Highlanders End Mountaineers Winning Streak

The streak, is over.

On Wednesday evening, the Alleghany Mountaineers (9-2) girls basketball winning streak came to an end at eight games by the Glenvar Highlanders.

The Highlanders defeated the Mountaineers 43-29.

Despite trailing for the majority of the first quarter, the Highlanders, trailing by five points (9-5) with under two minutes left in the quarter, started dropping a few baskets in a row.

Before you knew it, the Highlanders, were going into the second quarter with a 10-9 lead.

In the second quarter, the Mountaineers, quickly retook the lead at 12-10, thanks to a Zamera Hayslett three-pointer. Erin Harden, would follow that by dropping in two of her seven points to give the Mountaineers a 14-10 lead with just under five minutes left in the first half.

And then, the Highlanders, would take over from there.

After being held scoreless the first three and half minutes of the second quarter, Sophie McCulley, ended the Highlanders drought with a layup to their deficit down to two points.

McCulley’s basket, was the start of a 10-0 scoring run for the rest of the first half as the Highlanders held the Mountaineers scoreless for just under the final five minutes as the team took a halftime lead of 20-14.

With the game being only a six-point deficit for the Mountaineers, the game was well in reach. However, a scoreless third quarter did not help the team.

The Mountaineers, in the third quarter, were held to 0-for-13 shooting and saw the Highlanders lead grow to 12 points.

Despite the Mountaineers struggles shooting the ball in the third quarter, the Highlanders didn’t do much better as they only scored six points in the third quarter. Abbie Fridley, helped the cause with holding the Highlanders to six points with her defense in the quarter, as she recorded one of her two blocks to go along with a pair of rebounds.

Down a dozen points at 26-14 to open the fourth quarter, it marked the first time this Mountaineers team this season trailed by double digits going into the final quarter.

The Mountaineers completed its comeback at home against Staunton on December 28, when they rallied from 19 points down in the first half to beat the Storm 58-50.

The one issue for the Mountaineers this time around in their comeback effort, making baskets.

Despite scoring 15 points in the fourth quarter and knocking down four three-pointers, the Mountaineers fourth quarter efforts weren’t enough to get past the Highlanders, as they to also were putting points on the scoreboard and not allowing the Mountaineers the chance of a comeback.

Nine of the 17 points in the fourth quarter from the Highlanders came from the free throw line.

In the fourth quarter, after increasing their lead to 15 points, with six minutes left in the game, the Mountaineers, finally got back on the scoreboard from one of Kendell Keene’s two three-pointers. The Mountaineers were back within 12 points.

Keene’s three-pointer ended a scoring drought of 15 minutes for the Mountaineers. The last time the team had scored, was back in the second quarter with just under five minutes left in the first half.

The Highlanders, would increase their lead to as high as 17 points in the fourth quarter.

With under two minutes left in the game, the Mountaineers, did get within as little as nine points, when Harden, banked in a three-pointer off of the glass, which cut the lead to 37-28.

In the loss, the Mountaineers, shot only 19% from the field as they were 10-for-52 shooting the basketball. Six of the teams 10 made baskets, were three-pointers.

Leading the way in scoring for the Mountaineers was Keene, who dropped eight points to go along with two rebounds and one steal. Meanwhile, Harden was second in scoring with seven points to go along with her three rebounds, two assists, and two steals.

The Mountaineers did get quality play off of the bench from Hayslett and Bryce Leitch. Hayslett, scored three points, three rebounds, one assist, and had two steals, while Leitch, scored four points, tied a team-high in rebounds with Fridley at five, and also recorded three assists.

The Mountaineers, did not record a player in double digits scoring.

Leading the way in the Highlanders victory, was Rhyan Harris. Harris, scored a game-high 19 points to go along with eight rebounds, four assists, and two steals. McCulley, helped lead the defense for the Highlanders with a game-high 10 rebounds.

The Mountaineers were back on the basketball court last night at Carroll County. You can read all about the game in Tuesday’s edition.

Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Ttl
AHS      9     5      0    15   29
GHS     10  10      6    17   43

Mountaineers Statistics
Player Pts Reb Ast Stl
Cash       3     3      3     2
Harden  7      3      2     2
Keene     8     2       1     –
Fridley    2     5       1    1
Phillips   2     2       –      –
Nicely      –      2       –     1
Hayslett  3     3       1     2
Leitch      4     5       3     –

Highlanders Statistics
Player     Pts Reb Ast Stl
M Harris   11     3     1     3
Luper         4      5      1     –
Anderson   –      1      –     2
R Harris    19     8      4    2
McCulley   6     10     1    2
Keen           2       3      –    1
Thompson 1      8       –    1
Casil (Minutes Played)

Adam Zebrowski