seems WVU had interest in Redman from the beginning, but was straight-up honest with him in telling him the only way he would become a Mountaineer is if somebody else the team was recruiting opted not to become one; and that is precisely what happened.
Thus, Redman, who was also honest with Ohio U. about the circumstance, figured he’d been waiting all his life to become a Mountaineer, a few minutes more wouldn’t hurt until the WVU staff could fax him its letter of intent.
In the letter came, signed it was, and back to Morgantown it went, and now Taige Redman is a Mountaineer.
Redman told the Dominion Post in Morgantown he was never asked to walk on at WVU, which was a good thing since his family wouldn’t be able to afford it. Taige, you see, is one of Penny Redman’s 10 living children, and is the oldest of five who still live with her, as she also has two sets of twins, ages 9 and 10.
Mrs. Redman cried when she heard her son, who she calls a “gentle giant,” was about to realize his dream.
“You couldn’t find a nicer young man to talk to,” Mrs. Redman told the Dominion Post. “He’s very good with people ...
“We’ve had it hard and he just wants to help people in situations,” she said. “I think he looks out there and sees the world as it is, and he just wants to give back to the community.”
WVU head coach Bill Stewart knows exactly what the Mountaineers are getting, saying Wednesday afternoon, “Taige Redman is a classic example of if you do your homework, there are enough good guys out there that you can find that can fit into this system. When I think of Taige Redman, I think of Ben Collins, Bobby Hathaway, and I think of Marc Magro. That’s the kind of guys I think about. It’s all about character.”
“He’s a good role model,” Mrs. Redman said of her son, “a very good big brother. I’m a single mom and he’s the man of the house.
“I’m glad he’s going to college, but I’m going to miss him like crazy because it was just me and him for a long, long time.”
Well, Mrs. Redman, we thank you for sharing your son with us the past four years, and you can be assured that soon enough you will be receiving a similar note of thanks, postmarked Morgantown, W.Va.
Cumberland Times-News
Attending the annual Dapper Dan Awards Banquet always provides me with a great sense of hope. Not because its arrival means we’re only two weeks from pitchers and catchers reporting, although that certainly doesn’t hurt, but because I come away each year more and more impressed with the young people who live, go to school and play here in our area.
Sure, we thrill in their skills and their composure in the arena, but you don’t really see what a kid’s made of until he or she is put in the position of accepting an award in front of a large gathering and expressing his appreciation, as well as some insight as to what makes him tick on the field, in the classroom and in the life that is just in store for him.
If you’ve seen Taige Redman play sports for the Keyser High School Golden Tornado, you see a marvelously skilled, determined and hard-working athlete. When you see him in a public-speaking forum, you see the present and the future, and you feel both a sense of confidence and excitement for both.
For beginners, young Mr. Redman looks like a movie star. He’s obviously physically fit, he carries himself with a calm confidence, and I usually don’t say something like this in the newspaper about a young man, as not to embarrass him or myself, but he’s ... Well, he’s a damn good looking kid.
He’s a handsome young man because he’s comfortable in his own skin and he projects that to one and all in the room with his gentle, impeccable manners and his genuine care for those around him.
Upon being recognized as the co-defensive player of the year last week, the decorated Keyser linebacker, who played a big hand in the Golden Tornado’s undefeated regular season and Times-News Area championship, looked to be the most comfortable person in the room. What he told the estimated crowd of 300 made every one of us comfortable to be in the room with him, and proud that a young person such as he has built the foundation to what will be a successful life right here in our neck of the woods.
“This is an honor,” he said in accepting his award. “It validates all of the time and effort. But to represent the Dapper Dan, who gives so much to help crippled children ... As an athlete, it’s a privilege, but to represent an organization that helps crippled children is an honor.”
And with that, young Mr. Redman offered his thanks, excused himself and returned to his seat to enjoy the rest of the show.
Taige Redman is the type of person you hope has good things happen for him, and on Wednesday morning something beyond good did.
Just after 9:30 a.m. on national signing day, the linebacker was about to put his Taige Redman on an NCAA National Letter of Intent to continue his education and football career at Ohio University, along with his Keyser teammate Jeremy Green. And that was a very good thing, indeed.
However, before Redman could sign the letter, Golden Tornado assistant coach Scott Furey burst into the room with an energy befitting his last name and said, “Don’t sign that.”
The West Virginia University Mountaineers, whom Taige Redman grew up wanting to play for, were offering him a full scholarship.
We said he looked like a movie star? Well, this was beginning to become a pretty good movie.
Seems WVU had interest in Redman from the beginning, but was straight-up honest with him in telling him the only way he would become a Mountaineer is if somebody else the team was recruiting opted not to become one; and that is precisely what happened.
Thus, Redman, who was also honest with Ohio U. about the circumstance, figured he’d been waiting all his life to become a Mountaineer, a few minutes more wouldn’t hurt until the WVU staff could fax him its letter of intent.
In the letter came, signed it was, and back to Morgantown it went, and now Taige Redman is a Mountaineer.
Redman told the Dominion Post in Morgantown he was never asked to walk on at WVU, which was a good thing since his family wouldn’t be able to afford it. Taige, you see, is one of Penny Redman’s 10 living children, and is the oldest of five who still live with her, as she also has two sets of twins, ages 9 and 10.
Mrs. Redman cried when she heard her son, who she calls a “gentle giant,” was about to realize his dream.
“You couldn’t find a nicer young man to talk to,” Mrs. Redman told the Dominion Post. “He’s very good with people ...
“We’ve had it hard and he just wants to help people in situations,” she said. “I think he looks out there and sees the world as it is, and he just wants to give back to the community.”
WVU head coach Bill Stewart knows exactly what the Mountaineers are getting, saying Wednesday afternoon, “Taige Redman is a classic example of if you do your homework, there are enough good guys out there that you can find that can fit into this system. When I think of Taige Redman, I think of Ben Collins, Bobby Hathaway, and I think of Marc Magro. That’s the kind of guys I think about. It’s all about character.”
“He’s a good role model,” Mrs. Redman said of her son, “a very good big brother. I’m a single mom and he’s the man of the house.
“I’m glad he’s going to college, but I’m going to miss him like crazy because it was just me and him for a long, long time.”
Well, Mrs. Redman, we thank you for sharing your son with us the past four years, and you can be assured that soon enough you will be receiving a similar note of thanks, postmarked Morgantown, W.Va.
Keyser Upsets BW, 74-70
Mike Mathews
Cumberland Times-News
CUMBERLAND — The Keyser High roller-coaster hit another high point Friday night, knocking off top-ranked Bishop Walsh in aggressive fashion with a relentless inside attack in a 74-70 victory on Haystack Mountain.
Fifth-ranked Keyser, which never trailed, snapped Bishop Walsh’s 10-game winning streak and improved to 9-6. Bishop Walsh fell to 12-4.
Preston Hartman scored 12 first-quarter points and finished with 23 points and 18 rebounds to lead the way. Jeremy Green had 17 points and 10 rebounds, Maverick Nelson 15 points and 15 rebounds, and Matt Wilmer 12 points and eight rebounds. Wes Washington added five points and seven assists.
Coach Gary Liston called it his team’s most complete game of the season. It came during the most challenging of weeks, which has seen the Tornado play the top three teams in the area in a four-day span.
Keyser beat No. 2 Mountain Ridge 65-57 on Tuesday, but lost at No. 3 Allegany on Thursday, allowing a season-high 97 points in a 23-point loss.
“Defensive effort. That was the difference,’’ said Liston between the games played in a 24-hour span. “We had a good defensive effort earlier in the week against Mountain Ridge, and a good offensive night against Allegany. We just had to put the two together.
“It’s been a roller-coaster ride, no question about it,’’ he added. “I think we played the way we are capable of playing. This is the best game we’ve put together so far, but not the very best that we can play.”
Kamran Khataian scored 30 points and had seven assists and four steals for Bishop Walsh, which trailed by as many as 11 in the third quarter. Spencer Wine had 12 points and nine rebounds and Myles Clifford and Kym Pierce 11 points.
But the Spartans, who were within three, 64-61 with two minutes to go, couldn’t overcome Keyser’s 61-35 dominance on the boards.
“They outplayed us. Tonight, they were better than us,’’ said first-year BW coach Jeff Rhodes. “We were not good enough on defense or rebounding to win the game.
“We were only getting one shot a lot of the time. Rebounding is one of our weak points, and they exploited it. Keyser’s very athletic, and they played very well.”
Hartman’s 12 first-quarter points got Keyser off and running. Green had 15 of his 17 points in the middle two periods, and Nelson came off the bench to provide a major boost, on both ends of the floor.
Still, the Spartans trailed by just 37-32 at halftime. The largest leads came at 50-39 and 52-41, midway through the third quarter, which ended with Keyser up 60-53.
BW made a final push, getting to within 63-61 after a Clifford bucket with three minutes to play.
With Washington, Keyser’s point guard, fouling out with 4:02 to play, Wilmer nicely picked up the slack in ball-handling, and Hartman, Nelson and Green stayed strong inside to seal the win.
Keyser was just 12-for-21 from the foul line in the fourth quarter, but 9-for-12 when it mattered most, in the final 1:21. Nelson and Wilmer shot those final 12 free throws, Nelson going 5-for-6 and Wilmer 4-for-6.
“Maverick Nelson is our leading offensive rebounder and was a big, big help on the boards,’’ said Liston. “I don’t think they had an answer for Jeremy Green and Preston Hartman inside.
“We’re not a perimeter shooting team. Our bread-and-butter is inside, and we know that. We played three decent quarters. For the most part, we got it to Green and Hartman and made our shots.”
Keyser also won the jayvee game, 63-51, with R.C. Pratt scoring 27 points and Kurt Amtower pulling in nine rebounds.
Both teams play again tonight. Keyser is at Petersburg and BW hosts Southern Fulton. The BW-Southern Fulton jayvees play at 5 o’clock and the varsity at 6:30.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Alco defeats Keyser, 97-74
CUMBERLAND — Casey Roberts scored a game-high 31 points to lead five Allegany players in double figures as the Campers outlasted Keyser 97-74 Thursday night at Campobello.
Roberts sank nine field goals and was 12-of-14 from the line to lead third-ranked Allegany.
“He did really well, penatrating, getting to the foul line,” Campers head coach Tedd Eirich said of Roberts’ game-high total. “He’s making his free throws now.” He also had six assists.
The Campers’ Cody Ellsworth scored 20 points with eight baskets and 3-of-5 from the line. Jordan Grady finished with 12 points and Adam Boor and Justin Hymes each scored 10.
Keyser was paced by Preston Hartman’s 21 points and Jeremy Green’s 19. Wes Washington and Matt Wilmer each finished with 12 points.
Allegany’s Grady just missed his typical double-double game with his team-leading nine rebounds. He also had six assists. Hymes had eight rebounds.
Keyser won the jayvee game, 57-54, behind Chris Halbritter’s 14 points. R.C. Pratt scored 13 and Ethan LaRue had 11. Allegany was led by Jake Shade’s game-high 22 points. Steffen Bonnett scored 14 and Brady Ellsworth had 12.
Allegany, 12-2 overall and tied with Mountain Ridge at 8-1 in the Appalachian Mountain Athletic Conference, hosts Southern tonight. Keyser (8-6, 6-5 AMAC) began a four-game road stretch against the Campers. The Golden Tornado visits top-ranked Bishop Walsh tonight, is at Petersburg Saturday and visits Northern Tuesday.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Three Golden Tornado Basketball Players sign to play football at next level
Redman chooses West Virginia; Wilmer headed to Fairmont State; Green picks Ohio
Chris AppelCumberland Times-News
KEYSER, W.Va. — Taige Redman, Jeremy Green and Matt Wilmer, three of the main weapons on Keyser High School’s Area champion football team, used the early hours of National Signing Day to accept scholarship offers from interested universities.
Times-News Co-Defensive Player of the Year Redman signed a last-minute offer to attend West Virginia University. Player of the Year Matt Wilmer is headed to Fairmont State and Jeremy Green decided on Ohio University. Ohio and WVU are members of the Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I) while Fairmont plays in Division II.
• Redman had made a verbal commitment to join Green at Ohio, but got an offer from the Mountaineers moments before signing with the Bobcats and chose to stay in his home state.
“Taige was so marketable to colleges because of his unique set of skills,” said Keyser head coach Sean Biser. “He’s a good pass rusher, but is also able to keep up with running backs in coverage.”
“I think Taige is a “tweener,” being able to play linebacker and defensive lineman,” Biser added. “I think he’d be a great outside linebacker in whatever defensive scheme he’s in.”
Redman, 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, was first-team Class AA All-State as a junior and senior and was runner-up for the Sam Huff Award given to the state’s best linebacker as a senior. This past season he recorded 119 tackles with 56 solos, and 12 for losses. He had eight sacks, forced four fumbles and recovered four more. He returned one fumble and one interception for touchdowns.
Redman was also pursued by Marshall University.
• Green was recruited by Ohio as an athlete, and Biser thinks he will most likely free safety.
“They were able to see him on film and he attended one of their camps, so they got a a good look at him and liked his athleticism,” he said.
“I think they will try to put him at free safety, but he could be a great wide receiver for them as well. He’s played both cornerback and safety for us, and closes on the football well. He’ll need to work on his defensive recognition at the next level, but he’ll be fine at either position. I think that because he has such a large catch radius that he could play wide receiver.”
Green was a first-team selection to the Class AA All-State and Times-News All-Area teams, as a defensive back. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound senior had five interceptions with 152 return yards and took one pick back for a touchdown. He was sixth in the area in all-purpose yardage with 115.7 yards a game.
• Wilmer’s signing is considered a steal by Biser. “I think that Fairmont is getting a Division I athlete that fell through the cracks.
“He’d be a great strong safety-type,” Biser added. “With his experience at outside linebacker he’s had to do a little of both covering and hitting, and would need to only add a few pounds to really fit the mold. He already has great speed and explosiveness to the ball.
Biser believes that Wilmer could pay immediate dividends for the Falcons on special teams. “He could make a huge difference as a kick returner for them, maybe even playing as a true freshman.”
Besides being named the Times-News Player of the Year, Wilmer garnered second-team honors as a defensive back on the Class AA All-State squad despite playing as a linebacker. He was the area leader with 148.3 all-purpose yards a game, and fourth in rushing at 103.7 yards per contest. He averaged 9.8 yards every carry, and his 120 points scored ranked third in the area. Defensively, he was credited with three fumble recoveries and one interception.
Biser knows he was fortunate to have coached all three players.
“Most coaches are lucky to have one Division I kid every five or six years. To have two go DI and another D II is amazing. It just doesn’t happen very often.”
Besides the talent that all three athletes had, Biser may miss the intangibles they offered even more.
“Two of them have started for four years and the other for three. Its hard to replace the leadership on the field, in the weight room and in the classroom from players that have been important for that long. They were great for the team atmosphere, led by example, and were full of class. I think their leadership will last for years to come through the younger kids.”
He also described how it feels as a coach when one of your players continue on to college.
“It’s as if one of your own kids was signing. I’ve watched these kids from the middle school level, and as a coach you can sometimes spend as much time with them as their parents, so it becomes personal.”
The Keyser coach also hopes that by these players signing it will bring more attention to other area athletes.
“We’re sort of hidden here in the West Virginia panhandle and Western Maryland. I think a lot of schools pass us by, and maybe this will help them take more notice.”
Chris Appel is a sportswriter for the Cumberland Times-News. Contact Chris Appel at cappel@times-news.com.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Keyser Defeats Miners, 65-57
KEYSER - Keyser got a little help from its’ sixth man and decided to finally man up themselves, as the Golden Tornado tossed Mountain Ridge 65-57 last night at home in local high school basketball action.
Keyser’s athleticism was finally put to good use where it was needed most last night, on the defensive end of the floor. The Golden Tornado utilized its’ superior speed and size to disrupt what is usually a fluid Mountain Ridge offense, and Tornado Alley itself proved to be as pivotal - especially early - in forcing Miner missed shots.
Mountain Ridge senior sharpshooter David Hobel was “contained” to “just” 26 points on the night, but misfired on multiple attempts with the difficult depth perception Keyser’s home floor presents to opposing teams. It wasn’t much better for the rest of the Miner jump shooters, as Keyser allowed just one other Ridge player to reach double figures, Cody Hovatter, with 15.
Hobels’ game-high performance came on six 2-point attempts and a trio of treys, and the Ridge floor general was 5-of-5 from the free throw line. Mt. Ridge connected on 14-of-17 overall from the stripe.
Keyser jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead after Preston Hartman hit for two of his team-high 16 points and Wes Walker connected off an in-bounds pass, but Hobel hit a tough hanger from the free throw area to cut that margin in half.
Hovatter tied it at 4-4 with a pair of freebies, and Hobel followed a Jeremy Green turnaround jumper with a trey for the game’s first lead change when the Ridge went up 7-6.
Keyser came right back as Hartman hit at the rim to make it 8-7 with over five minutes to play in the first quarter, and the Golden Tornado would never trail again.
Keyser went to its’ other big man, Maverick Nelson, and he teamed with Jarell Ross to combine for a Keyser 7-2 quarter-ending surge to give the Golden Tornado a 15-9 cushion after a period of play. The Ridge cut into the Keyser lead quickly when Hovatter and Hobel connected on back-to-back trips out of the break, but Keyser’s size would be the difference in the second stanza.
Keyser posted a lineup of Preston Hartman, Peyton Hartman, Nelson, and a backcourt with Matt Wilmer, and Washington, and the Golden Tornado manhandled the Miner’s time and time again on the offensive glass to get extra looks. A Nelson transition basket with just over two minutes to play gave Keyser its’ largest lead of the game, 10 points, at 27-17, but Hobel hit another three and Hovatter connected on a pair of charity shots to cut that margin in half quickly.
Wilmer nailed a long two just before the intermission to account for the halftime tally, 29-22.
Hovatter and Hobel continued to do their best to keep the Miners in it out of the locker room, cutting the Keyser advantage to a digit, 29-28, with three consecutive scores to start the third quarter.
Green ended the run with a jumper, and Hovatter kept it close with two more foul shots to make it 31-30. Wilmer, Hartman, and Washington scored on consecutive trips for Keyser to give the Golden Tornado a cushion, and the locals maintained that margin and led 47-41 entering the final eight minutes of play.
Hobel went nuts to open the final frame, and led a Mt. Ridge frenzy that brought the Miners back to a 51-51 standstill with 4:37 left in regulation. That was all the closer the Ridge would get, as Keyser went on a 6-0 spurt at that point and never looked back.
Nelson followed Hartman with 15 points for Keyser, Green got 12 more, and Washington and Wilmer both added nine points in Keyser’s well-balanced offensive attack.
Hartman added 16 rebounds to his 16-point performance, while Green gathered 10 boards. Wes Washington dished out six dimes for Keyser.
Mt. Ridge took the jayvee matchup, 52-43. Montana Bradley and Justin Winebrenner led the victors with 19 and 10 points respectively. RC Pratt scored 24 points and added six rebounds for Keyser. Keyser led 26-22 at the half, but a 15-6 third-quarter Ridge run was the difference.
Keyser will play at Allegany and Mt. Ridge will play at Fort Hill on Thursday in make up games.
Keyser’s athleticism was finally put to good use where it was needed most last night, on the defensive end of the floor. The Golden Tornado utilized its’ superior speed and size to disrupt what is usually a fluid Mountain Ridge offense, and Tornado Alley itself proved to be as pivotal - especially early - in forcing Miner missed shots.
Mountain Ridge senior sharpshooter David Hobel was “contained” to “just” 26 points on the night, but misfired on multiple attempts with the difficult depth perception Keyser’s home floor presents to opposing teams. It wasn’t much better for the rest of the Miner jump shooters, as Keyser allowed just one other Ridge player to reach double figures, Cody Hovatter, with 15.
Hobels’ game-high performance came on six 2-point attempts and a trio of treys, and the Ridge floor general was 5-of-5 from the free throw line. Mt. Ridge connected on 14-of-17 overall from the stripe.
Keyser jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead after Preston Hartman hit for two of his team-high 16 points and Wes Walker connected off an in-bounds pass, but Hobel hit a tough hanger from the free throw area to cut that margin in half.
Hovatter tied it at 4-4 with a pair of freebies, and Hobel followed a Jeremy Green turnaround jumper with a trey for the game’s first lead change when the Ridge went up 7-6.
Keyser came right back as Hartman hit at the rim to make it 8-7 with over five minutes to play in the first quarter, and the Golden Tornado would never trail again.
Keyser went to its’ other big man, Maverick Nelson, and he teamed with Jarell Ross to combine for a Keyser 7-2 quarter-ending surge to give the Golden Tornado a 15-9 cushion after a period of play. The Ridge cut into the Keyser lead quickly when Hovatter and Hobel connected on back-to-back trips out of the break, but Keyser’s size would be the difference in the second stanza.
Keyser posted a lineup of Preston Hartman, Peyton Hartman, Nelson, and a backcourt with Matt Wilmer, and Washington, and the Golden Tornado manhandled the Miner’s time and time again on the offensive glass to get extra looks. A Nelson transition basket with just over two minutes to play gave Keyser its’ largest lead of the game, 10 points, at 27-17, but Hobel hit another three and Hovatter connected on a pair of charity shots to cut that margin in half quickly.
Wilmer nailed a long two just before the intermission to account for the halftime tally, 29-22.
Hovatter and Hobel continued to do their best to keep the Miners in it out of the locker room, cutting the Keyser advantage to a digit, 29-28, with three consecutive scores to start the third quarter.
Green ended the run with a jumper, and Hovatter kept it close with two more foul shots to make it 31-30. Wilmer, Hartman, and Washington scored on consecutive trips for Keyser to give the Golden Tornado a cushion, and the locals maintained that margin and led 47-41 entering the final eight minutes of play.
Hobel went nuts to open the final frame, and led a Mt. Ridge frenzy that brought the Miners back to a 51-51 standstill with 4:37 left in regulation. That was all the closer the Ridge would get, as Keyser went on a 6-0 spurt at that point and never looked back.
Nelson followed Hartman with 15 points for Keyser, Green got 12 more, and Washington and Wilmer both added nine points in Keyser’s well-balanced offensive attack.
Hartman added 16 rebounds to his 16-point performance, while Green gathered 10 boards. Wes Washington dished out six dimes for Keyser.
Mt. Ridge took the jayvee matchup, 52-43. Montana Bradley and Justin Winebrenner led the victors with 19 and 10 points respectively. RC Pratt scored 24 points and added six rebounds for Keyser. Keyser led 26-22 at the half, but a 15-6 third-quarter Ridge run was the difference.
Keyser will play at Allegany and Mt. Ridge will play at Fort Hill on Thursday in make up games.
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