After Bulldogs big loss to Central, Page sits in virtual tie for second with Luray heading into next week’s second rivalry game Feb. 12 at LHS
By Randy Arrington
SHENANDOAH, Feb. 4 — Junior guard Dawson Richards continued to work his recent magic on Tuesday night with a game-high 17 points against visiting Clarke County, including four shots from beyond the arc. The Page County Panthers recorded their fourth-straight Bull Run District win at home 62-48, and now sit in a virtual tie with rival Luray for second place just one week away from their second meeting with the Bulldogs.
The Panthers have become the talk of the region after a sluggish start that included a four-game losing streak (and a 4-5 record) has now transformed into a four-game winning streak that includes a victory over the No. 5 team in the state.
“We’re excited,” PCHS head coach Tyler Parker said after Tuesday night’s win over Clarke. “We’re playing at a very high level.”
One of the hottest players in Region B right now is Page County junior Caden Combs. In two road wins over Clarke and district-leading Central to close out last week, the 6′ 3″ shooting guard put up a combined 51 points and lead all scorers in both key Bull Run matchups. The Panthers have now won six of their last seven games dating back to their season-high point total on Jan. 22 in a home court win over Luray, 73-65.
However, no win was bigger than the 57-54 victory at Central on Friday night. It was the Falcons first and only loss in the Bull Run District this season. Currently, the Woodstock school is ranked fifth in VHSL Class 2.
“That was a big win for us,” Coach Parker said this week. “Obviously Central is No. 5 in the state and very, very talented…they have really a whole roster that is talented, and for us to go over there on the road and beat them while they are undefeated in the district, and also beating Luray while they were undefeated in the district, just shows how good we are.”
Earlier in the season, Page County fell to Madison (currently 4-14) and Strasburg (currently 8-7). They also dropped their first matchup with Central at home on Jan. 27. Now, with three games remaining in the regular season, the Panthers (8-3 in Bull Run) are in a virtual tie with Luray (8-2 in district) for second place behind Central. The Panthers and the Bulldogs meet in a regular season finale on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at LHS for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off.
One big boost to Page’s recent run has been the elevated play of Richards. In addition to his game-high 17 points on Tuesday night, the junior guard hit two key three-pointers in the final frame of Thursday’s win at Clarke and another big triple in the fourth quarter at Central on Friday night. Richards has hit 46 three-pointers on the season and is shooting about 35 percent from beyond the arc.
“His confidence is sky high and he’s shooting it at a very, very good percentage,” Coach Parker said, “and with Combs getting all the attention, he’s wide open on a lot of shots. So we’re excited that he’s playing with that high level of confidence right now.”
Back-to-back road wins to end last week has really propelled the Panthers to top billing, possibly making them the most-feared team to play right now in Region B. On Thursday at Clarke, Combs posted a game-high 26 points in a 63-57 win, only to turn around the next night and record a game-high 25 points at Central in Friday’s 57-54 victory. On that same court this week, No. 2 Luray fell by a 22-point margin to the Falcons.
On Tuesday night at home, the Panthers exploded for a 20-3 run in the second quarter behind two three-pointers from Richards and a third from freshman Reed Richards that created a gap Clarke could not close. Behind Richard’s game-high 17 points, Combs had 14 and junior Isaac Foltz added 11. Ace Campbell made the most of Senior Night, chalking up 13 points, including nine during the second quarter’s big run.
Overall, the Panthers hit 55 percent from the floor and went 3-for-8 from the line. The only flaw of the night was a whopping 17 turnovers, including 14 in the second half.
Clarke was lead by senior guard Wilson Taylor with 12 points, followed by sophomore Colton Johnson and senior Tanner Sipe both with 10. The Eagles shot a meager 31 percent from the floor, including an 0-for-8 stretch in the second frame. They hit 53 percent from the line, and turned the ball over 11 times.
Up next, Clarke County (6-13, 4-7) hosts Luray (13-5, 8-2) on Friday, Feb. 7. The Eagles end the regular season with a road game at Madison on Monday, and then hosting Stonewall Jackson on Wednesday.
Page County (12-7, 8-3) will travel to Rappahannock (9-10, 4-7) on Friday night, followed by a road trip to Strasburg (8-9, 5-6) on Monday and a short trip to Luray (13-5, 8-2) on Wednesday, Feb. 12.
The Bull Run District tournament begins Monday, Feb. 17.
“We are playing our playing our best ball right now,” Coach Parker said on Tuesday night, “and hopefully it continues into the postseason.”
For schedules, rosters and results, check the Bull Run District website.
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