Sports in The Dominion Post

This article appeared in the Dominion Post Newspaper on February 19, 2004.
Mohigans belt Elkins

Law leads way with 14 points

Bob Gay/The Dominion Post

Surrounded by Tigers including Sam Stornick (1) and Brian Kalar (far right), MHS's Chris Carey wrestles Tyler Phares for the ball.

BY TODD MURRAY

The Dominion Post

The last time Morgantown High's No. 1-ranked Mohigans took the floor at MHS gym, this past Saturday, they tangled with No. 3 Martinsburg in one of the more electric atmospheres of the season.

MHS's players knew Wednesday night's home North Central Athletic Conference clash with Elkins would not come close to approaching Saturday's game on the excitement meter.

Nonetheless, the Mohigans had some important business to conduct -- namely, beating the Tigers.

"We came off an emotional high," Mohigans forward Kameron Law said. "We had to come into this game as if we were playing Martinsburg again."

Bulldogs stars Brandon Barrett and Nate Sowers were nowhere in sight Wednesday night, but the Mohigans still struggled with a pesky Elkins club for most of the first half.

They finally broke the game open with a 9-1 spree to end the opening half and breezed to their 18th victory of the season, 65-34.

The visiting Tigers (11-6, 5-4 NCAC) are not an easy opponent to play. They run a deliberate offense, passing the ball around until they get the shot they desire.

Meanwhile, Morgantown (18-0, 12-0 NCAC) prefers to push the tempo and run the ball as often as possible. The Mohigans were frustrated early by the slower pace of the game.

"We just try to play our game, and if they're going to stall the ball we're going to try to play even better defense and maybe get in their face a little bit and try to speed them up a little bit," said Law, who registered a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

"It becomes frustrating a little bit at the beginning. Then, you try to get a substantial lead of 10-12 points, and then they have to play your game by catching up and it takes them out of their game plan."

The Mohigans used their height advantage to pull away from Elkins in the key run late in the first half. Law scored four points -- two on a dunk -- and Ben Torsney added an inside bucket in the spurt. Tyler Benson and Marlan Robinson made free throws as MH S opened a 26-16 halftime cushion.

"We were able to play very good defense and execute on offense," Law said. "We got it down low and stuck it to them. We had a height advantage and were a little bit stronger."

Any hopes of an Elkins comeback were crushed by the Tigers themselves in the early part of the third quarter. Elkins turned the ball over on its first four possessions as MHS scored the initial nine points of the period to grab a 35-16 lead with 5:57 left.

"I think the key to the game was the start of the third quarter," MHS coach Tom Yester said. "We scored the first nine points. I think that pretty much put the game out of reach. We played out the quarter decently, and then the other group came in and played a nice fourth quarter."

Law was the only MHS player to score in double figures, but 11 of the Mohigans' 12 players tallied points. Torsney and Chris Carey scored nine apiece. Robinson scored seven off the bench.

Dustin Kerns scored just one point but dished out five assists. Tyler Benson recorded four assists and seven points. MHS outrebounded Elkins, 41-17.

"Everybody got some shots," Yester said. "We had 65 points and only one guy in double figures, so the scoring was spread out. We had 12 steals and five blocked shots. That's a pretty good night."

The Mohigans return to action Friday, at nonconference foe Brooke.

Morgantown High 65

Elkins 34

ELKINS (11-6, 5-4 NCAC)

Kalar 3 2-2 8, Bodkins 1 0-0 2, Phares 1 0-0 2, Pingley 1 5-8 7, Storrick 0 1-2 1, Hammer 0 0-0 0, Tice 0 0-0 0, Stalnaker 2 2-6 6, Carter 1 0-0 3, Schneider 1 1-2 3, Kerns 1 0-0 2, Bradley 0 0-0 0. Totals 11 10-20 34.

MORGANTOWN (18-0, 12-0 NCAC)

Benson 2 2-2 7, Law 7 0-0 14, Carey 4 1-1 9, Torsney 3 3-4 9, Kerns 0 1-2 1, Robinson 1 5-6 7, Oliver 1 2-2 4, Jones 2 2-2 6, Straface 0 0-0 0, Dunn 1 0-1 2, Holt 1 0-0 2, Hall 1 2-2 4. Totals 23 18-22 65.

Elkins 7 9 7 11 -- 34

Morgantown11 15 23 16 -- 65

3-point goals--Elkins 1 (Carter), Morgantown 1 (Benson). Junior varsity--Morgantown 60 (Jeff Linsay 26), Elkins 43.