Morgantown High's Seth Fogarty leaves Chris Wilson behind as he shoots a layup. Fogarty had 16 points and nine rebounds.
Mohigans gun down Elkins
Run record to 15-3
PREPROUNDUP
Jason DeProspero/The Dominion Post
Morgantown High's Seth Fogarty leaves Chris Wilson behind as he shoots a layup. Fogarty had 16 points and nine rebounds.
BY JUSTIN JACKSON
The Dominion Post
Five players running and gunning all finished in double figures to lead a team ranked No. 6 in the state to a 21-point victory and up its record to 15-3.
No, we're not talking about Woodrow Wilson, although the Flying Eagles have used that style of play over the last three decades or so to dominate West Virginia boys' basketball, winning 14 state titles since 1946.
This is Morgantown High basketball, where the Mohigans have gone from pretenders to contenders in the span of one short season.
MHS solidified that position with a 79-58 whipping of Elkins on Wednesday.
"These boys can get out and run," MHS coach Tom Yester said.
Indeed. The running style has brought fun, and most importantly, victories back to a program that has qualified for the state tournament just two times since 1993.
"I really thought going into the season that we had the potential to have the type of season that we're having right now," said MHS point guard Bobby Prim, who finished with 14 points. "So, I can't really say that being 15-3 is a surprise. What has been a surprise is the way I think we've been able to maintain our focus throughout the entire season."
Like when the team is consistently ranked in the top 10 in both the state's media and power polls.
"Those things are nice," Prim said. "But, we see the bigger picture. We want more than rankings."
The Mohigans want to get back to the state tournament, an opportunity taken from them last year in the regional championship game.
"We all remember what happened last year," Prim said. "We don't want it to happen again."
The Mohigans' chances have been placed on the shoulders of their starting five, which scored 65 of the 79 points. Seth Fogarty led the way with 16 points and nine rebounds.
"All five can do the same things," Yester said. "They can all run and get out on the break and handle the ball and rebound. They're all roughly the same size. They create good chemistry."
They all give the Mohigans a chance to reach their goals, provided they can get over one last hump -- Fairmont Senior. And that hump is a big one, considering the Polar Bears are the NCAC champions and the state's only remaining undefeated Class AAA team.
"That's what it comes down to, us against them," Prim said. "We've beaten or competed with everybody that was on our schedule, except them. Right now, though, we still have two more games to worry about before we play them. But, going up against them is in the back of our minds. There's not a player on our team that doesn't think about getting another shot at them."
MORGANTOWN 79, ELKINS 58
ELKINS (11-7)
Williams 0 0-0 0, Pingley 4 1-2 10, Nucilli 4 0-0 10, Camfield 0 0-0 0, Vandevender 0 2-2 2, Patella 6 6-7 20, Smith 1 1-4 3, Phillips 5 1-3 11, Roberts 0 0-0 0, Wilson 1 0-0 2. Totals 21 11-18 58.
MORGANTOWN (15-3)
Hedges 3 4-4 11, Prim 6 0-0 14, Shaver 7 0-0 14, Vidovich 4 1-1 10, Dalton 1 0-0 2, Fogarty 7 1-2 16, Murray 1 0-0 2, Rodamer 2 0-2 4, Simpson 2 0-0 4, Williams 1 0-0 2, Law 0 0-2 0. Totals 34 6-11 79.
Elkins 12 9 19 18 -- 58
Morgantown 21 15 20 23 -- 79
3-point goals--Morgantown 5 (Prim 2, Hedges 1, Vidovich 1, Fogarty 1), Elkins 5 (Patella 2, Nucilli 2, Pingley 1). Rebounds--Morgantown 35 (Fogarty 9), Elkins 25 (Patella 11). Technical Foul--Simpson.