Cougars win region title; face Millbrook next

The Pulaski County girls basketball program captured the Class 4, Region D basketball championship with a convincing, 70-57 win over E.C. Glass in Lynchburg Friday.

     Pulaski Co. never trailed and led 16-10 at the end of the first quarter and 34-21 at the half. The biggest first half lead was 17 points. Glass started to get some shots to fall and the margin was down to nine, 47-38 after three quarters, but then the Cougars outscored the Hilltoppers 23-19 in the fourth for the final 13-point victory to bring the Lady Cougars to 21-6 on the season. Glass dropped to 21-4.

    It was a balanced effort led by freshman Keslyn Secrist with 16 points and a dozen rebounds. Ally Fleenor scored 12 points and a game high 14 rebounds. Maddie Ratcliffe was next with 11. Paige Huff added 10 big points to the cause, Alaina Akers seven, Taryn Blakenship and Erin Russell both finished with six, and Courtney Cregger got two. Huff hit two 3’s and Russell one. Anglie Hamlet led Glass with 23. The Cougars shot a little over 60% for the game.

     Pulaski County now advances to the quarterfinal round of the Class 4 state tournament. They will be facing 26-2 Millbrook Friday evening who was unexpectedly thrashed by Loudoun Valley, 87-52. Glass will travel to Loudoun Valley to play Friday evening while Millbrook will journey down I-81 from Winchester to face the Cougars at Christiansburg High School’s gym. PCHS by virtue of its higher seeding gets to host the quarterfinal game against the lower seeded Millbrook team, but under VHSL rules cannot do so on its home court. Thus the game will be at CHS at 6 pm.

     Millbrook has lost but twice, and both times to Loudoun Valley, but the lopsided loss was unexpected. In the first meeting between the two the Pioneers fell only 78-70. Going into the game Millbrook was the 28th ranked girls basketball team in the country, and Loudoun Valley 19th.

     Avery O’Roke led Millbrook with 15 points, and Vanessa Cooper scored 13, but usual high scorer 6-2 Alison Hauch was held in check. The Pioneers have good size with 6-1 Emery McGee also in the lineup.