Mohigans blow away Buccaneers
5 seniors come up big, make ‘little statement’
BY SEAN MULLIGAN For The Dominion Post

Senior Chase Wilson couldn’t remember a time in a game when the scoreboard looked the way it did in Morgantown’s 84-39 win against Buckhannon-Upshur on Tuesday.
With under a minute remaining in the first quarter, it read Morgantown 20, Buckhannon 0.
Mohigans players were yelling out to not let the Bucs score, but Storm Workman’s three-point play near the end of the quarter broke the ice.
Coming off a one-point loss to John Marshall and playing in the last home game of the regular season may have had something to do with the lopsided score.
“Tonight since it was Senior Night, it was more special and we have some losses that we’re mad about,” Wilson said.
All five of the Mohigans’ seniors, all honored before the game, started and just physically dominated the Bucs on both sides of the ball.
Senior Michael Caridi appeared to either block or change the direction of every Bucs shot near the basket. Wilson came up big on the offensive glass, scoring 10 points in the opening quarter.
“The key to all night was offensive rebounding,” coach Tom Yester said of his team. “Our big guys were able to score around the bucket.”
Morgantown alternated lineups each quarter, with the starters playing mostly the first and third and the backups playing the second and fourth.
Regardless of the lineup, the Mohigans outplayed the Bucs. Sam Runner, a 6-foot-7 junior, hit five baskets in the second quarter, including a fast-break dunk where he was fouled on the play. The momentum was on Morgantown’s side the entire night.
“It was nice, the seniors came out and made a little statement,” Yester said.
After the game, both the coach and team were vocal about getting some revenge in their final regularseason game. Morgantown’s lone conference loss, 53-47, at home, against Fairmont Senior, hasn’t been forgotten.
“They got us at home, so we’re gonna get them at home,” Wilson said.
Wilson and the Mohigans will get their chance in a rematch Feb. 26. Regardless of the outcome, the Mohigans (13-7, 12-1) will have the number best seed out of the NCAC heading into the sectional tournament.
Morgantown had four players in double figures Tuesday, led by Wilson’s 15. Runner had 14 points and senior Tyler Anderson added 13. Workman topped the Bucs with nine points and Linn Baxa added eight, all in the fourth quarter.
The junior varsity game was just as lopsided, with MHS winning, 84-28. T.J. Elchuck led the Mohigans with 13 points.
BUCKHANNON-UPSHUR (1-16) Bennett 0 5-6 5, Collins 2 1-2 6, White 3 0-0 6, Baxa 1 5-6 8, Workman 4 1-1 9, Westfall 0 2-4 2, Hollen 0 3-4 3, Rogers 0 0-0 0, Lewis 0 0-0 0. Totals 10 17-23 39. MORGANTOWN (13-7) Simmons 3 1-2 7, Jackson 3 0-0 6, Caridi 5 0-0 10, Wilson 5 2-2 15, Anderson 6 0-1 13, Barnett 1 0-0 2, Colombo 0 1-4 1, Meador 2 1-1 5, Runner 6 2-3 14, Parsons 3 0-0 8, Price 1 1-1 3, Drake 0 0-0 0, Keffer 0 0-0 0. Totals 35 8-14 84. Buckhannon-Upshur 3 12 13 11 — 39 Morgantown 26 22 19 17 — 84 3-pointgoals: Buckhannon 2 (Collins, Baxa), Morgantown 6 (Wilson 3, Parsons 2, Anderson).