No. 2 Page (20-8) faces No. 1 Strasburg (23-4) for fourth time this season in Region 2B title game at 6 p.m. on Saturday at Shenandoah University
By Randy Arrington
SHENANDOAH, Feb. 22 — In a game that was tied up 11 times and featured 17 lead changes, it would take an extra period to decide who would advance to the Region 2B championship on Saturday and earn a bid to the Class 2 state tournament next week. Page and Clarke split during their regular season meetings, and Thursday night’s region semifinal was another great showdown.
Clarke came into Thursday’s game off a quarterfinal round beat down of No. 3 Buckingham, 73-30, on the road Tuesday night. The sixth-seeded Eagles showed the strength of the Bull Run District and advanced to a third meeting with the Panthers. Page County struggled during their quarterfinal with Stuarts Draft, but came away with a narrow 50-47 win on Tuesday.
On Thursday, Clarke outscored Page in the first two quarters behind 12 points from sophomore Alainah McKavish. Page would commit nine of its 15 turnovers in the first half and only hit 36 percent from the floor. The Eagles built the biggest lead of the game (for either team) just before the half, as they lead by seven in the final minute. A three-pointer at the buzzer by Page County senior Faith Mason cut the Clarke lead to four headed into halftime at 28-24.
The Panthers picked up the pace in the second half and would win the third and fourth quarters. PCHS senior Adryn Martin posted 11 of her 16 points in the second half, as the Panthers shot an improved 55 percent from the floor. Page could have closed out the game in regulation, if not for going 12-for-20 at the free throw line in the second half.
McKavish scored 12 of Clarke’s 16 points in the fourth quarter, including a steal and bucket that tied the game at 59-59 with 1:06 left in regulation. Page had multiple opportunities to put the game away in the final minute after a turnover on a Clarke inbound, a jump ball possession that went to the Panthers, two missed free throws, and a final shot that rimmed out.
However, as soon as the four-minute overtime period began the Panthers picked up a “traditional” three-pointer from Martin and never looked back. Page lead by seven, 68-61, with less than two minutes left on the clock. Clarke freshman Haley Foltz came up big for the Eagles in the extra period, scoring six of her nine points with two big three-pointers — one that cut the lead to four, 68-64 with 1:30 remaining, and another 35 seconds later that cut the lead to three at 70-67.
Despite spotty free throw shooting earlier in the game, the Panthers hit 8-of-10 from the line in overtime, including 5-of-6 in the final 1:13. That was enough to hold off a late push by the Eagles, who ended the season at 18-8. Page closed out the regional semifinal, 73-71.
McKavish posted a game-high 30 points for the Eagles, followed by senior Bailey Beard with 12 and Foltz with nine.
Page County had four player in double-digits and was lead by Mason with 25 points. Martin posted 16 points, while senior Taryn Eppard had 13 and sophomore Ali Purdham had 10.
With the win, Page not only advances to the Region 2B championship on Saturday, but the Panthers earned a bid to the state tournament…their season goal…after finishing just one game away from state for the last two years.
“It feels great … I’m happy for our seniors especially,” PCHS coach E.J. Wyant said following the overtime thriller. “We’ve been really close…I told them before the game, it’s time to take the next step. They’ve got that ‘never stop spirit’… and I love it.”
Now, the Panthers (20-8) prepare for their fourth meeting with the top-seeded Rams of Strasburg (23-4) and two-time Bull Run District Player of the Year Macy Smith. Page has beaten Strasburg in two of three meetings this season — once without Smith during last Friday’s Bull Run championship, and once with Smith when Page handed the Rams their only district loss near the end of the regular season.
Page County enters the Region 2B title game having won nine in-a-row — the longest streak in the region. Strasburg enters as the defending region champs, with the reigning Region 2B Player of the Year. The Panthers and the Rams tip-off at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24 at Shenandoah University.
“We’re looking forward to the challenge,” Coach Wyant said Tuesday night. “Our girls know we can beat them…without or without Macy Smith…It will be a dog fight, just like tonight.”
For schedules, rosters and results, check the Bull Run District website.
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