BERKELEY SPRINGS—The Keyser Golden Tornado boys’ basketball team dominated the All-Potomac Valley Conference team. Jeremy Green, Preston Hartman, and Matt Wilmer were all first team selections.
KHS boss Gary Liston was named the conference’s Coach of the Year. All three players are seniors. Hartman led the team in scoring (15.7 ppg) and rebounds (11.1 rpg). Green averaged 15.2 points and 7.3 rebounds per game and Wilmer 12.4 points and 4.0 rebounds per outing. “Any time you graduate three of five starters, that’s a big loss; however when those three starters are your three leading scorers and two leading rebounders, it’s a real big loss,” said Liston. “All three had the ability to take over a game.” Both Green and Hartman scored their 1000th career point for Keyser this year.
Ryan Wratchford (Petersburg) and Ryan Redick (Berkeley Springs) rounded out the first team.
“It’s a nice award, but I would have gladly traded it for a trip to the state tournament,” said Liston. Keyser posted an 18-7 record in the 2008-2009 season, which ended with a 64-52 loss to Webster County in the Region II championship.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
Green MVP in All-Star Game
Maryland opened the first five minutes with an eight-point lead,11-3, over West Virginia after a nine-point scoring run aided by six points from Northern’s Ed Herpel. West Virginia answered with a six-point run to pull within two ending at 13:01 after a basket from Keyser’s Jeremy Green.
With 7:01 remaining in the half, Maryland had a 14-point advantage, 32-18. West Virginia cut the deficit to eight points, 34-26, after a 7-2 run with five points from Keyser’s Matt Wilmer.
Maryland answered with a 10-point run ending with 2:03 left in the half to give it an 18-point advantage, 44-26. Bishop Walsh’s Spencer Wine and Chris DeRosa from Mountain Ridge each chipped in four points during the run.
At the eight second mark, Myles Clifford from Bishop Walsh netted a jumper to give Maryland a 19-point advantage at the break, 49-30.
In the second half, West Virginia slowly cut the deficit to within five points, 74-69, with 8:16 to play as West Virginia’s Green netted 14 points, including two three-pointers.
The teams swapped baskets until the 5:42 mark when Maryland scored four-consecutive points giving it a nine-point advantage, 82-73.
In the last five minutes, two three-pointers by Wilmer and Frankfort’s Skyler Minkey brought West Virginia to within six at 94-88. With 32 seconds remaining, Tucker County’s Darius Dillard hit a three-pointer for the 94-91 final.
The MVP for Maryland was Wine, who finished with 17 points and was 7-of-9 from within the paint. Green was West Virginia’s MVP after scoring a game-high 31 points and going 3-for-3 from behind the three-point line.
The event is held every year to honor the best high school senior basketball players in Western Maryland and Eastern West Virginia. It is sponsored by the Frostburg Lions Club and McDonald's Restaurants since 1999.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Mineral Daily News Tribune's All-Area Teams and Basketball Awards
Mineral Daily News Tribune's All-Area Boys Team:
David Hobel, #12, Senior, Mountain Ridge High School
Matt Wilmer, #32, Senior, Keyser High School
Preston Hartman, #4, Senior, Keyser High School
Jeremy Green, #10, Senior, Keyser High School
Logan Wolford, #34, Junior, Frankfort High School
2009 MRHS Boys Basketball Player of the Year: David Hobel
2009 KHS Boys Basketball Player of the Year: Preston Hartman
2009 FHS Boys Basketball Player of the Year: Logan Wolford
2009 Mineral Daily News Tribune's All-Area Boys' Basketball Player of the Year: David Hobel
Friday, April 3, 2009
Preston Hartman named Captain of AA All-State Third Team; Green named Honorable Mention
KEYSER—Keyser Golden Tornado senior basketball players Preston Hartman and Jeremy Green were voted as members of the Class AA All-State basketball team, released Thursday night.
Hartman, named captain of the third team, averaged a double-double for Gary Liston’s Golden Tornado, finishing the season averaging 15.6 points per game, 11.1 rebounds per game.
He wraps up his career at Keyser with 1,114 career points.
Hartman was selected as the News-Tribune Player of the Year for Keyser and as a member of the All-Area team.
Green was also selected as a member of the All-Area team.
Both players were also selected first-team All-Allegheny Mountain Athletic Conference.
Hartman and Green led Keyser to a sectional title and to within one game of the state tournament in Charleston.
Wyoming East and Oak Hill each placed two players on the first team.
Gentry Shrewsbury of Wyoming East was named the AA Player of the Year.
The 6-4 senior averaged 21 points per game.
The teams were voted on by members of the West Virginia Sportswriters Association.
Hartman, named captain of the third team, averaged a double-double for Gary Liston’s Golden Tornado, finishing the season averaging 15.6 points per game, 11.1 rebounds per game.
He wraps up his career at Keyser with 1,114 career points.
Hartman was selected as the News-Tribune Player of the Year for Keyser and as a member of the All-Area team.
Green was also selected as a member of the All-Area team.
Both players were also selected first-team All-Allegheny Mountain Athletic Conference.
Hartman and Green led Keyser to a sectional title and to within one game of the state tournament in Charleston.
Wyoming East and Oak Hill each placed two players on the first team.
Gentry Shrewsbury of Wyoming East was named the AA Player of the Year.
The 6-4 senior averaged 21 points per game.
The teams were voted on by members of the West Virginia Sportswriters Association.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Hartman Captain of AA All-State Third Team; Green Honorable Mention
W.Va. Class AA all-state list
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (AP) - The boys Class AA all-state basketball team released by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association:
Gentry Shrewsbury, Wyoming East, (capt.), 6-4, senior, 21 points per game
Evan Muscari, Wyoming East, 5-10, junior, 8 ppg
Eric Bailey, Westside, 6-3, senior, 23 ppg
Bruce Patterson, Ravenswood, 6-4, senior, 14.6 ppg
R.J. Johnson, Philip Barbour, 5-9, junior, 15.3 ppg
Caleb Kellar, Sissonville, 6-6, junior, 20.5 ppg
Jack Flournoy, Oak Hill, 6-6, freshman, 15.4 ppg
Chris Lawson, Oak Hill, 6-0, senior, 13.4 ppg
2nd TEAM ---
Jared Blatt, Magnolia, (capt.), 6-5, junior, 18 ppg
Luke Murray, Ravenswood, 6-0, junior, 14.2 ppg
Kyle Snyder, Sissonville, 6-1, senior, 17 ppg
Jason Cuffee, Poca, 6-2, sophomore, 17.6 ppg
Neil Dillon, Wayne, 6-1, senior, 19 ppg
Channing Preece, Tug Valley, 5-10, junior, 18.2 ppg
Kalif Wright, Oak Hill, 6-5, sophomore, 17 ppg
Jacob Rollo, Sherman, 6-4, junior, 15.1 ppg
3rd TEAM ---
Preston Hartman, Keyser, (capt.), 6-2, senior, 15.6 ppg
Shawn Burns, Weir, 5-7, junior, 14.2 ppg.
Steven McComas, Scott, 5-9, senior, 17.1 ppg.
Damon Waters, Grafton, 5-9, senior, 17 ppg.
Craig Ponder, Bluefield, 6-0, junior, 20.5 ppg.
Timmy Miller, Webster County, 6-0, senior, 16.2 ppg.
Tommy Symns, PikeView, 6-0, sophomore, 14 ppg.
Alex Webb, Wyoming East, 6-4, sophomore, 11 ppg.
HONORABLE MENTION ---
Jordan Simon, Philip Barbour; Jewel Short, Philip Barbour; Dale Martin, Lincoln; Josh Harlow, Lincoln; Jared Nelson, Liberty Harrison; David Wamsley, Liberty Harrison; Shea Davis, Liberty Harrison; Seth Elsey, Grafton; Trey Chapman, Braxton County; Skyler McCoy, Webster County; L.J. Campbell, Weir; Nathan Brackenridge, Greenbrier West; Colton Ratcliff, Independence; Anthony Stump, Independence; Erik Davis, Shady Spring; Jon Long, Shady Spring; Clay Owings, Oak Glen; L.J. Campbell, Weir; Taylor Collett, Weir; Zach Perkey, Tyler Consolidated; Matt Sapp, Magnolia; Andrew Robinson, Magnolia; Jon Rine, Magnolia; Brian Sigman, Poca; Justin Maloskey, Sherman, Tyler Deal, Point Pleasant; B.J. Lloyd, Point Pleasant; Carl Shaffer, Scott.
Brian Shaffer, Herbert Hoover; Alex Cole, Ravenswood; Ryan Benson, Ravenswood; Rhett Atkinson, Roane County; Anthony Fuller, Wyoming East; Deandre Leonard, Oak Hill; Ryan Nahodil, Summers County; Cameron Mann, Summers County; Zack Helmondollar, Westside; Chase Perry, Wayne; Derrick Robertson, Tolsia; Austin Richardson, Tolsia; Todd Terry, Chapmanville; Michael Evans, Tug Valley; Austin Vance, Tug Valley; Brian Belcher, James Monroe; Jeremy Green, Keyser
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Keyser Lands Two on AMAC First Team -- Hartman and Green; Wilmer named to 2nd Team
CUMBERLAND — Casey Roberts, who led Allegany to the conference championship, and scoring champ David Hobel of Mountain Ridge were voted boys basketball co-Players of the Year in the Appalachian Mountain Athletic Conference.
The voting was done by the head coaches of the eight-team league.
Roberts and Hobel head the all-conference first team, which includes Jeremy Green and Preston Hartman of Keyser, Jordan Grady of Allegany, Robbie Miller of Hampshire and Jordan Helmick of Fort Hill.
Named to the second team were Cody Ellsworth of Allegany, Devin Lee of Fort Hill, Will Hughes of Hampshire, Matt Wilmer of Keyser, Ed Herpel of Northern and Travis Meyers of Frankfort.
Honorable mention went to Dan Shockey of Southern, Matt DeRosa and Cody Morton of Mountain Ridge, Logan Wolford of Frankfort and Thomas Holtschneider of Northern.
Allegany won the conference with a 13-1 record, followed by Mountain Ridge at 12-2 and Keyser at 9-5. Final conference standings and statistics are in today’s Scoreboard page.
• Roberts, a 6-foot-2 guard and one of seven juniors at Allegany, led the Campers to a 22-4 overall record and the 1A West section and 1A West Region championships as well as the AMAC title.
He led the Campers in scoring, and was second in the area, with a 20.3 average, and also made a team-high 37 three-point goals.
Roberts also averaged four assists, four rebounds and 2.6 steals per game. He shot 48 percent from the field, and 35 percent from three-point range.
In conference play, Roberts was second in scoring, just six points behind Hobel, with 283 points and a 20.2 average. He was also second in foul shooting, making 55 of 70 tries for 78.5 percent, and fifth with 22 three-point goals.
• Hobel, a 5-foot-8 guard and one of only three seniors at Mountain Ridge, led the Miners to a 19-5 overall record, and won the area and conference scoring and foul shooting championships.
He led all area players with a 21.9 scoring average, and also had area highs in foul shots made (157), foul shots attempted (190) and free throw percentage (82.6). He was third in the area with 60 three-point goals.
Hobel also averaged five assists, 4.8 steals and 4.3 rebounds per game.
In conference play, Hobel won the scoring title with 289 points in 14 games for a 20.6 average, and led all foul shooters by converting 77-of-96 tries for 80.2 percent. He was runner-up in three-point goals with 32, just one behind Miller of Hampshire.
• Green, a 6-foot-1 senior, led Keyser to an 18-7 overall record, including 10 wins in the final 11 games.
Green was seventh in the area in scoring, averaging 15.7 points, and also hauled in 7.2 rebounds per game.
In the conference, Green was sixth in scoring with a 14.2 average.
• Hartman, a 6-foot-2 senior, led the balanced Golden Tornado attack with 15.6 points per game, which was fifth-best in the area. He averaged a double-double for the 25-game season, as he also pulled in 11.1 rebounds per game.
Hartman was fifth in the conference in scoring with a 14.7 average, and ninth in three-point goals with 16.
• Grady, a 6-foot-4 junior forward, was a key to Allegany’s success, especially with his presence inside and along the baseline, and averaged a double-double with 13.3 points and 10.6 rebounds per game.
Grady was 10th in the area in scoring and also had one of the top shooting percentages, at 51 percent, in leading the Campers to the state tournament.
In conferene play, Grady ranked 10th in scoring with 13.2 points per game.
• Miller, a 6-foot-2 senior guard at Hampshire, led the conference in three-point goals and perhaps the area in three-point shooting, hitting at 44 percent.
Miller was 11th in the area in scoring with 13.7 points per game, and was second in three-point goals with 58. He also 6.1 rebounds and averaged 3.6 assists.
In league play, Miller was seventh in scoring at 13.5, and had a conference-high 33 three-point goals.
• Helmick, a senior center at Fort Hill, led the Sentinels in rebounding and was second in scoring.
A quick-leaping, aggressive player in the lane and around the glass, Helmick averaged 12.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and one steal per game. Also a good foul shooter, Helmick at one point led the conference before finishing 78-for-119 for 65.5 percent for the season.
In the conference, Helmick was seventh in scoring at 13.6.
The voting was done by the head coaches of the eight-team league.
Roberts and Hobel head the all-conference first team, which includes Jeremy Green and Preston Hartman of Keyser, Jordan Grady of Allegany, Robbie Miller of Hampshire and Jordan Helmick of Fort Hill.
Named to the second team were Cody Ellsworth of Allegany, Devin Lee of Fort Hill, Will Hughes of Hampshire, Matt Wilmer of Keyser, Ed Herpel of Northern and Travis Meyers of Frankfort.
Honorable mention went to Dan Shockey of Southern, Matt DeRosa and Cody Morton of Mountain Ridge, Logan Wolford of Frankfort and Thomas Holtschneider of Northern.
Allegany won the conference with a 13-1 record, followed by Mountain Ridge at 12-2 and Keyser at 9-5. Final conference standings and statistics are in today’s Scoreboard page.
• Roberts, a 6-foot-2 guard and one of seven juniors at Allegany, led the Campers to a 22-4 overall record and the 1A West section and 1A West Region championships as well as the AMAC title.
He led the Campers in scoring, and was second in the area, with a 20.3 average, and also made a team-high 37 three-point goals.
Roberts also averaged four assists, four rebounds and 2.6 steals per game. He shot 48 percent from the field, and 35 percent from three-point range.
In conference play, Roberts was second in scoring, just six points behind Hobel, with 283 points and a 20.2 average. He was also second in foul shooting, making 55 of 70 tries for 78.5 percent, and fifth with 22 three-point goals.
• Hobel, a 5-foot-8 guard and one of only three seniors at Mountain Ridge, led the Miners to a 19-5 overall record, and won the area and conference scoring and foul shooting championships.
He led all area players with a 21.9 scoring average, and also had area highs in foul shots made (157), foul shots attempted (190) and free throw percentage (82.6). He was third in the area with 60 three-point goals.
Hobel also averaged five assists, 4.8 steals and 4.3 rebounds per game.
In conference play, Hobel won the scoring title with 289 points in 14 games for a 20.6 average, and led all foul shooters by converting 77-of-96 tries for 80.2 percent. He was runner-up in three-point goals with 32, just one behind Miller of Hampshire.
• Green, a 6-foot-1 senior, led Keyser to an 18-7 overall record, including 10 wins in the final 11 games.
Green was seventh in the area in scoring, averaging 15.7 points, and also hauled in 7.2 rebounds per game.
In the conference, Green was sixth in scoring with a 14.2 average.
• Hartman, a 6-foot-2 senior, led the balanced Golden Tornado attack with 15.6 points per game, which was fifth-best in the area. He averaged a double-double for the 25-game season, as he also pulled in 11.1 rebounds per game.
Hartman was fifth in the conference in scoring with a 14.7 average, and ninth in three-point goals with 16.
• Grady, a 6-foot-4 junior forward, was a key to Allegany’s success, especially with his presence inside and along the baseline, and averaged a double-double with 13.3 points and 10.6 rebounds per game.
Grady was 10th in the area in scoring and also had one of the top shooting percentages, at 51 percent, in leading the Campers to the state tournament.
In conferene play, Grady ranked 10th in scoring with 13.2 points per game.
• Miller, a 6-foot-2 senior guard at Hampshire, led the conference in three-point goals and perhaps the area in three-point shooting, hitting at 44 percent.
Miller was 11th in the area in scoring with 13.7 points per game, and was second in three-point goals with 58. He also 6.1 rebounds and averaged 3.6 assists.
In league play, Miller was seventh in scoring at 13.5, and had a conference-high 33 three-point goals.
• Helmick, a senior center at Fort Hill, led the Sentinels in rebounding and was second in scoring.
A quick-leaping, aggressive player in the lane and around the glass, Helmick averaged 12.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and one steal per game. Also a good foul shooter, Helmick at one point led the conference before finishing 78-for-119 for 65.5 percent for the season.
In the conference, Helmick was seventh in scoring at 13.6.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Hartman and Green named to AMAC First Team; Wilmer Second Team
CUMBERLAND — The Appalachian Mountain Athletic Conference announced their honorees for the 2008-2009 season on Wednesday.
Mountain Ridge’s David Hobel and Allegany’s Casey Roberts shared Player of the Year honors.
Joining the two on the first team were Preston Hartman and Jeremy Green of Keyser, Jordan Grady of Allegany, Jordan Helmick of Fort Hill, and Robbie Miller of Hampshire.
Named to the second team were Matt Wilmer of Keyser, Travis Myers of Frankfort, Cody Ellsworth of Allegany, Will Hughes of Hampshire, Devin Lee of Fort Hill, and Ed Herpel of Northern.
The teams were picked by the league’s coaches.
Mountain Ridge’s David Hobel and Allegany’s Casey Roberts shared Player of the Year honors.
Joining the two on the first team were Preston Hartman and Jeremy Green of Keyser, Jordan Grady of Allegany, Jordan Helmick of Fort Hill, and Robbie Miller of Hampshire.
Named to the second team were Matt Wilmer of Keyser, Travis Myers of Frankfort, Cody Ellsworth of Allegany, Will Hughes of Hampshire, Devin Lee of Fort Hill, and Ed Herpel of Northern.
The teams were picked by the league’s coaches.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Webster County Defeats Keyser, 64-52
KEYSER — The Webster County Highlanders scored 26 unanswered points and outscored the Keyser Golden Tornado 29-2 in the third quarter to turn a three-point Keyser halftime lead into a blowout the other way, winning 65-51.
The Golden Tornado went 8:09 without a basket and got no closer than 13 points in the fourth quarter.
Keyser made just one of ten shots from the field in the third quarter.
Skyler McCoy had a game-high 21 points, 15 in the second half, for Webster County.
Timothy Miller and Shane Anderson each had eleven.
Webster County went 26-for-37 from the free throw line; Keyser hit just 10 of 21 from the stripe.
Matt Wilmer led Keyser with 15 points, 12 rebounds, and four steals.
Preston Hartman added 13 points, all but two in the first half, and 11 rebounds.
Wes Washington had five assists.
Neither team was able to score in the first minute and a half of the game.
Keyser’s Matt Wilmer took a charge, then Jeremy Green hit a short jumper in traffic on the ensuing possession to give Keyser the early 2-0 lead.
After an exchange of baskets, Preston Hartman caught and shot a three-pointer from the left elbow to give KHS a 5-4 lead, then a pair of Wilmer free throws pushed the lead to three with 4:48 to go in the first quarter.
Webster County responded with a layup from Shane Anderson and a tough baseline jumper from Skyler McCoy to re-take the lead.
Hartman hit another three-pointer from the same spot to put Keyser ahead, 10-8, with 4:10 to go in the quarter.
The Highlanders scored the next four points, then Hartman made it three threes from virtually the same spot on the floor to give KHS a 13-12 lead after the first quarter.
A Timmy Miller layup to open the quarter put WCHS back on top, then a Max Anderson layup extended the lead to three with 5:43 to go in the half.
But Wilmer converted a second-chance layup and Jeremy Green scored off the dribble to put Keyser back in front, 17-16, with 3:27 to go. A Wes Washington free throw made it two points.
Anderson hit a big three-pointer from the right corner for Webster County for the nine lead change of the half.
Wilmer finished the half strong for Keyser, scoring a quick bucket and finding Hartman for a layup in transition with 23 seconds left.
The Golden Tornado led, 22-19, at the half.
Hartman led all scorers with 11 points for Keyser; Wilmer had six points.
For Webster County, Miller led a balanced first half effort with eight points. McCoy had six and Anderson five.
KHS made just three of eight foul shots, two by Wilmer, in the first half.
Webster County came out of the locker room and scored the first five points of the second half on a McCoy three-pointer and a Grant Perrine layup.
Keyser’s Jarell Ross fouled Kenny Hall on a three-point shot with 5:25 left in the third quarter.
Hall hit all three foul shots, then McCoy scored five of the next seven points.
Webster County led, 34-22, with 3:15 to go in the quarter.
Hartman was then assessed an intentional foul and Miller hit one of the two technical shots from the line.
The Highlanders scored four more straight points from the line, then Anderson canned a three to bring the lead to 20. Keyser still had not scored in the quarter.
Andy Boggs hit three foul shots for Webster County, then a Daniel Zinn layup with 14 seconds left in the corner finally got Keyser on the board in the second half.
Highlander center Josh Ratliff hit a three at the buzzer, and Webster County was doubling up Keyser after three, 48-24.
Keyser woke up from their offensive slumber with a 12-2 run to start the fourth quarter, keyed by five points from Wilmer.
But Webster County scored four straight points from the free throw line.
Ross hit a three-pointer with 3:48 to go in the game to close the gap to 15 points, 55-40, then Peyton Hartman made a layup to bring KHS within 13.
But Webster County was not fazed, scoring the next seven points, all but two from the foul line, to go back up 20 with 1:57 to go and put the game out of reach.
Keyser finishes the season at 18-7.
Webster County advances to Charleston with a record of 19-7.
The Golden Tornado went 8:09 without a basket and got no closer than 13 points in the fourth quarter.
Keyser made just one of ten shots from the field in the third quarter.
Skyler McCoy had a game-high 21 points, 15 in the second half, for Webster County.
Timothy Miller and Shane Anderson each had eleven.
Webster County went 26-for-37 from the free throw line; Keyser hit just 10 of 21 from the stripe.
Matt Wilmer led Keyser with 15 points, 12 rebounds, and four steals.
Preston Hartman added 13 points, all but two in the first half, and 11 rebounds.
Wes Washington had five assists.
Neither team was able to score in the first minute and a half of the game.
Keyser’s Matt Wilmer took a charge, then Jeremy Green hit a short jumper in traffic on the ensuing possession to give Keyser the early 2-0 lead.
After an exchange of baskets, Preston Hartman caught and shot a three-pointer from the left elbow to give KHS a 5-4 lead, then a pair of Wilmer free throws pushed the lead to three with 4:48 to go in the first quarter.
Webster County responded with a layup from Shane Anderson and a tough baseline jumper from Skyler McCoy to re-take the lead.
Hartman hit another three-pointer from the same spot to put Keyser ahead, 10-8, with 4:10 to go in the quarter.
The Highlanders scored the next four points, then Hartman made it three threes from virtually the same spot on the floor to give KHS a 13-12 lead after the first quarter.
A Timmy Miller layup to open the quarter put WCHS back on top, then a Max Anderson layup extended the lead to three with 5:43 to go in the half.
But Wilmer converted a second-chance layup and Jeremy Green scored off the dribble to put Keyser back in front, 17-16, with 3:27 to go. A Wes Washington free throw made it two points.
Anderson hit a big three-pointer from the right corner for Webster County for the nine lead change of the half.
Wilmer finished the half strong for Keyser, scoring a quick bucket and finding Hartman for a layup in transition with 23 seconds left.
The Golden Tornado led, 22-19, at the half.
Hartman led all scorers with 11 points for Keyser; Wilmer had six points.
For Webster County, Miller led a balanced first half effort with eight points. McCoy had six and Anderson five.
KHS made just three of eight foul shots, two by Wilmer, in the first half.
Webster County came out of the locker room and scored the first five points of the second half on a McCoy three-pointer and a Grant Perrine layup.
Keyser’s Jarell Ross fouled Kenny Hall on a three-point shot with 5:25 left in the third quarter.
Hall hit all three foul shots, then McCoy scored five of the next seven points.
Webster County led, 34-22, with 3:15 to go in the quarter.
Hartman was then assessed an intentional foul and Miller hit one of the two technical shots from the line.
The Highlanders scored four more straight points from the line, then Anderson canned a three to bring the lead to 20. Keyser still had not scored in the quarter.
Andy Boggs hit three foul shots for Webster County, then a Daniel Zinn layup with 14 seconds left in the corner finally got Keyser on the board in the second half.
Highlander center Josh Ratliff hit a three at the buzzer, and Webster County was doubling up Keyser after three, 48-24.
Keyser woke up from their offensive slumber with a 12-2 run to start the fourth quarter, keyed by five points from Wilmer.
But Webster County scored four straight points from the free throw line.
Ross hit a three-pointer with 3:48 to go in the game to close the gap to 15 points, 55-40, then Peyton Hartman made a layup to bring KHS within 13.
But Webster County was not fazed, scoring the next seven points, all but two from the foul line, to go back up 20 with 1:57 to go and put the game out of reach.
Keyser finishes the season at 18-7.
Webster County advances to Charleston with a record of 19-7.
Webster County Spurts by Keyser
KEYSER, W.Va. — Despite a valiant fourth-quarter effort, Keyser’s state tournament hopes were dashed by an ice-cold third quarter during a 64-52 loss to Webster County in the final round of the Class AA Region 2 playoffs Wednesday night.
The Golden Tornado held onto a slight lead during the opening two quarters as they were ahead 13-12 after the first, and 22-19 at the half. But things changed abruptly in the third quarter, as Keyser went completely cold and Webster thrived.
The Highlanders opened the second half with a streak of 26 straight points, and outscored Keyser 29-2 for the period to build a 48-24 advantage. Daniel Zinn had the only points for the Tornado on a shot with eight seconds remaining. In an illustration of how the quarter played out, Webster County nailed a halfcourt shot at the buzzer to close the period.
Two Keyser seniors finished their basketball careers with double-doubles as Matt Wilmer scored 15 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, and Preston Hartman had 13 points and 11 rebounds. Wilmer also had four steals and two assists.
The Highlanders were led by Skyler McCoy’s 21 points and five rebounds. Tim Miller had 11 points and four assists.
After entering the fourth quarter down 48-24, Keyser was able to cut the deficit to 12 points, by outscoring the Highlanders 28-16 in the final eight minutes. The Tornado got no closer than the 12-point margin at the end of the game.
Keyser (18-7) was hoping to make its fifth state tournament in seven seasons. The Tornado had earned spots in the tournament in 2008, 2006, 2004 and 2003.
Webster (17-6) will begin play in the state tournament on Thursday at the Charleston Civic Center.
The Golden Tornado held onto a slight lead during the opening two quarters as they were ahead 13-12 after the first, and 22-19 at the half. But things changed abruptly in the third quarter, as Keyser went completely cold and Webster thrived.
The Highlanders opened the second half with a streak of 26 straight points, and outscored Keyser 29-2 for the period to build a 48-24 advantage. Daniel Zinn had the only points for the Tornado on a shot with eight seconds remaining. In an illustration of how the quarter played out, Webster County nailed a halfcourt shot at the buzzer to close the period.
Two Keyser seniors finished their basketball careers with double-doubles as Matt Wilmer scored 15 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, and Preston Hartman had 13 points and 11 rebounds. Wilmer also had four steals and two assists.
The Highlanders were led by Skyler McCoy’s 21 points and five rebounds. Tim Miller had 11 points and four assists.
After entering the fourth quarter down 48-24, Keyser was able to cut the deficit to 12 points, by outscoring the Highlanders 28-16 in the final eight minutes. The Tornado got no closer than the 12-point margin at the end of the game.
Keyser (18-7) was hoping to make its fifth state tournament in seven seasons. The Tornado had earned spots in the tournament in 2008, 2006, 2004 and 2003.
Webster (17-6) will begin play in the state tournament on Thursday at the Charleston Civic Center.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Keyser Hosts Webster County
KEYSER, W.Va. — Reservations to Charleston are waiting in the wings as Keyser faces Webster County this evening at 7:30 in the West Virginia Class AA, Region 2 playoffs in Keyser.
In his second season as head coach, Gary Liston has his team sporting an 18-6 record. The Golden Tornado earned the right to play for the state tournament after beating Petersburg 46-35 on Friday in the Section 1 championship.
The Vikings (10-13) will also play for a state tournament slot when it takes on Section 2 winner Philip Barbour tonight in Philippi. Philip Barbour beat Webster County 56-44 in the Section 2 final.
Keyser’s Preston Hartman had a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds in the win over Petersburg. Jeremy Green finished with 13 points and eight rebounds.
Keyser fell behind early, and the Vikings employed some slow down tactics that led to just seven points being scored in the second quarter. The Vikings retook the lead when Keyser got cold in the third, but the Golden Tornado ended the third quarter on a 11-0 run that put it back in control.
The Tornado will be looking to make its fifth trip in seven seasons to the Class AA State Tournament. Keyser has gotten familiar with the Charleston Civic Center over the last few seasons after playing there in 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2008. Prior to 2003, Keyser had not made the state tournament since the 1955 season.
Webster County finished the regular season at 16-6, while Philip Barbour enters tonight’s match-up with a 16-8 mark.
In his second season as head coach, Gary Liston has his team sporting an 18-6 record. The Golden Tornado earned the right to play for the state tournament after beating Petersburg 46-35 on Friday in the Section 1 championship.
The Vikings (10-13) will also play for a state tournament slot when it takes on Section 2 winner Philip Barbour tonight in Philippi. Philip Barbour beat Webster County 56-44 in the Section 2 final.
Keyser’s Preston Hartman had a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds in the win over Petersburg. Jeremy Green finished with 13 points and eight rebounds.
Keyser fell behind early, and the Vikings employed some slow down tactics that led to just seven points being scored in the second quarter. The Vikings retook the lead when Keyser got cold in the third, but the Golden Tornado ended the third quarter on a 11-0 run that put it back in control.
The Tornado will be looking to make its fifth trip in seven seasons to the Class AA State Tournament. Keyser has gotten familiar with the Charleston Civic Center over the last few seasons after playing there in 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2008. Prior to 2003, Keyser had not made the state tournament since the 1955 season.
Webster County finished the regular season at 16-6, while Philip Barbour enters tonight’s match-up with a 16-8 mark.
Charleston or bust for KHS boys tonight
KEYSER — Two teams. Only one spot.
That’s what’s at stake when the Keyser Golden Tornado hosts the Webster County Highlanders in the WVSSAC Region II boys’ basketball final tonight at KHS.
The winner advances to the eight-team state tournament in Charleston, which begins on Thursday, March 19.
Keyser won the Region II, Section I title with a 46-35 victory over Petersburg on Friday.
Webster County lost their sectional final to Philip Barbour, 56-44, Saturday night.
The Highlanders haven’t been to the state tournament since 1990.
Golden Tornado head coach Gary Liston went to the Webster County-Philip Barbour game and was impressed with the Highlanders’ work ethic.
“It’s hard to really gauge in a one-night scout, but the thing I came away with was that they played hard. They didn’t have a whole lot of size, but were definitely blue-collar players,” said Liston before Keyser’s practice Tuesday.
Because of their sound fundamentals and hustle, Liston compares Webster County to Mountain Ridge.
“A close match would be Mountain Ridge without [David] Hobel in the game. But, again, on a one-night scout, it’s hard to tell. They may have a Hobel-type player that just didn’t show that night,” Liston said.
Keyser and Mountain Ridge split two regular season meetings.
Also blue-collar is Webster County’s style.
“Offensively, they ran the flex. We’re pretty familiar with that. Defensively, they played man-to-man for 32 minutes,” said Liston.
The man-to-man defense is good news for Keyser, a team that scores a lot of points inside through their offense, in transition, and off of offensive rebounds.
“When I told the guys that yesterday when we went over the scouting report, as soon as I said they played nothing but man-to-man, Jeremy Green was grinning from ear to ear,” said Liston.
“I hope they play man tomorrow night.”
That inside game and transition play are the keys for Keyser to punch their ticket to Charleston, said Liston.
“[Keyser’s players] need to take care of the ball better than they did against Petersburg. We need to finish when we get shots around the rim. If we finish those shots around the rim, Petersburg can’t hold the ball,” he said.
“We have to run the break; we have to run it well. And then Green and [Preston] Hartman have to do their jobs inside.”
“I’ve got a feeling tomorrow night that someone’s going to have to step up other than those two guys.”
The other six spots in the state tournament will also be handed out today.
In Region I, Point Pleasant visits Weir and Magnolia travels to Ravenswood.
In Region III, Wyoming East hosts Pikeview and Oak Hill is at James Monroe.
And in Region IV, Scott travels to Sissonville and Poca visits Tug Valley.
The game tips off at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $5 for students (if purchased before 3 p.m. Wednesday) and $7 for all fans at the door.
That price is mandated by the state, according to KHS Athletic Director Ken Griffith.
That’s what’s at stake when the Keyser Golden Tornado hosts the Webster County Highlanders in the WVSSAC Region II boys’ basketball final tonight at KHS.
The winner advances to the eight-team state tournament in Charleston, which begins on Thursday, March 19.
Keyser won the Region II, Section I title with a 46-35 victory over Petersburg on Friday.
Webster County lost their sectional final to Philip Barbour, 56-44, Saturday night.
The Highlanders haven’t been to the state tournament since 1990.
Golden Tornado head coach Gary Liston went to the Webster County-Philip Barbour game and was impressed with the Highlanders’ work ethic.
“It’s hard to really gauge in a one-night scout, but the thing I came away with was that they played hard. They didn’t have a whole lot of size, but were definitely blue-collar players,” said Liston before Keyser’s practice Tuesday.
Because of their sound fundamentals and hustle, Liston compares Webster County to Mountain Ridge.
“A close match would be Mountain Ridge without [David] Hobel in the game. But, again, on a one-night scout, it’s hard to tell. They may have a Hobel-type player that just didn’t show that night,” Liston said.
Keyser and Mountain Ridge split two regular season meetings.
Also blue-collar is Webster County’s style.
“Offensively, they ran the flex. We’re pretty familiar with that. Defensively, they played man-to-man for 32 minutes,” said Liston.
The man-to-man defense is good news for Keyser, a team that scores a lot of points inside through their offense, in transition, and off of offensive rebounds.
“When I told the guys that yesterday when we went over the scouting report, as soon as I said they played nothing but man-to-man, Jeremy Green was grinning from ear to ear,” said Liston.
“I hope they play man tomorrow night.”
That inside game and transition play are the keys for Keyser to punch their ticket to Charleston, said Liston.
“[Keyser’s players] need to take care of the ball better than they did against Petersburg. We need to finish when we get shots around the rim. If we finish those shots around the rim, Petersburg can’t hold the ball,” he said.
“We have to run the break; we have to run it well. And then Green and [Preston] Hartman have to do their jobs inside.”
“I’ve got a feeling tomorrow night that someone’s going to have to step up other than those two guys.”
The other six spots in the state tournament will also be handed out today.
In Region I, Point Pleasant visits Weir and Magnolia travels to Ravenswood.
In Region III, Wyoming East hosts Pikeview and Oak Hill is at James Monroe.
And in Region IV, Scott travels to Sissonville and Poca visits Tug Valley.
The game tips off at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $5 for students (if purchased before 3 p.m. Wednesday) and $7 for all fans at the door.
That price is mandated by the state, according to KHS Athletic Director Ken Griffith.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Class AA regional matchups set
KEYSER — The Keyser Golden Tornado will host Webster County on Wednesday for a berth in next week’s state boys’ basketball tournament in Charleston.
Keyser won the Region II, Section I title with a 46-35 victory over Petersburg on Friday.
Webster County, looking to qualify for the state tournament for the first time since 1990, lost their sectional final to Philip Barbour, 56-44, Saturday night.
In the other game in Region II, Petersburg travels to Philip Barbour.
The other six spots in the state tournament will also be handed out Wednesday.
In Region I, Point Pleasant visits Weir and Magnolia travels to Ravenswood.
In Region III, Wyoming East hosts Pikeview and Oak Hill is at James Monroe.
And in Region IV, Scott travels to Sissonville and Poca visits Tug Valley.
The state tournament begins on March 19 at the Civic Center.
All four Class AA quarterfinals are on Thursday: the No. 3 vs. No. 6 game tips at 9:30 a.m.; the 2-7 game is at 1:00 p.m.; the No. 1 vs. No. 8 game is at 5:30 p.m., and the 4-5 game is the nightcap at 9:00 p.m.
The semifinals are on Friday, and the championship game is set for 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Keyser won the Region II, Section I title with a 46-35 victory over Petersburg on Friday.
Webster County, looking to qualify for the state tournament for the first time since 1990, lost their sectional final to Philip Barbour, 56-44, Saturday night.
In the other game in Region II, Petersburg travels to Philip Barbour.
The other six spots in the state tournament will also be handed out Wednesday.
In Region I, Point Pleasant visits Weir and Magnolia travels to Ravenswood.
In Region III, Wyoming East hosts Pikeview and Oak Hill is at James Monroe.
And in Region IV, Scott travels to Sissonville and Poca visits Tug Valley.
The state tournament begins on March 19 at the Civic Center.
All four Class AA quarterfinals are on Thursday: the No. 3 vs. No. 6 game tips at 9:30 a.m.; the 2-7 game is at 1:00 p.m.; the No. 1 vs. No. 8 game is at 5:30 p.m., and the 4-5 game is the nightcap at 9:00 p.m.
The semifinals are on Friday, and the championship game is set for 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Should high school hoops clock in?
Do Maryland and West Virginia need to adopt a shot clock in high school boys’ basketball?
That was the question on the lips of many fans at Keyser High School Friday night after watching the Petersburg Vikings hold the ball for the final four-odd minutes of the second quarter of the Region II, Section I final.
Let me be clear: I’m not criticizing the Vikings for employing such tactics against the Golden Tornado. Far from it.
KHS won the teams’ two regular season meetings by 33 and 38 points. Odds are Petersburg wasn’t going to come into Tornado Alley and win a 75-74 shootout.
Their chances were much better if the game was in the 50s, the 40’s, or even the 30s.
And since Keyser is a team that absolutely loves (and excels) at a high tempo, why not take the game off the boil for a while?
It reminded me of the soccer episode of “The Simpsons” (Ties! You bet!) where the fans are going nuts while the players just pass the ball back and forth between the wings and the middle. Never has so little basketball action caused so much noise at Tornado Alley.
So there was Viking point guard Brandon Kivett...holding, holding, holding, even though his team was down two points at the time, while the crowd goes berserk.
The Keyser student section even left their seats en masse to try and collectively go stand by Kivett and heckle him (they were wisely kept from doing so).
The Vikings went away from this tactic in the second half (why, I don’t know), and KHS used a 17-2 run to break the game open and win by 11 points.
Still, the game was much closer than the past two meetings. Throw that run out, and Petersburg actually wins by four.
Also, with the change in the WVSSAC playoff format, Petersburg wasn’t
see CLOCK page 5
playing for their season on Friday.
So why risk injury by playing a full-tempo, heart-on-your-sleeve, physical game in the sectional final when, win or lose Friday, the regional game this Wednesday is the one that matters, the one that punches the basketball Golden Ticket to Charleston and the state tournament?
On the Maryland side of the Potomac, Mountain Ridge used a time-milking four corners offense successfully in their first round playoff win over Fort Hill.
With the best free-throw shooting team in the area, and the best foul shooter from the foul line, three-point line, Timbuktu, etc., in David Hobel, the Miners’ formula was simple: get a decent lead and literally hold on to the ball, forcing the other team to foul to get the ball back.
Leading by 13 points with just under two minutes left in the first half, the Miners held the ball for almost the entire time before Jordan Helmick got a steal and a quick two the other way for Fort Hill.
And with a nine point lead heading to the fourth quarter, the game plan really bore fruit. Ten made free throws and solid defense against a frustrated Sentinel team eventually doubled that lead, and the Miners won by 18 points.
Proponents of a shot clock argue that it would make games more entertaining, and that idea may have some merit.
But I think the number of bad shots, hurried by a 35-second limit, would increase significantly.
Also, teams generally play straight-up games in the regular season, only resorting to such stalling tactics late in the fourth quarter of games, or, in the cases of Petersburg and Mountain Ridge, in playoff or elimination scenarios.
There’s also the added issues of spending the money to get shot clocks for each gym in the state, an unnecessary expense in these economic conditions, and having someone in-house to run the shot clock. It’s hard enough getting good, committed people to run the game clock, especially at small high schools.
Maryland, of course, does have a clock for girls’ basketball, so their learning curve would be less steep.
Unless holding the ball and other time-wasting tactics become the norm rather than the exception, I don’t expect to see either Maryland or West Virginia join the eight states nationwide that have a shot clock for boys’ hoops.
That was the question on the lips of many fans at Keyser High School Friday night after watching the Petersburg Vikings hold the ball for the final four-odd minutes of the second quarter of the Region II, Section I final.
Let me be clear: I’m not criticizing the Vikings for employing such tactics against the Golden Tornado. Far from it.
KHS won the teams’ two regular season meetings by 33 and 38 points. Odds are Petersburg wasn’t going to come into Tornado Alley and win a 75-74 shootout.
Their chances were much better if the game was in the 50s, the 40’s, or even the 30s.
And since Keyser is a team that absolutely loves (and excels) at a high tempo, why not take the game off the boil for a while?
It reminded me of the soccer episode of “The Simpsons” (Ties! You bet!) where the fans are going nuts while the players just pass the ball back and forth between the wings and the middle. Never has so little basketball action caused so much noise at Tornado Alley.
So there was Viking point guard Brandon Kivett...holding, holding, holding, even though his team was down two points at the time, while the crowd goes berserk.
The Keyser student section even left their seats en masse to try and collectively go stand by Kivett and heckle him (they were wisely kept from doing so).
The Vikings went away from this tactic in the second half (why, I don’t know), and KHS used a 17-2 run to break the game open and win by 11 points.
Still, the game was much closer than the past two meetings. Throw that run out, and Petersburg actually wins by four.
Also, with the change in the WVSSAC playoff format, Petersburg wasn’t
see CLOCK page 5
playing for their season on Friday.
So why risk injury by playing a full-tempo, heart-on-your-sleeve, physical game in the sectional final when, win or lose Friday, the regional game this Wednesday is the one that matters, the one that punches the basketball Golden Ticket to Charleston and the state tournament?
On the Maryland side of the Potomac, Mountain Ridge used a time-milking four corners offense successfully in their first round playoff win over Fort Hill.
With the best free-throw shooting team in the area, and the best foul shooter from the foul line, three-point line, Timbuktu, etc., in David Hobel, the Miners’ formula was simple: get a decent lead and literally hold on to the ball, forcing the other team to foul to get the ball back.
Leading by 13 points with just under two minutes left in the first half, the Miners held the ball for almost the entire time before Jordan Helmick got a steal and a quick two the other way for Fort Hill.
And with a nine point lead heading to the fourth quarter, the game plan really bore fruit. Ten made free throws and solid defense against a frustrated Sentinel team eventually doubled that lead, and the Miners won by 18 points.
Proponents of a shot clock argue that it would make games more entertaining, and that idea may have some merit.
But I think the number of bad shots, hurried by a 35-second limit, would increase significantly.
Also, teams generally play straight-up games in the regular season, only resorting to such stalling tactics late in the fourth quarter of games, or, in the cases of Petersburg and Mountain Ridge, in playoff or elimination scenarios.
There’s also the added issues of spending the money to get shot clocks for each gym in the state, an unnecessary expense in these economic conditions, and having someone in-house to run the shot clock. It’s hard enough getting good, committed people to run the game clock, especially at small high schools.
Maryland, of course, does have a clock for girls’ basketball, so their learning curve would be less steep.
Unless holding the ball and other time-wasting tactics become the norm rather than the exception, I don’t expect to see either Maryland or West Virginia join the eight states nationwide that have a shot clock for boys’ hoops.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Keyser Pulls Away Late to Win Section, Defeats Petersburg, 46-35
KEYSER — The Keyser Golden Tornado used a 17-2 run over the end of the third and beginning of the fourth quarters to break open a tight, low-scoring affair, winning 46-35 over the Petersburg Vikings in boys’ basketball action at Tornado Alley on Friday night.
Now champions of Region II, Section I, the Golden Tornado will host the loser of Webster County and Philip Barbour on Wednesday night.
Petersburg will travel to face the winner of that game, which is Saturday night.
The Golden Tornado held the Vikings without a point for five minutes and 19 seconds during the run and without a field goal in the second quarter.
Preston Hartman had 17 points, ten in the second half, and ten rebounds to lead Keyser.
Jeremy Green was also in double figures with 13 points and added eight rebounds, three assists, and two blocks.
Wes Washington had four steals.
Marcus Hahn’s 12 points and Derek Miller’s 11 paced Petersburg.
Keyser came out of the gate looking sluggish offensively and trailed 6-3 with 2:44 to go in the first quarter, prompting Coach Gary Liston to call a timeout.
A Derek Miller finger roll put Petersburg up 10-5 with 1:14 to go.
Keyser closed the quarter well, however, on a Preston Hartman hook and a Jeremy Green layup.
The Golden Tornado trailed, 10-9, after the first quarter.
A pair of Mike Wise free throws with 7:26 to go in the half put the Vikings up three, 12-9.
Keyser closed to back within one point on a Maverick Nelson pull-up jump shot just to the left of the foul line, then took their first lead since 1-0 on a Preston Hartman three-point play, 14-12.
Petersburg held the ball for the remainder of the second quarter.
Keyser led at the half, 14-12.
Hartman had seven points to lead Keyser; Marcus Hahn’s six points topped Petersburg.
Hahn tied the game at 14-all with a layup 15 seconds into the half, then Hartman put Keyser back up a deuce with a layup of his own.
Petersburg opened up a five-point lead, their largest of the game, with 5:09 left in the third quarter on a Hahn tip-in.
Keyser briefly re-took the lead on a Green layup, 22-21, but Hahn again responded to put Petersburg back on top.
But the Golden Tornado found their footing, going on a 17-2 run stretching through the rest of the third quarter and into the fourth. Green had five points and an assist during the run.
KHS led, 39-25, with 3:41 to go.
But PHS made it interesting, scoring the next eight points to pull within six, 39-33, with 1:48 to go.
A Matt Wilmer three-point play gave Keyser some breathing room, 44-35, with 1:04 left, and Hartman’s tip-in with 43 seconds left sealed the deal.
In Section II action Thursday night, Philip Barbour toppled top-seeded Grafton, 63-53, and Webster County knocked off second-seeded Lincoln, 57-50.
Philip Barbour will travel to Webster County Saturday night for the Section II final.
The two sectional winners host the runners-up from the opposite section on Wednesday, March 11.
Now champions of Region II, Section I, the Golden Tornado will host the loser of Webster County and Philip Barbour on Wednesday night.
Petersburg will travel to face the winner of that game, which is Saturday night.
The Golden Tornado held the Vikings without a point for five minutes and 19 seconds during the run and without a field goal in the second quarter.
Preston Hartman had 17 points, ten in the second half, and ten rebounds to lead Keyser.
Jeremy Green was also in double figures with 13 points and added eight rebounds, three assists, and two blocks.
Wes Washington had four steals.
Marcus Hahn’s 12 points and Derek Miller’s 11 paced Petersburg.
Keyser came out of the gate looking sluggish offensively and trailed 6-3 with 2:44 to go in the first quarter, prompting Coach Gary Liston to call a timeout.
A Derek Miller finger roll put Petersburg up 10-5 with 1:14 to go.
Keyser closed the quarter well, however, on a Preston Hartman hook and a Jeremy Green layup.
The Golden Tornado trailed, 10-9, after the first quarter.
A pair of Mike Wise free throws with 7:26 to go in the half put the Vikings up three, 12-9.
Keyser closed to back within one point on a Maverick Nelson pull-up jump shot just to the left of the foul line, then took their first lead since 1-0 on a Preston Hartman three-point play, 14-12.
Petersburg held the ball for the remainder of the second quarter.
Keyser led at the half, 14-12.
Hartman had seven points to lead Keyser; Marcus Hahn’s six points topped Petersburg.
Hahn tied the game at 14-all with a layup 15 seconds into the half, then Hartman put Keyser back up a deuce with a layup of his own.
Petersburg opened up a five-point lead, their largest of the game, with 5:09 left in the third quarter on a Hahn tip-in.
Keyser briefly re-took the lead on a Green layup, 22-21, but Hahn again responded to put Petersburg back on top.
But the Golden Tornado found their footing, going on a 17-2 run stretching through the rest of the third quarter and into the fourth. Green had five points and an assist during the run.
KHS led, 39-25, with 3:41 to go.
But PHS made it interesting, scoring the next eight points to pull within six, 39-33, with 1:48 to go.
A Matt Wilmer three-point play gave Keyser some breathing room, 44-35, with 1:04 left, and Hartman’s tip-in with 43 seconds left sealed the deal.
In Section II action Thursday night, Philip Barbour toppled top-seeded Grafton, 63-53, and Webster County knocked off second-seeded Lincoln, 57-50.
Philip Barbour will travel to Webster County Saturday night for the Section II final.
The two sectional winners host the runners-up from the opposite section on Wednesday, March 11.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Keyser's Late Run Beats Petersburg, 46-35
KEYSER, W.Va. — Preston Hartman recorded a double-double despite a slow pace to lead Keyser to the West Virginia Class AA Region 2, Section 1 title with a 46-35 win over Petersburg Friday night at Keyser High School.
Hartman scored a game-high 17 points, and added 10 rebounds to get the double-double. Jeremy Green was impressive with 13 points, eight boards, three assists and two blocks.
Petersburg got 12 points from Marcus Hahn and Derek Miller scored 11 points.
The Vikings led 10-9 after the first quarter, and went into slow down mode during the second. Petersburg held the ball for over four minutes in the second quarter, but Keyser was able to take 14-12 lead by halftime.
The Golden Tornado had trouble hitting their shots on the inside and fell behind 25-22 at one point in the third. From that score Keyser would go on an 11-0 run to close out the third, culminating in a halfcourt three-point shot as the period ended.
Keyser then went to the press in the fourth to cause some turnovers and hold Petersburg scoreless for the first five minutes of the quarter.
Keyser (18-6) will play in the Region 2 tournament at home on Wednesday against the Section 1 runner-up between the loser of the Phillip Barbour/Webster County contest.
Petersburg (10-13) will play the winner of that game.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Keyser to play Petersburg in Sectional Final
KEYSER — The Keyser Golden Tornado will host the Petersburg Vikings in Friday’s Region II, Section I title.
Keyser defeated Frankfort on Tuesday night, 65-44.
Jeremy Green’s 16 points led Keyser (17-6).
Petersburg edged Berkeley Springs, 58-57, on Tuesday.
Keyser swept the season series, posting an 88-55 win in Petersburg on February 7 and a 83-47 victory in Keyser on February 19.
Tip-off from Tornado Alley is at 7:30 p.m.
The winner will host the loser of Section II’s championship game; the loser will travel to the winner of Section II.
The two regional games will be on Wednesday, March 11, at 7:30 p.m.
Keyser defeated Frankfort on Tuesday night, 65-44.
Jeremy Green’s 16 points led Keyser (17-6).
Petersburg edged Berkeley Springs, 58-57, on Tuesday.
Keyser swept the season series, posting an 88-55 win in Petersburg on February 7 and a 83-47 victory in Keyser on February 19.
Tip-off from Tornado Alley is at 7:30 p.m.
The winner will host the loser of Section II’s championship game; the loser will travel to the winner of Section II.
The two regional games will be on Wednesday, March 11, at 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Tornado Blows Past Falcons, 65-44
KEYSER — Strong starts to all four quarters powered the Keyser Golden Tornado to a 65-44 win over the Frankfort Falcons in boys’ sectional basketball action at Tornado Alley Tuesday night.
KHS started the four quarters with runs of 10-2, 6-0, 8-0, and 8-0, respectively.
The Golden Tornado received a balanced scoring effort.
Jeremy Green led the way with 16 points, ten rebounds, and three steals; Preston Hartman had 14 points, 13 rebounds and three steals, Matt Wilmer 12 points, and Wes Washington 10 points and four assists.
In a valiant effort, Logan Wolford had 17 points to lead Frankfort.
Keyser came out flying, opening up a 6-0 lead in the first minute-and-a-half of the game and forcing Frankfort coach Scott Slider to take a quick timeout.
Three straight points by Frankfort’s Travis Myers brought Frankfort back within five, 10-5, with 2:20 left.
Good defense by Frankfort and Keyser’s inability to finish around the rim kept the Falcons within shouting distance.
The Golden Tornado led 14-9 after the first quarter.
A Dusty Myers layup closed the Falcons within a possession, 14-11, 18 seconds into the half.
But Keyser countered with a 6-0 run, capped by a Preston Hartman pull-up jumper in transition.
Keyser led, 20-11, with 5:02 left in the first half.
The Falcons cut back within five, 20-15, on a Logan Wolford basket.
But the Golden Tornado again had an answer.
Keyser scored eight of the next ten points; a Matt Wilmer blocked shot led to Wes Washington’s transition layup and KHS’s first double-digit lead, 28-17, with 1:12 to go in the half.
The Golden Tornado took a 32-19 lead into the locker room.
Hartman’s eight points led Keyser; Wolford had six, all in the second quarter, to top Frankfort.
KHS again started the half hot, tallying a quick eight points to move ahead 40-19. Matt Wilmer had four points during the run.
Wolford took control for Frankfort, scoring the next eight points to cut the lead to 40-27 with 3:41 left in the third quarter.
But Keyser again answered, this time with an 8-2 run. Hartman had four points inside.
KHS led, 48-29, at the 1:41 mark.
After three quarters, the Golden Tornado led 49-34, despite nine points from Wolford in the quarter.
Once again, the beginning of the quarter went Keyser’s way.
KHS scored the first eight points of the frame to open up a 59-36 lead and cruised the rest of the game.
Keyser improves to 17-6 with the win and will host either Berkeley Springs or Petersburg for the sectional title Friday night.
Frankfort ends the season at 8-15.
KHS started the four quarters with runs of 10-2, 6-0, 8-0, and 8-0, respectively.
The Golden Tornado received a balanced scoring effort.
Jeremy Green led the way with 16 points, ten rebounds, and three steals; Preston Hartman had 14 points, 13 rebounds and three steals, Matt Wilmer 12 points, and Wes Washington 10 points and four assists.
In a valiant effort, Logan Wolford had 17 points to lead Frankfort.
Keyser came out flying, opening up a 6-0 lead in the first minute-and-a-half of the game and forcing Frankfort coach Scott Slider to take a quick timeout.
Three straight points by Frankfort’s Travis Myers brought Frankfort back within five, 10-5, with 2:20 left.
Good defense by Frankfort and Keyser’s inability to finish around the rim kept the Falcons within shouting distance.
The Golden Tornado led 14-9 after the first quarter.
A Dusty Myers layup closed the Falcons within a possession, 14-11, 18 seconds into the half.
But Keyser countered with a 6-0 run, capped by a Preston Hartman pull-up jumper in transition.
Keyser led, 20-11, with 5:02 left in the first half.
The Falcons cut back within five, 20-15, on a Logan Wolford basket.
But the Golden Tornado again had an answer.
Keyser scored eight of the next ten points; a Matt Wilmer blocked shot led to Wes Washington’s transition layup and KHS’s first double-digit lead, 28-17, with 1:12 to go in the half.
The Golden Tornado took a 32-19 lead into the locker room.
Hartman’s eight points led Keyser; Wolford had six, all in the second quarter, to top Frankfort.
KHS again started the half hot, tallying a quick eight points to move ahead 40-19. Matt Wilmer had four points during the run.
Wolford took control for Frankfort, scoring the next eight points to cut the lead to 40-27 with 3:41 left in the third quarter.
But Keyser again answered, this time with an 8-2 run. Hartman had four points inside.
KHS led, 48-29, at the 1:41 mark.
After three quarters, the Golden Tornado led 49-34, despite nine points from Wolford in the quarter.
Once again, the beginning of the quarter went Keyser’s way.
KHS scored the first eight points of the frame to open up a 59-36 lead and cruised the rest of the game.
Keyser improves to 17-6 with the win and will host either Berkeley Springs or Petersburg for the sectional title Friday night.
Frankfort ends the season at 8-15.
Keyser Overpowers Frankfort, 65-44
KEYSER, W.Va. — Keyser had too much speed and too much depth for Frankfort, opening the third quarter with an 8-0 run to advance to the West Virginia Class AA, Region 2, Section 2 championship game this Friday with a 65-44 victory over the Falcons Tuesday at Keyser.
Jeremy Green scored 16 points, had 10 rebounds, three steals and two blocked shots to lead the Golden Tornado (17-6), while Preston Hartman scored 14 points with 13 rebounds and three steals.
Matt Wilmer scored 12 points for Keyser, with two blocked shots, and Wes Washington scored 10 points and had four assists.
For Frankfort (8-15), Logan Wolford scored 17 points and Dusty Myers hit for 12 points.
Keyser led 14-9 after the first quarter, and increased it to 32-19 at the half. After its 8-0 start to the third quarter, the Tornado entered the fourth quarter with a 49-34 lead.
Keyser will host the Petersburg-Berkeley Springs winner in the Sectional championship 2 game Friday.
Keyser Moves into Top Ten in AA Associated Press Poll
CHARLESTON — The Keyser Golden Tornado moved into the top ten of the Associated Press West Virginia Class AA boys’ basketball poll, released Tuesday.
Keyser received eleven votes, two ahead of Poca and six behind No. 9 Pike View. Wyoming East (21-1) is the unanimous No. 1, receiving all nine first-place votes.
Oak Hill, Sissonville, Magnolia, and Ravenswood make up the rest of the top five.
Fellow Region II schools Grafton and Webster County are sixth and seventh. Weir is eighth.
Keyser received eleven votes, two ahead of Poca and six behind No. 9 Pike View. Wyoming East (21-1) is the unanimous No. 1, receiving all nine first-place votes.
Oak Hill, Sissonville, Magnolia, and Ravenswood make up the rest of the top five.
Fellow Region II schools Grafton and Webster County are sixth and seventh. Weir is eighth.
Mineral County Rubber Match - Keyser vs. Frankfort in First Round Sectional Play
KEYSER — The third time really will be the charm tonight when the Frankfort Falcons (8-14) head across the county to battle the No. 10 Keyser Golden Tornado (16-6) in the first round of the West Virginia boys’ basketball sectional playoffs.
Keyser won the first meeting at home, 74-29, on December 23. KHS’s Matt Wilmer poured in 14 of his game-high 17 points in the first half.
But Frankfort pulled off a 60-55 stunner exactly a month later, with Skyler Minke’s 13 points leading a balanced Falcon attack.
Gary Liston’s Golden Tornado are peaking at the right time, ripping off eight straight wins and posting a 9-1 record in the month of February.
Scott Slider’s Falcons, too, have played well of late, racking up four straight wins before suffering a 72-44 Senior Day loss to Allegany on Thursday.
Frankfort is actually over .500 (7-6) in the stretch beginning with their win over Keyser.
The winner will advance to Friday’s sectional final against the winner of Berkeley Springs at Petersburg, which also is being played on Tuesday night. Keyser, seeded first, will host if they win; Frankfort, seeded fourth, will have to travel.
Due to changes made in this year’s post-season format, the two sectional finalists are also guaranteed a regional game: each sectional winner will host the second-place team from the opposite section on March 11.
In order of seeding, Grafton, Lincoln, Webster County, Philip Barbour, Braxton County, and Liberty Harrison make up the other section in Region II.
Two teams from each region advance to the state tournament, which begins March 18 at the Civic Center in Charleston.
Keyser won the first meeting at home, 74-29, on December 23. KHS’s Matt Wilmer poured in 14 of his game-high 17 points in the first half.
But Frankfort pulled off a 60-55 stunner exactly a month later, with Skyler Minke’s 13 points leading a balanced Falcon attack.
Gary Liston’s Golden Tornado are peaking at the right time, ripping off eight straight wins and posting a 9-1 record in the month of February.
Scott Slider’s Falcons, too, have played well of late, racking up four straight wins before suffering a 72-44 Senior Day loss to Allegany on Thursday.
Frankfort is actually over .500 (7-6) in the stretch beginning with their win over Keyser.
The winner will advance to Friday’s sectional final against the winner of Berkeley Springs at Petersburg, which also is being played on Tuesday night. Keyser, seeded first, will host if they win; Frankfort, seeded fourth, will have to travel.
Due to changes made in this year’s post-season format, the two sectional finalists are also guaranteed a regional game: each sectional winner will host the second-place team from the opposite section on March 11.
In order of seeding, Grafton, Lincoln, Webster County, Philip Barbour, Braxton County, and Liberty Harrison make up the other section in Region II.
Two teams from each region advance to the state tournament, which begins March 18 at the Civic Center in Charleston.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Keyser Defeats BW on Senior NIght, 75-62
KEYSER — The Keyser High Golden Tornado rallied from 15 points down to knock off the Bishop Walsh Spartans in local boys' basketball action, 75-62, in front of an electric crowd at Tornado Alley on Senior Night Thursday.Matt Wilmer had 27 points, including five clutch free throws down the stretch, to lead Keyser; Jeremy Green added 14 points, Preston Hartman had 14 points and 10 rebounds, with Wes Washington close behind with 12 points and 11 rebounds.Keyser held Bishop Walsh without a field goal for the final 4:07 of the game.Spencer Wine had 18 points in a losing effort for Bishop Walsh.Jeremy Green, who entered the game with 999 career points, hit a short jump shot with 6:45 left in the first quarter to tie the game at 4-4.But the Spartans seized the initiative from there, going on a 7-0 run over the next two minutes and forcing KHS boss Gary Liston to take a timeout. BW led, 11-4, at the 4:34 mark.The Golden Tornado closed quickly, with a pair of Matt Wilmer buckets bookending a tough left-handed layup by Green. The game was tied at 13-13 with 55 seconds left in the quarter.At the end of the first quarter, the game was tied at 15-all. Green and Wilmer accounted for all but two of Keyser's points.After a back-and-forth stretch, the Spartans bought some breathing room with a Connor O'Rourke three-point play. BW led, 24-20, at the 5:34 mark, and scored the next seven points to take their first double-digit lead, 31-20, with 3:43 left in the half.With 1:15 left in the half, BW's Kym Pierce glided to the goal for a layup, and Keyser coach Liston, who thought Pierce had walked on the play, was tagged with a technical foul.A late Eric Diamond cutter gave Bishop Walsh their biggest lead of the night, 39-24, heading into the locker room.BW's Spencer Wine had 13 to lead all scorers; Wilmer's nine at intermission topped Keyser. KHS made only two field goals in the final 6:26 of the half.The Golden Tornado closed to within single digits on a pair of Green free throws at the 6:16 mark. The Spartans led, 41-32.KHS continued to chip away; Matt Wilmer's three-pointer from the right side made it a one-possession game, 46-43, with 2:21 remaining in the third quarter.A Peyton Hartman fadeway jump shot off a rebound with 17 seconds left in the quarter cut the BW lead to just one, 50-49, heading to the fourth quarter. 15 fouls were called in the period.Keyser point guard Wes Washington, growing in influence as the game went on, found Green in transition for a layup 17 seconds into the fourth quarter, and KHS led for the first time all night, 51-50.The Golden Tornado continued to surge; Wilmer finished off a great pass from Hartman, then tipped in a shot to push the lead to 60-53 with 5:16 remaining.But out of a timeout, the Spartans found a quick answer, ripping off seven straight points in under a minute to tie the game at 60.Another Peyton Hartman turnaround, a Preston Hartman free throw, and a Wilmer layup high off the glass gave Keyser a 65-60 lead with 2:21 left.A pair of Myles Clifford free throws made it a one-possession game with 1:52 left.But Keyser was able to ice the game from the line. Before the game, seniors Tony Amtower, Green, Preston Hartman, Maverick Nelson, Taige Redman, Andrea Restelli, Wes Stullenbarger, Wilmer, and Daniel Zinn were recognized.The senior cheerleaders and statisticians were also recognized.Keyser won the first meeting, 74-70, on February 5, ending BW's 10-game winning streak.In the junior varsity game, Keyser cruised to a 70-51 win.R.C. Pratt led KHS with 16 points; Dustin Fertig and Langston Hines chipped in ten.Dylan Dunn led BW with 15 points.Bishop Walsh (17-6) play in the prestigious Alhambra Catholic Invitational Tournament at Frostburg State University beginning on March 19.Keyser (16-6) host Frankfort Tuesday in sectional play.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Keyser roars back, beats BW, 75-62
KEYSER, W.Va. — Matt Wilmer poured in 27 points, Jeremy Green scored his 1,000th career point, and Wes Washington and Preston Hartman had double-doubles to power fourth-ranked Keyser to a 75-62 victory over top-ranked Bishop Walsh in high school boys basketball Thursday evening.
The win in the regular-season finale for both teams gave Keyser a series sweep. The Golden Tornado had won 74-70 at Bishop Walsh earlier in the year.
Thursday night, Keyser roared back from a 15-point halftime deficit with a 51-point second half and improved to 16-6 with its eighth straight win.
Bishop Walsh led 39-24 at halftime but suffered through a cold-shooting fourth quarter and fell to 17-6.
Wilmer hit nine field goals and 7-of-8 foul shots in leading all scorers. Green finished with 14 points and, with a bucket in the opening minutes, went over the 1,000-point mark in his career. He now has 1,013 points.
Washington had 12 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and two steals, and Hartman finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds and three assists for the Tornado.
Spencer Wine turned in a big game and led three Bishop Walsh double-figure scorers with 18 points. Kamran Khataian added 13 and Myles Clifford 11.
Tied 15-15 after one quarter, Wine scored six points and Clifford and Connor O’Rourke five each in the second to help the Spartans to the 39-24 halftime lead.
It was all but erased by the Tornado in the third quarter. Washington and Hartman hit three buckets in the period and Wilmer a big three-pointer at the end of the period to bring Keyser to within 50-49.
Keyser outscored BW 26-12 in the decisive fourth quarter. Wilmer had 13 points and went 5-for-6 from the foul line in the quarter. Hartman, on drives to the basket, dished out three assists to Wilmer for buckets inside.
Keyser also won the jayvee game, 70-51, with R.C. Pratt scoring 16 points. Dylan Dunn had 15 for BW.
Keyser will host Frankfort in a Class AA sectional semifinal on Tuesday, at 7 o’clock. The winner of that game will play the Petersburg-Berkeley Springs winner in the section final next Friday.
Keyser Wins Seventh in a row, beats Hampshire, 75-60
ROMNEY -- Keyser beat Hampshire 75-60 in Tuesday-night boys basketball action.
Jeremy Green was the high scorer for the Golden Tornado, posting 23 points and grabbing a team-high nine rebounds. He also had two steals.
Matt Wilmer had 18 points and five rebounds; Preston Hartman, 16 points and eight rebounds; Maverick Nelson, seven points and Wesley Stullenbarger six points. Wes Washington had two points and a team-high 10 assists, and a team-high five steals. Dan Zinn added two points for Keyser.
Will Hughes was the high scorer for Hampshire, with 20 points.
Keyser held the lead throughout the game, with the score 18-9 after the first quarter, 39-20 after the second and 54-42 after three.
The win leaves Keyser's record at 15-6 heading into tonight's final regular season game, 7:30 p.m. at home against Bishop Walsh. Senior basketball players, statisticians and cheerleaders will be honored during the game
Jeremy Green was the high scorer for the Golden Tornado, posting 23 points and grabbing a team-high nine rebounds. He also had two steals.
Matt Wilmer had 18 points and five rebounds; Preston Hartman, 16 points and eight rebounds; Maverick Nelson, seven points and Wesley Stullenbarger six points. Wes Washington had two points and a team-high 10 assists, and a team-high five steals. Dan Zinn added two points for Keyser.
Will Hughes was the high scorer for Hampshire, with 20 points.
Keyser held the lead throughout the game, with the score 18-9 after the first quarter, 39-20 after the second and 54-42 after three.
The win leaves Keyser's record at 15-6 heading into tonight's final regular season game, 7:30 p.m. at home against Bishop Walsh. Senior basketball players, statisticians and cheerleaders will be honored during the game
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Keyser Avenges Loss to Trojans, Wins 74-60
ROMNEY, W.Va. — Jeremy Green had a game-high 23 points and fourth-ranked Keyser extended its area- best win streak to seven games as the Golden Tornado defeated Hampshire in Appalachian Mountain Athletic Conference play.
Matt Wilmer added 18 points and Preston Hartman contributed 16 for Keyser.
Hampshire was led by Will Hughes with 21 points. J.P. Binotto had 14 and Robbie Miller 11.
Keyser led 18-9 after one quarter and then surged to a 21-11 second period run to take a 39-20 halftime lead. Hampshire would close in on the third period to cut the lead to 12 at 54-42, but could not complete the comeback.
Keyser also won the JV game.
Keyser (15-6, 9-5 AMAC) hosts No. 1 Bishop Walsh and Hampshire (8-11, 7-6) travels to Southern on Thursday.
Matt Wilmer added 18 points and Preston Hartman contributed 16 for Keyser.
Hampshire was led by Will Hughes with 21 points. J.P. Binotto had 14 and Robbie Miller 11.
Keyser led 18-9 after one quarter and then surged to a 21-11 second period run to take a 39-20 halftime lead. Hampshire would close in on the third period to cut the lead to 12 at 54-42, but could not complete the comeback.
Keyser also won the JV game.
Keyser (15-6, 9-5 AMAC) hosts No. 1 Bishop Walsh and Hampshire (8-11, 7-6) travels to Southern on Thursday.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Keyser Outlasts Sentinals, 83-79
KEYSER - In a game of ebbs and flows Keyser was lucky the tide turned Green late, as the Golden Tornado swingman scored 16 of the locals final 24 fourth-quarter points to pull out an 83-79 victory over visiting Fort Hill Monday night at Tornado Alley.
Senior guard Jeremy Green and fellow classmate Preston Hartman combined to score 55 points, the latter grabbing a team-high 14 rebounds and providing Keyser a lead early on.
The Golden Tornado were not able to hold onto that, or any lead, very long against the ever-surging Sentinels, as Fort Hill battled back time and time again and played Keyser dead-even through three periods of play.
Green went bezerk over the final eight minutes, leading the Golden Tornado on a 13-0 quarter-opening surge and scored 10 of Keyser’s first 15 points in the period.
That lead almost fell through however, as Fort Hill took advantage of a questionable coaching move with just over a minute to play and nearly pulled out an upset.
Keyser went up 11-0 off the tip on the Sentinels, taking advantage of Hartman’s hot shooting and boardwork to get second shots over the first 4:30.
Jordan Helmick got Fort Hill in the scoring column at the 3:30 mark, and Brandon Renson connected for three of his 12 points after he was fouled on a successful attempt to cut the margin to 14-5.
Hartman sank his second 3-pointer of the period, but Devin Lee nailed one of his four three-point field goals to answer on the ensuing possession.
Matt Wilmer and Wes Washington connected on back-to-back trips to push the Keyser lead to 10 points again, and that was the margin after eight minutes as the Golden Tornado took a 22-12 lead into the second stanza.
Hartman scored the first four points of the period to give Keyser its’ largest lead of the game, 14 points, but Fort Hill began to chip away at the Tornado advantage as Keyser’s perimeter defenders began to lax.
Devin Lee drilled a trey at the 6:00 mark to cut the lead to four points, 28-24, and the Sentinels were finally able to tie it up with 3:30 to play in the half after a Helmick follow at 32-32.
Fort Hill fell asleep and a mental mistake at the line allowed Keyser to rebound a one-shot opportunity and turn a three-point play into four with a Green follow, but L.T. White nailed a three and a pair from the line to give Fort Hill its’ first lead at 37-36.
Washington found Green and Keyser got it right back, and the Tornado went on to take a 41-37 lead into the locker room after ending the half on a 6-0 run.
Keyser was unable to shake the Sentinels throughout the third quarter, allowing Fort Hill continually to go inside-out and take advantage of Keyser’s slow-to-recover perimeter defense for open looks around the arc.
But Keyser’s redhead might have earned a new nickname - money - because it was all Green in the final frame.
Green went on a tear slicing up the Sentinels for 16 points over the first 5:50 of play, and gave Keyser a comfortable 12-point cushion with 1:10 on the clock.
Head Coach Gary Liston decided to substitute all five players at that point, but trailing 80-68 the Sentinels still thought they had a chance.
And they did.
Lee connected on back to back three’s to cut the margin in half, and hit his seventh and eighth points in 24 seconds to cut the Keyser lead to four at 80-76.
Fort Hill put Jarell Ross on the line and he converted one-of-two freebies with 22 tic’s on the clock, but Lee was fouled shooting a three with 11 seconds to go. Lee sank all three, and cut the Keyser lead to a bucket.
Washington was fouled immediately, and he sealed the win after knocking down a pair to make it a two-possession game with 10 seconds to play for the Golden Tornado - but not before every Keyser fan was left with a sore spot from all the collective scratching of heads in Tornado Alley after decision to exit all five starters so early.
Green added six rebounds to his 28-point night, Matt Wilmer scored 14 for Keyser, and Washington chipped in six rebounds, seven assists, and four steals.
Lee led all scorers for Fort Hill with 30 points. Helmick added 16.
Keyser won the jayvee game 51-36.
Ethan LaRue led the locals with 14 points, R.C. Pratt added 11, and Dustin Fertig finished with seven points, six boards and seven steals for Keyser, who led throughout.
The lil’ Tornado finished off their season with some revenge over the only team to hand them a loss, beating Fort Hill 61-40.
Wyatt Nelson led the way with 18 points for Keyser, and added eight rebounds and four steals.
Corey Armstong scored 14 points on the break, and Jamison Jones rounded out the scoring with nine points and added eight assists.
The Keyser frosh finish their season at 15-1and the coaching staff would like to thank the players and families for a successful year.
The KHS varsity will return to action tonight at Hampshire before hosting Bishop Walsh in the season finale on senior night Thursday at Tornado Alley.
Senior guard Jeremy Green and fellow classmate Preston Hartman combined to score 55 points, the latter grabbing a team-high 14 rebounds and providing Keyser a lead early on.
The Golden Tornado were not able to hold onto that, or any lead, very long against the ever-surging Sentinels, as Fort Hill battled back time and time again and played Keyser dead-even through three periods of play.
Green went bezerk over the final eight minutes, leading the Golden Tornado on a 13-0 quarter-opening surge and scored 10 of Keyser’s first 15 points in the period.
That lead almost fell through however, as Fort Hill took advantage of a questionable coaching move with just over a minute to play and nearly pulled out an upset.
Keyser went up 11-0 off the tip on the Sentinels, taking advantage of Hartman’s hot shooting and boardwork to get second shots over the first 4:30.
Jordan Helmick got Fort Hill in the scoring column at the 3:30 mark, and Brandon Renson connected for three of his 12 points after he was fouled on a successful attempt to cut the margin to 14-5.
Hartman sank his second 3-pointer of the period, but Devin Lee nailed one of his four three-point field goals to answer on the ensuing possession.
Matt Wilmer and Wes Washington connected on back-to-back trips to push the Keyser lead to 10 points again, and that was the margin after eight minutes as the Golden Tornado took a 22-12 lead into the second stanza.
Hartman scored the first four points of the period to give Keyser its’ largest lead of the game, 14 points, but Fort Hill began to chip away at the Tornado advantage as Keyser’s perimeter defenders began to lax.
Devin Lee drilled a trey at the 6:00 mark to cut the lead to four points, 28-24, and the Sentinels were finally able to tie it up with 3:30 to play in the half after a Helmick follow at 32-32.
Fort Hill fell asleep and a mental mistake at the line allowed Keyser to rebound a one-shot opportunity and turn a three-point play into four with a Green follow, but L.T. White nailed a three and a pair from the line to give Fort Hill its’ first lead at 37-36.
Washington found Green and Keyser got it right back, and the Tornado went on to take a 41-37 lead into the locker room after ending the half on a 6-0 run.
Keyser was unable to shake the Sentinels throughout the third quarter, allowing Fort Hill continually to go inside-out and take advantage of Keyser’s slow-to-recover perimeter defense for open looks around the arc.
But Keyser’s redhead might have earned a new nickname - money - because it was all Green in the final frame.
Green went on a tear slicing up the Sentinels for 16 points over the first 5:50 of play, and gave Keyser a comfortable 12-point cushion with 1:10 on the clock.
Head Coach Gary Liston decided to substitute all five players at that point, but trailing 80-68 the Sentinels still thought they had a chance.
And they did.
Lee connected on back to back three’s to cut the margin in half, and hit his seventh and eighth points in 24 seconds to cut the Keyser lead to four at 80-76.
Fort Hill put Jarell Ross on the line and he converted one-of-two freebies with 22 tic’s on the clock, but Lee was fouled shooting a three with 11 seconds to go. Lee sank all three, and cut the Keyser lead to a bucket.
Washington was fouled immediately, and he sealed the win after knocking down a pair to make it a two-possession game with 10 seconds to play for the Golden Tornado - but not before every Keyser fan was left with a sore spot from all the collective scratching of heads in Tornado Alley after decision to exit all five starters so early.
Green added six rebounds to his 28-point night, Matt Wilmer scored 14 for Keyser, and Washington chipped in six rebounds, seven assists, and four steals.
Lee led all scorers for Fort Hill with 30 points. Helmick added 16.
Keyser won the jayvee game 51-36.
Ethan LaRue led the locals with 14 points, R.C. Pratt added 11, and Dustin Fertig finished with seven points, six boards and seven steals for Keyser, who led throughout.
The lil’ Tornado finished off their season with some revenge over the only team to hand them a loss, beating Fort Hill 61-40.
Wyatt Nelson led the way with 18 points for Keyser, and added eight rebounds and four steals.
Corey Armstong scored 14 points on the break, and Jamison Jones rounded out the scoring with nine points and added eight assists.
The Keyser frosh finish their season at 15-1and the coaching staff would like to thank the players and families for a successful year.
The KHS varsity will return to action tonight at Hampshire before hosting Bishop Walsh in the season finale on senior night Thursday at Tornado Alley.
Keyser Defeats Fort Hill, 83-79
KEYSER, W.Va. — Jeremy Green and Preston Hartman threatened the 30-point barrier and Keyser began the first and fourth quarters with 11-0 runs in the fourth-ranked Golden Tornado’s win over Fort Hill.
The run in the first quarter helped Keyser open a 22-12 lead, and the run in the fourth helped Keyser go from an 59-59 tie to 70-59 lead. Green was the charge behind the fourth quarter stretch by scoring 16 of his team-high 28 points in the final period. Hartman led the first run by scoring nine of his team’s first 11 points. He had 14 in the first quarter and 20 in the first half as he finished with 27.
Hartman added 14 rebounds for a double-double, and Green had six rebounds. Wes Washington had seven assists, six rebounds and four steals to go with four points. Matt Wilmer added 14 points.
Fort Hill got a big night from Devon Lee and his game-high 30 points. Jordan Helmick scored 16 and Brandon Remson had 12.
Ethan LaRue scored 14 points and R.C. Pratt had 11 in Keyser’s 51-36 junior varsity win. Will Harris and Michael Crabtree had eight each for the Sentinels.
The Tornado freshmen team (15-1) avenged it’s only loss of the season by winning their game 61-40. Wyatt Nelson scored 18 points and had eight rebounds, and Corey Armstrong added 14. Zack Godlove scored 13, and Ryan Briner added 11 for Fort Hill.
Keyser has won six straight to move to 14-6, and is 8-5 in the AMAC. It will play Hampshire tonight in Romney. Fort Hill (5-15, 4-9 AMAC) will host Northern this evening.
The run in the first quarter helped Keyser open a 22-12 lead, and the run in the fourth helped Keyser go from an 59-59 tie to 70-59 lead. Green was the charge behind the fourth quarter stretch by scoring 16 of his team-high 28 points in the final period. Hartman led the first run by scoring nine of his team’s first 11 points. He had 14 in the first quarter and 20 in the first half as he finished with 27.
Hartman added 14 rebounds for a double-double, and Green had six rebounds. Wes Washington had seven assists, six rebounds and four steals to go with four points. Matt Wilmer added 14 points.
Fort Hill got a big night from Devon Lee and his game-high 30 points. Jordan Helmick scored 16 and Brandon Remson had 12.
Ethan LaRue scored 14 points and R.C. Pratt had 11 in Keyser’s 51-36 junior varsity win. Will Harris and Michael Crabtree had eight each for the Sentinels.
The Tornado freshmen team (15-1) avenged it’s only loss of the season by winning their game 61-40. Wyatt Nelson scored 18 points and had eight rebounds, and Corey Armstrong added 14. Zack Godlove scored 13, and Ryan Briner added 11 for Fort Hill.
Keyser has won six straight to move to 14-6, and is 8-5 in the AMAC. It will play Hampshire tonight in Romney. Fort Hill (5-15, 4-9 AMAC) will host Northern this evening.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Tornado Blows Away Vikings, 84-47
KEYSER - Keyser led from wire to wire last night blowing away visiting Petersburg at Tornado Alley 84- 47 in local high school boys basketball action.
Petersburg was able to hang around for about eight minutes, holding the basketball and getting good looks at the rim. In fact, the Vikings missed many point-blank opportunities throughout the first quarter, and could have easily held a lead after a period of play if those attempts had fallen.
Preston Hartman gave Keyser the lead off the tip, and Jarell Ross hit a runner in the lane to make it 4-0 seconds later.
David Taylor scored the first two of his nine first-quarter points at the 6:14 mark, and followed a Matt Wilmer freebie with a baseline jumper to pull the Vikes within one, 5-4.
Taylor alternated shots with Jeremy Green again, but Keyser went on a 6-0 spurt behind a pair of buckets by Wilmer and a Green layin off a Wes Washington assist to take a 13-6 lead with three minutes to play in the period.
Taylor and Mike Wise answered with five straight for Petersburg, and the teams traded free throws to end the quarter with Petersburg trailing 14-12.
Green and Wilmer combined to score four straight out of the whistle before Ryan Wratchford could connect for the visitors, but Hartman and Washington hit on back-to-back trips to give Keyser an eight-point cushion.
Petersburg dialed long distance to cut the margin by three, but a Golden Tornado 11-0 run highlighted by a Washington rip and score ended all hopes of a Viking upset.
Wise hit pair from the charity stripe to end the hemorrhaging, but it was just a temporary bandage as Wes Stalenberger hit a trey, and Green connected on another fallaway jumper for two of his game-high 21 points in the lane as Keyser continued to pour it on.
A Wise 3-pointer that just beat the buzzer was the lone bright spot of the period for Petersburg, leaving the locals up 38-22 at the half.
It didn’t get any better in the second half for Petersburg, as Keyser continued to roll throughout to the eventual 37-point margin of victory puctuated with a Peyton Hartman dunk on a behind-the-back assist from Taige Redman.
Hartman turned in a double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds, Walker dropped nine dimes for Keyser.
Both schools will face off with Allegany County foes on Monday.
Keyser improved to 13-6 and will host Fort Hill Monday.
Petersburg falls to 8-12 and will travel to Cumberland to take on Allegany.
Chris Halbritter led the Keyser jayvee with 16 points and six rebounds in a 74-58 win.
RC Pratt, Langston Hines, and Peyton Hartman all scored 10 points.
Petersburg was able to hang around for about eight minutes, holding the basketball and getting good looks at the rim. In fact, the Vikings missed many point-blank opportunities throughout the first quarter, and could have easily held a lead after a period of play if those attempts had fallen.
Preston Hartman gave Keyser the lead off the tip, and Jarell Ross hit a runner in the lane to make it 4-0 seconds later.
David Taylor scored the first two of his nine first-quarter points at the 6:14 mark, and followed a Matt Wilmer freebie with a baseline jumper to pull the Vikes within one, 5-4.
Taylor alternated shots with Jeremy Green again, but Keyser went on a 6-0 spurt behind a pair of buckets by Wilmer and a Green layin off a Wes Washington assist to take a 13-6 lead with three minutes to play in the period.
Taylor and Mike Wise answered with five straight for Petersburg, and the teams traded free throws to end the quarter with Petersburg trailing 14-12.
Green and Wilmer combined to score four straight out of the whistle before Ryan Wratchford could connect for the visitors, but Hartman and Washington hit on back-to-back trips to give Keyser an eight-point cushion.
Petersburg dialed long distance to cut the margin by three, but a Golden Tornado 11-0 run highlighted by a Washington rip and score ended all hopes of a Viking upset.
Wise hit pair from the charity stripe to end the hemorrhaging, but it was just a temporary bandage as Wes Stalenberger hit a trey, and Green connected on another fallaway jumper for two of his game-high 21 points in the lane as Keyser continued to pour it on.
A Wise 3-pointer that just beat the buzzer was the lone bright spot of the period for Petersburg, leaving the locals up 38-22 at the half.
It didn’t get any better in the second half for Petersburg, as Keyser continued to roll throughout to the eventual 37-point margin of victory puctuated with a Peyton Hartman dunk on a behind-the-back assist from Taige Redman.
Hartman turned in a double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds, Walker dropped nine dimes for Keyser.
Both schools will face off with Allegany County foes on Monday.
Keyser improved to 13-6 and will host Fort Hill Monday.
Petersburg falls to 8-12 and will travel to Cumberland to take on Allegany.
Chris Halbritter led the Keyser jayvee with 16 points and six rebounds in a 74-58 win.
RC Pratt, Langston Hines, and Peyton Hartman all scored 10 points.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Keyser Rolls over Petersburg, 84-47
KEYSER, W.Va. — Jeremy Green finished with 21 points and eight rebounds, and Keyser outscored Petersburg 24-10 in the second quarter on its way to a 84-47 win in high school boys basketball Thursday evening.
Preston Hartman had a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds. Keyser dominated the boards, outrebounding the Vikings by 48-20. Jarell Ross added 10 points and two steals, and Matt Wilmer finished with nine points and two steals.
Mike Wise scored 13 points and David Taylor added nine to lead Petersburg.
The Golden Tornado jayvees improved to 16-1 with a 74-58 win. Chris Halbritter scored 16 points, while Peyton Hartman, R.C. Pratt and Langston Hines added 10. Hartman also had nine rebounds.
Keyser (13-6) will play a tripleheader on Monday when it hosts Fort Hill. The freshmen game tips off at 4:15, followed by the jayvees at 6 and the varsity at 7:30. Petersburg (7-9) is at Allegany on Monday.
Preston Hartman had a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds. Keyser dominated the boards, outrebounding the Vikings by 48-20. Jarell Ross added 10 points and two steals, and Matt Wilmer finished with nine points and two steals.
Mike Wise scored 13 points and David Taylor added nine to lead Petersburg.
The Golden Tornado jayvees improved to 16-1 with a 74-58 win. Chris Halbritter scored 16 points, while Peyton Hartman, R.C. Pratt and Langston Hines added 10. Hartman also had nine rebounds.
Keyser (13-6) will play a tripleheader on Monday when it hosts Fort Hill. The freshmen game tips off at 4:15, followed by the jayvees at 6 and the varsity at 7:30. Petersburg (7-9) is at Allegany on Monday.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Keyser Crushes Berkeley Springs, 68-29
KEYSER - Keyser swept visiting Berkeley Springs in a basketball triple-header last night at Tornado Alley, with the brothers Hartman - Preston and Peyton - pacing the varsity and jayvee in games two and three with matching 20-point performances for the Golden Tornado.
Big brother Preston scored 11 of his game-high totals in the third period, tallying the initial nine Golden Tornado points out of the locker room in the varsity’s 68-29 victory over the Indians.
Senior guard Matt Wilmer followed Hartman with 15 for the Tornado, who held a commanding lead throughout most of the contest.
Berkeley Springs attempted to spread the floor and slow it down against Keyser, but the Tornado guards continually jumped the passing lanes after falling behind 2-0 and then again 4-2 to make the Indian offense, well, a waste of time.
Berkeley tried to run it’s motion-spread offense on nearly every possession, but time and time again the 30 to 90 seconds it took to try and find an open man turned into a turnover or bad shot, and Keyser took those empty opportunities and turned them into easy shots at the other end.
Hartman and Wilmer followed Indian buckets to tie the game at 2-2 and 4-4 three minutes into the contest, but Wilmer jumped the lane for his third steal of the quarter seconds later giving Keyser a 6-4 advantage and the lead for good.
Wilmer picked off his fourth errant pass early on and fed Green in the lane to double up the Indians at 8-4, and then followed a Berkeley freebie with a jumper to end the quarter and double up Berkley again at 10-5.
Wilmer stole yet another Berkeley pass and fed Green out of the whistle, and Hartman forced another Indian turnover and followed a Wes Washington miss to make it 14-5.
Berkeley continued to give the basketball away, and save for a pair of Matt Twigg treys, conld not convert on the offensive end.
Ross finished off the onslaught when he intercepted a pass and beat the halftime buzzer, leaving the locals up 23-12 at the intermission.
Hartman came out red hot and outscored the Indians 9-3 in what was a Keyser 13-3 overall run to start the third quarter, and the Golden Tornado once again doubled up the Indians 50-25 entering the final frame.
Eric Moss and Twigg led the Indians with eight points each.
Hartman added 10 rebonds to his 20 points, Wilmer finished with six steals, and Washington five assists.
Keyser won the jayvee matchup, 70-22.
Peyton Hartman duplicated his brother’s efforts with a 20-point, 10-rebound performance, RC Pratt added 14, and Ethan LaRue had 10.
Levi Ebert scored seven points, and Andrea Restelli added six points and seven rebounds.
The Keyser freshman beat the lil’ Indians in the opener, 66-29.
Head coach Johnny Haines called the victory “one of the best team games Keyser has played all year” and every Keyser frosh save one, scored.
Wyatt Nelson dominated the inside play and poured in 25 points and added 10 rebounds for his fourth-straight double-double.
Eric Lewis added eight points off the bench for Keyser.
The win improved the lil’ Tornado to 14-1. THe KHS frosh will finish out their season on the 23rd against Fort Hill in the first game of another triple header at Tornado Alley.
Keyser’s freshman also defeated Petersburg this week, 59-39.
Nelson scored 14 points and added 11 rebounds, and had five steals and four blocked shots.
Corey Armstrong and Jamison Jones added 13 and 12 points respectively.
Keyser’s varsity (12-6) and junior varsity (15-1) will host Petersburg Thursday.
Berkeley Springs (6-11) will play at East Hardy on Tuesday.
Big brother Preston scored 11 of his game-high totals in the third period, tallying the initial nine Golden Tornado points out of the locker room in the varsity’s 68-29 victory over the Indians.
Senior guard Matt Wilmer followed Hartman with 15 for the Tornado, who held a commanding lead throughout most of the contest.
Berkeley Springs attempted to spread the floor and slow it down against Keyser, but the Tornado guards continually jumped the passing lanes after falling behind 2-0 and then again 4-2 to make the Indian offense, well, a waste of time.
Berkeley tried to run it’s motion-spread offense on nearly every possession, but time and time again the 30 to 90 seconds it took to try and find an open man turned into a turnover or bad shot, and Keyser took those empty opportunities and turned them into easy shots at the other end.
Hartman and Wilmer followed Indian buckets to tie the game at 2-2 and 4-4 three minutes into the contest, but Wilmer jumped the lane for his third steal of the quarter seconds later giving Keyser a 6-4 advantage and the lead for good.
Wilmer picked off his fourth errant pass early on and fed Green in the lane to double up the Indians at 8-4, and then followed a Berkeley freebie with a jumper to end the quarter and double up Berkley again at 10-5.
Wilmer stole yet another Berkeley pass and fed Green out of the whistle, and Hartman forced another Indian turnover and followed a Wes Washington miss to make it 14-5.
Berkeley continued to give the basketball away, and save for a pair of Matt Twigg treys, conld not convert on the offensive end.
Ross finished off the onslaught when he intercepted a pass and beat the halftime buzzer, leaving the locals up 23-12 at the intermission.
Hartman came out red hot and outscored the Indians 9-3 in what was a Keyser 13-3 overall run to start the third quarter, and the Golden Tornado once again doubled up the Indians 50-25 entering the final frame.
Eric Moss and Twigg led the Indians with eight points each.
Hartman added 10 rebonds to his 20 points, Wilmer finished with six steals, and Washington five assists.
Keyser won the jayvee matchup, 70-22.
Peyton Hartman duplicated his brother’s efforts with a 20-point, 10-rebound performance, RC Pratt added 14, and Ethan LaRue had 10.
Levi Ebert scored seven points, and Andrea Restelli added six points and seven rebounds.
The Keyser freshman beat the lil’ Indians in the opener, 66-29.
Head coach Johnny Haines called the victory “one of the best team games Keyser has played all year” and every Keyser frosh save one, scored.
Wyatt Nelson dominated the inside play and poured in 25 points and added 10 rebounds for his fourth-straight double-double.
Eric Lewis added eight points off the bench for Keyser.
The win improved the lil’ Tornado to 14-1. THe KHS frosh will finish out their season on the 23rd against Fort Hill in the first game of another triple header at Tornado Alley.
Keyser’s freshman also defeated Petersburg this week, 59-39.
Nelson scored 14 points and added 11 rebounds, and had five steals and four blocked shots.
Corey Armstrong and Jamison Jones added 13 and 12 points respectively.
Keyser’s varsity (12-6) and junior varsity (15-1) will host Petersburg Thursday.
Berkeley Springs (6-11) will play at East Hardy on Tuesday.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Keyser Scalps Indians, 68-29
KEYSER, W.Va. — Fourth-ranked Keyser dominated Berkeley Springs on offense and defense Friday evening as the Tornado picked up its fourth straight victory and swept the season series with the Indians.
Preston Hartman finished with a double-double by scoring 20 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Matt Wilmer contributed 15 points and a team-high six steals, and Wes Washington had five assists.
Keyser finished with a 37-19 edge in rebounding, and its defense did not allow a field goal until there was less than two minutes in the first half.
The Golden Tornado left the first quarter with a 10-5 lead, and was ahead 23-12 at halftime. Going into the final period Keyser had a 50-25 lead.
Eric Moss and Mike Twigg had eight points each for the Indians.
Peyton Hartman had 20 points and nine rebounds in Keyser’s 70-22 jayvee win. R.C. Pratt had 14 points and Ethan LaRue added 10. Keyser shot 40-for-53 from the floor to improve to 15-1.
Keyser (12-6) will host Petersburg on Thursday.
Preston Hartman finished with a double-double by scoring 20 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Matt Wilmer contributed 15 points and a team-high six steals, and Wes Washington had five assists.
Keyser finished with a 37-19 edge in rebounding, and its defense did not allow a field goal until there was less than two minutes in the first half.
The Golden Tornado left the first quarter with a 10-5 lead, and was ahead 23-12 at halftime. Going into the final period Keyser had a 50-25 lead.
Eric Moss and Mike Twigg had eight points each for the Indians.
Peyton Hartman had 20 points and nine rebounds in Keyser’s 70-22 jayvee win. R.C. Pratt had 14 points and Ethan LaRue added 10. Keyser shot 40-for-53 from the floor to improve to 15-1.
Keyser (12-6) will host Petersburg on Thursday.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Keyser Breezes Past Huskies, 54-38
ACCIDENT, Md. - Keyser used an 11-0 opening run to distance itself from host Northern Garrett and never looked back, limiting the Huskies to just 38 points while scoring 54 itself to notch its’ 11th win of the season last night in local high school hoops action.
Senior guard Jeremy Green notched double-double figures for the Golden Tornado, scoring a game-high 14 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.
Backcourt mate Matt Wilmer added 10 tallies and came away with four steals for KHS, and Wes Washington dished out five assists and scored six points as the Keyser guards dominated the Huskies.
Keyser led 15-9 after a period, and extended that margin to an insurmountable 37-18 advantage at the half.
Preston Hartman added eight points for the Golden Tornado.
Thomas Holtshneider led Nothern with 11 points, while Ed Herpel scored eight.
Keyser improves to 11-6 and will take it’s 3-game win streak into action Friday at Tornado Alley against Berkeley Springs in a triple-header.
The Tornado freshman will tip off the action at 4:15 pm.
Keyser took the jayvee matchup as well, 58-26.
The 14-1 jayvee were led by RC Pratt’s 12 point, three-steal effort, while Langston Hines and Kurt Amtower both chipped in eight points each - the latter grabbing four loose caroms and the former coming away with six thefts
Senior guard Jeremy Green notched double-double figures for the Golden Tornado, scoring a game-high 14 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.
Backcourt mate Matt Wilmer added 10 tallies and came away with four steals for KHS, and Wes Washington dished out five assists and scored six points as the Keyser guards dominated the Huskies.
Keyser led 15-9 after a period, and extended that margin to an insurmountable 37-18 advantage at the half.
Preston Hartman added eight points for the Golden Tornado.
Thomas Holtshneider led Nothern with 11 points, while Ed Herpel scored eight.
Keyser improves to 11-6 and will take it’s 3-game win streak into action Friday at Tornado Alley against Berkeley Springs in a triple-header.
The Tornado freshman will tip off the action at 4:15 pm.
Keyser took the jayvee matchup as well, 58-26.
The 14-1 jayvee were led by RC Pratt’s 12 point, three-steal effort, while Langston Hines and Kurt Amtower both chipped in eight points each - the latter grabbing four loose caroms and the former coming away with six thefts
Keyser Cruises Past Northern, 54-38
ACCIDENT — Keyser used a huge second quarter and got balanced team scoring in defeating Northern for its third straight victory Tuesday night at Northern High School.
Keyser, led by Jeremy Green’s game-high 14 points, jumped out to a 11-0 lead to start the game before Northern fought back to make it 15-9 going into the second quarter. The Golden Tornado, however, outscored the Huskies 22-9 to lead by 19 at the break, 37-18. It was 47-24 going into the final period.
Preston Hartman and Matt Wilmer each added eight points for the Golden Tornado. Maverick Nelson, Jarell Ross and Wes Washington each scored six.
Northern was led by Ed Herpel’s 10 points. Dylan Miller scored nine and Thomas Holtschneider had eight and led the team with six rebounds.
Keyser also won the junior varsity game.
Keyser (11-6 overall, 7-5 Appalachian Mountain Athletic Conference) hosts Berkeley Springs Friday. Northern (5-12, 2-8 AMAC) visits Salisbury Thursday.
Keyser, led by Jeremy Green’s game-high 14 points, jumped out to a 11-0 lead to start the game before Northern fought back to make it 15-9 going into the second quarter. The Golden Tornado, however, outscored the Huskies 22-9 to lead by 19 at the break, 37-18. It was 47-24 going into the final period.
Preston Hartman and Matt Wilmer each added eight points for the Golden Tornado. Maverick Nelson, Jarell Ross and Wes Washington each scored six.
Northern was led by Ed Herpel’s 10 points. Dylan Miller scored nine and Thomas Holtschneider had eight and led the team with six rebounds.
Keyser also won the junior varsity game.
Keyser (11-6 overall, 7-5 Appalachian Mountain Athletic Conference) hosts Berkeley Springs Friday. Northern (5-12, 2-8 AMAC) visits Salisbury Thursday.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Keyser Secures Pair of Victories During Busy Weekend
Keyser continued its’ weekend roll Saturday pummeling Petersburg 88-55 in Grant County.
Preston Hartman made it back-to-back big nights leading Keyser with 29 points and 19 rebounds, just missing consecutive 20-20 nights for the Golden Tornado. Hartman also hit the 1,000-point plateau in the final period.
Hartman’s week (four games) have included 89 points (22.25 avg.) and 66 rebounds (16.5 avg.) and four double-doubles.
Jeremy Green was huge again for Keyser, adding 22 points while senior guard Matt Wilmer chipped in 16 points and five assists for the Tornado.
Keyser improved to 10-6 and will play Tuesday at Northern.
Keyser Defeats Bishop Walsh, 74-70
Keyser converted 11-of-16 free throws over the final two minutes and Preston Hartman put together a 20-20 night as the Golden Tornado upset Bishop Walsh 74-70 on Haystack Mountain Friday night.
Hartman had a career night as the Golden Tornado used the formula that managed Mountain Ridge a few days earlier, pounding the basketball inside to their post players.
Hartman scored 20 points but his collection of 20 rebounds were more impressive, as the senior forward paced four Golden Tornado in double figures in the victory.
Senior guard Jeremy Green added 19 points and 10 rebounds to account for a double-double, and forward Maverick Nelson helped Hartman man the painted area gathering 13 points and 12 boards to reach double-digits in two categories as well.
Matt Wilmer just missed that same feat, scoring ten points, many on freebies to seals the win down the stretch, while coming away with nine rebounds.
Point guard Wes Washington had a good all-around night as well, dishing out nine assists (6 in the first quarter) and collecting seven loose caroms while scoring five.
Keyser didn’t exactly light in up in the final frame, as its’ offensive output was downright Spartan.
Walsh limited Keyser to a lone field goal over the final eight minute span, but Keyser hit enough of its’ free throws (12-of-21) during the final frame to hold onto the win.
Chris Khatarian led all scorers for BW with 30 points.
Preston Hartman made it back-to-back big nights leading Keyser with 29 points and 19 rebounds, just missing consecutive 20-20 nights for the Golden Tornado. Hartman also hit the 1,000-point plateau in the final period.
Hartman’s week (four games) have included 89 points (22.25 avg.) and 66 rebounds (16.5 avg.) and four double-doubles.
Jeremy Green was huge again for Keyser, adding 22 points while senior guard Matt Wilmer chipped in 16 points and five assists for the Tornado.
Keyser improved to 10-6 and will play Tuesday at Northern.
Keyser Defeats Bishop Walsh, 74-70
Keyser converted 11-of-16 free throws over the final two minutes and Preston Hartman put together a 20-20 night as the Golden Tornado upset Bishop Walsh 74-70 on Haystack Mountain Friday night.
Hartman had a career night as the Golden Tornado used the formula that managed Mountain Ridge a few days earlier, pounding the basketball inside to their post players.
Hartman scored 20 points but his collection of 20 rebounds were more impressive, as the senior forward paced four Golden Tornado in double figures in the victory.
Senior guard Jeremy Green added 19 points and 10 rebounds to account for a double-double, and forward Maverick Nelson helped Hartman man the painted area gathering 13 points and 12 boards to reach double-digits in two categories as well.
Matt Wilmer just missed that same feat, scoring ten points, many on freebies to seals the win down the stretch, while coming away with nine rebounds.
Point guard Wes Washington had a good all-around night as well, dishing out nine assists (6 in the first quarter) and collecting seven loose caroms while scoring five.
Keyser didn’t exactly light in up in the final frame, as its’ offensive output was downright Spartan.
Walsh limited Keyser to a lone field goal over the final eight minute span, but Keyser hit enough of its’ free throws (12-of-21) during the final frame to hold onto the win.
Chris Khatarian led all scorers for BW with 30 points.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Hartman powers Keyser to 88-55 victory over Petersburg
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.
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)