The Portsmouth West Lady Senators captured their second consecutive Division III girls basketball sectional championship on Saturday, defeating visiting Westfall by a score of 62-29.
Courtesy of Joey Shupert
WEST PORTSMOUTH — Simply put, West was the best in the Southern Ohio Conference Division II this winter.
Now, the tournament trail begins for these Lady Senators — to ball out and show out in the Division III Southeast District.
On Saturday, after winning their first-ever SOC II title two-and-a-half weeks ago, the Lady Senators followed that up with a second consecutive sectional championship —rolling past visiting Westfall with a 62-29 triumph.
The Lady Senators, the second-seeded squad behind only undefeated North Adams (23-0) in the entire Southeast District for Division III, raised their stellar record to 22-1.
It had been almost a decade when they last won a sectional title —until last season when they finally broke through and scaled Rock Hill.
This year, there was no doubt, as West won the opening canto 19-8 —before leading 31-18 at halftime.
The Lady Senators simply stymied the 26th-seeded Lady Mustangs in the third frame —outscoring Westfall with a 20-5 output, and splashing four three-point goals along the way.
Charlie Jo Howard had hit three trifectas for the first stanza alone.
Westfall had just five third-period points on a hoop and three free throws, and only added three more baskets in the fourth.
The Lady Senators staked a commanding 51-23 advantage after three stops.
Howard hit four threes en route to a team-high 16 points, which also included 2-of-4 free throws and a third-period two.
Another senior, Sydney McDermott, got in on the three-point act towards 15 points —netting three total along with two twos and 2-of-2 third-frame freebies.
Yet another senior scored in double figures —Maelynn Howell on five field goals and a split of second-quarter free throws.
Lexi Deaver, a fourth Lady Senator senior, dropped in four total field goals for nine points —with junior Emma Sayre scoring seven.
Kate Rollins and Elisha Andre added first-quarter baskets, as Howell with 11 and McDermott with seven secured the most rebounds for West.
No Lady Mustang scored more than six points.
West will return to action on Wednesday —when it faces 11th-seeded Minford (15-8) in a Division III Southeast District semifinal at Valley High School.
Tip time is set for 6:15 p.m.
The Lady Senators swept the Lady Falcons in the regular season as part of their SOC II slate —winning at West 37-27 before prevailing at Minford 47-41.
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