Sports in The Dominion Post

This article appeared in the Dominion Post Newspaper on December 27, 2002.
Mohigans boys, girls face tough tourney foes

Both teams to defend Coaches Against Cancer crowns

BY TODD MURRAY

The Dominion Post

Morgantown High's boys' and girls' basketball teams advanced to the finals of the first West Virginia Coaches Against Cancer Holiday Tournament, last year, at MHS gym.

MHS's boys beat Parkersburg South, 84-74, to claim the title, while the girls lost to Parkersburg South, 74-63.

The Mohigans' teams could have a tougher time making it back to the finals this year in a field that includes such formidable foes as Chartiers Valley (Bridgeville, Pa.), Westland (Columbus, Ohio) and South Charleston.

The eight-team tournament, run in a state tourney-like format, begins at 11:45 a.m. today, when Chartiers Valley meets East Fairmont in a girls' game.

South Charleston's boys play Laurel Highlands (Uniontown, Pa.) before MHS's girls take the court against Laurel Highlands. MHS's boys face Westland in the nightcap.

Tickets are available at the door.

"It should be a great tournament," MHS girls coach Allan Collins said. "Chartiers is a tremendous basketball team. They won over 20 games last year, and they've got four starters back."

MHS's girls enter the tournament 5-0. The Mohigans defeated Wheeling Park, 68-55, on Dec. 21. Freshman Keri Pryor sparked the Mohigans with 29 points.

The Mohigans' boys (1-1) defeated Preston on the road in their opener, 61-34, before losing to East Fairmont in overtime, 77-76, on Dec. 19. The Mohigans played both games without starting point guard Geremy Rodamer, who is recovering from a shoulder injury during football season.

The tournament is a joint effort of the West Virginia Schools Athletic Coaches Association and WVU's Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center.

Coaches Against Cancer helps create awareness about cancer and raises money to support educational programs statewide.

COACHESAGAINSTCANCERHOLIDAYTOURNAMENT

Today

11:45 A.M.: Chartiers Valley girls vs. East Fairmont
1:30 P.M.: South Charleston boys vs. Laurel Highlands

3:15 P.M.: Morgantown High girls vs. Laurel Highlands

5 P.M.: Morgantown High boys vs. Westland

Saturday

11:45 A.M.: Girls' consolation: Chartiers Valley-East Fairmont loser vs. Morgantown High-Laurel Highlands loser
1:30 P.M.: Boys' consolation: South Charleston-Laurel Highlands loser vs. Morgantown High-Westland loser

3:15 P.M.: Girls' championship: Chartiers Valley-East Fairmont winner vs. Morgantown High-Laurel Highlands winner

5 P.M.: Boys' championship: South Charleston-Laurel Highlands winner vs. Morgantown High-Westland winner