Raiders overwhelm MHS
BY ERIC HANLON The Dominion Post

The Morgantown High boys’ basketball team had played just two games before its appearance in the championship game of its holiday tournament, on Tuesday night.
Unfortunately for the Mohigans, their lack of game action showed early on in their meeting with Atholton, Md. Despite a late comeback, MHS fell, 59-54, at the MHS gymnasium.
“Our offense is still executing poorly,” Yester said. “It’s still unproven, and there are too many turnovers. We had two or three steals at the end, and then we turned it back over. That was the difference.”
In defeat, the Mohigans (2-1) were overwhelmed early on by a tough Raiders (8-0) team.
“This was a very good team we played,” Yester said. “You have to beat them. They’re not going to beat themselves.”
The game opened with a brutal first quarter that apparently frustrated the Mohigans. Morgantown made only two field goals and trailed by as many as 12 points.
“That was just not very good,” Yester said. “What did we get, six? That’s bad.”
But the Mohigans wouldn’t back down and slowly began to crawl back.
“Obviously they were bigger than us, but I wouldn’t say we were intimidated,” said Sam Runner, a 6-foot-7 MHS junior who finished with a team-high 15 points. “We started slow, but we tried to come out with a little more intensity after the half.”
The Mohigans did have more intensity after the half. In fact, MHS outscored Atholton over the final three quarters.
“Finally, our offenses started clicking, and we were able to run,” Runner said. “Our offense was better, but it wasn’t enough.”
After the first quarter, the Mohigans used runs of 9-0, 8-0 and 7-0 to narrow the lead to three with 1:06 left to play. And after a steal, the Mohigans held out for the last shot, but inevitably turned the ball over, ending an chance for a comeback.
“There was no give in this team,” Yester said. “We started to play better, but we’re our own worst enemy — steal, turnover.”
MHS senior Tyler Anderson contributed to the comeback, scoring 10 of his 12 points in the second half.
But, even with the comeback, thoughts about how good the Mohigans are were plentiful in the MHS locker room afterward.
“That was good, but not quite good enough,” Yester said. “We have to execute better for us to be any good.”
The Mohigans return to action Jan. 6, hosting North Marion.
ATHOLTON (8-0) Settle 4 3-9 11, Brown 1 0-0 2, Cortes 3 2-3 11, Hairston 6 0-0 12 Robinson 7 4-6 18, Cristaldi 1 1-2 3, Dove 1 0-0 2 2. Totals 23 10-20 59.
MORGANTOWN (2-1) Runner 6 3-5 15, Barnett 2 0-0 4, Petitte 1 2-2 5, Anderson 5 2-2 12, Jackson 2 0-0 4, Simmons 0 2-2 2, Wilson 3 0-0 6, Meador 2 0-0 6, Caridi 0 0-2 0. Totals 21 9-13 54. Atholton 16 14 14 15 — 59 Morgantown 6 16 14 18 — 54 3-point goals: Atholton 3 (Cortes 3). Morgantown 3 (Meador 2, Petitte).

Jason DeProspero/The Dominion Post Morgantown’s Tyler Anderson puts up a shot against Atholton’s Arthur Hairston on Tuesday night.