Mohigans roll past UHS into regional
Win, 80-36, face FSHS

PREPROUNDUP
Jim Moore/The Dominion Post

Sitting high in the bleachers, Morgantown High fans David Williams (left) and Adam Finniss, seniors; Jerod Bavin, a sophomore; Jason Messenger, a senior; Josh Durham, a sophomore; and Dempsey Friend, a junior, spell out their allegiance to their team. And you thought they only did this sort of thing in Green Bay.
Jim Moore/The Dominion Post

Morgantown's Ronnie Shaver, named to the all-tourney team.

BY JUSTIN JACKSON

The Dominion Post

KINGWOOD -- There were no hi-fives, no smiles, no pats on the back.

Justin Vidovich's straight-ahead stare as he walked to the free throw line said it all.

University High's Jeff Redman gave Vidovich a slight tug on the jersey, somewhat apologizing for committing the foul. Vidovich just kept walking ... and staring.

There has been an attitude change among the members of the fourth-ranked Morgantown High boys' basketball team. It was on display Friday in an 80-36 whipping of UHS in the Region III, Section 1 title game.

"I told them before the game, if you want to reach the ultimate goal, you have to take care of business," MHS coach Tom Yester said.

"There has been an adjustment," added MHS senior point guard Bobby Prim. "Everybody on the team is more serious now. I mean, every game could be your last from here on out. If you lose, you go home. We don't want to go home."

It showed.

The Mohigans (20-3) came out all business, taking a 20-8 lead by the end of the first quarter.

The Hawks (5-19), two nights after playing a near-perfect game to upset Preston, could do little right.

The Mohigans' in-your-face pressure defense forced numerous UHS turnovers, which usually ended in MHS layups.

"I think the difference was our pressure defense," MHS coach Tom Yester said. "I'm sure if Preston had to do it all over again, they would have used more pressure. We got out and ran and I was pleased with the way we were able to hit the offensive boards."

Prim finished with 16 points, all in the first half. Seth Fogarty led the Mohigans with 17. All five MHS starters sat out most of the third quarter and all of the fourth quarter.

MHS advances to the Region III title game to play No. 5 Fairmont Senior at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, at Fairmont State's Feaster Center. The Polar Bears (21-2) went on a 15-0 run in the fourth quarter to beat North Marion, 55-41, Friday.

The winner will advance to the state tournament, in Charleston.

"It will be the game that everybody has anticipated," Yester said. "We'll get started (today) and go to work and we'll see what happens."

The two teams split during the season, with MHS taking the latter game, 65-63, on Prim's game-winning jumper.

"It will be a matter of who wants it more," Prim said. "Both teams are so even. It will come down to who can take care of the ball and who simply wants it more."

Casey Jackson led UHS with seven points. Jackson, along with Prim, Vidovich, Ronnie Shaver and Preston High's Thomas Hooton were named to the all-tournament team.

Girls' basketball

Trinity High sophomore Sarah Miller passed the 1,000-point barrier in a 58-35 victory over Pittsburgh East Christian in the first round of the American Christian Schools Inc. tournament.

Miller scored 24 to give her 1,005 career points.

Teammate Cassi Yoskovich hit six 3-pointers for 26 points to lead Trinity (17-6), which advances to the ACSI regional bracket, Friday, in Philadelphia.

Box score
MORGANTOWN 80, UNIVERSITY 36
MORGANTOWN (20-3)

Hedges 2 2-2 7, Prim 7 0-0 16, Shaver 1 0-0 3, Vidovich 1 4-8 6, Dalton 1 0-1 2, Fogarty 7 3-4 17, Murray 3 0-1 8, Rodamer 1 2-4 4, Simpson 1 0-0 2, Williams 4 0-0 9, Law 2 2-2 6, Benson 0 0-0 0. Totals 30 13-22 80.

UNIVERSITY (5-19)

Smith 0 0-0 0, Luzier 0 0-0 0, Hoard 0 0-0 0, Jackson 2 3-4 7, Clawges 1 1-4 3, Phillips 2 0-0 4, Spraggins 3 0-2 6, Redman 2 2-2 6, Kirelawich 1 0-0 2, Casdorph 2 0-0 4, Cyphert 1 1-2 4. Totals 14 7-14 36.

University 8 4 11 13 -- 36

Morgantown 20 21 20 19 -- 80

3-point goals--Morgantown 7 (Prim 2, Murray 2, Williams 1, Shaver 1, Hedges 1). Rebounds--Morgantown 42 (Hedges 7), University 25 (Redman 8).