The John Marshall Monarchs, pictured with their WVSSAC Class AAA Region 1 championship plaque follwing a victory over the Fairmont Senior Polar Bears contained in the John Marshall Field House. With the win, John Marshall advances to subsequent week’s state ladies basketball match in Charleston.
MOUNDSVILLE — The John Marshall Monarchs had historical past on their minds Tuesday heading into their WVSSAC Class AAA Region 1 Co-Final towards Fairmont Senior contained in the John Marshall Fieldhouse.
When the mud cleared on the competition, historical past had been made. The Monarchs punched their ticket to the WVSSAC ladies basketball state match for the primary time in 32 years with a 47-30 victory over the Polar Bears, whereas John Marshall senior Rilee Storm had an extra-special night, pouring in 20 factors to change into the Monarchs’ all-time main scorer and add to the jubilation of the night.
After the victory, the Monarchs posed with their scholar part for a photograph with their regional championship plaque. John Marshall is seeded fourth within the Class AAA state match, and can face No. 5 Keyser within the first spherical, set for March 11 at 9 p.m. contained in the Charleston Coliseum.
“Honestly, it just makes me think of all the other players in the past that I’ve coached, even when I played, teammates, just everyone involved with the school, how much it means to everybody,” John Marshall head coach Brock Melko mentioned of his incomes a visit to states. “I mean, you see that picture. That felt like 1,000 kids over there just wanting to be a part of it. So I’m just happy for our team. Their classmates, and everybody involved.”
“The only thing I feel right now is happiness,” Storm mentioned after the sport. “I’m not sad at all. I mean, it was my last ever game in the Fieldhouse, but I’m just truly happy and blessed that we get to be able to do something that hasn’t been done in years.”
John Marshall final made the state match in 1994.
After a delayed begin to Tuesday’s sport, and a few stoppages early on, the Monarchs needed to wait a short time longer.
“Blood spots on the ground, folks getting harm, their bus was delayed getting right here. Yeah, 32 years wasn’t lengthy sufficient. We needed to wait one other– feels prefer it’s about midnight proper now. I don’t know what time it’s, however heck, we received’t complain.
“I thought we were really emotionally mature in just not letting any of that affect us. [Fairmont Senior] tried to slow the game down and we just kept true to who we are, played defense and took care of the ball, and that let us win. We said we don’t care what the score is, we’ll take a win in the 40s, 30s, however they want to go. Feels good.”
John Marshall led 14-6 after the primary quarter, and led 23-11 at halftime after a last-second rating inside by Kalyn Reese off an help by Masyn Inclan.
Rilee Storm got here into Tuesday at 1,677 profession factors, 17 away from the college file.
With the clock ticking beneath six minutes within the sport, Storm’s scoring whole sat at 16. The senior drove to the basket down the left wing, and collided with a Polar Bear defender, flipping the ball up along with her again practically going through the basket– and sinking the acrobatic layup to succeed in 18 factors on the sport, and attain a brand new faculty file for the Monarchs.
I imply, I don’t understand how as a 17, 18-year-old child. I imply, that’s lots to stability for her– everybody’s anticipating us to win, she’s about to get that file. She simply stayed composed. Like I mentioned, I don’t understand how she did it, however I’m glad she received it. I’m glad we may honor her. And now we will go down and hopefully get three extra wins subsequent week.”
Storm mentioned she knew she was getting near the file, regardless of her greatest efforts to dam it out.
“I was trying not to,” Storm mentioned of monitoring her factors. “I was getting really anxious and actually, during one of the timeouts I was doing some square breathing to calm myself down because it is just a game and in the end we were coming out on top and I just wanted the win more than anything. But I knew right before that shot, because we kept calling plays for me, I knew I was going to get it. I hoped that shot went in, and it did, and it feels amazing.”
Storm’s 20 was supported by 15 factors from Reese.
Emma Sacca led Fairmont Senior with 9 factors.
