Sports

The Berkeley Springs girls basketball team headed to Baker, WV, on Saturday, February 10, to face sectional rival Frankfort in the Potomac Valley Conference Night of Champions. It was an opportunity to make a statement against their sectional nemesis, with the sectional championship right around the corner. Unfortunately, a statement was made, but it was Frankfort which made the statement, burying the cold shooting Indians 60-28.

"This was our worst game of the year," said Berkeley Springs coach Dale McCumbee. I am disappointed and nearly speechless. You're not going to beat too many teams when you only shoot 12% from the floor."

Berkeley Springs High School may have finished the day 1-3 in dual meet action, but they managed four individual titles at the Potomac Valley Conference Wrestling Championships, held on Saturday, February 3 in Berkeley Springs.

"We had to forfeit too many weight classes to compete for the team title," said Berkeley Springs coach Darrell Bennett. "And, then A.J. (Blankenship) was injured and couldn't wrestle the final two matches of the day. It is just tough for us to be competitive in dual meets, but I am proud of the overall effort these kids gave."

Berkeley Springs High School girls basketball coach Dale McCumbee has preached the importance of free throw shooting all year long. He has tried impressing on his team that close games are usually lost or won at the charity stripe. His words will resonate more clearly in the locker room now, because of the way Berkeley Springs secured their thrilling 50-46 win over Musselman, in Bunker Hill on Thursday, February 1.

The Indians scored 20 more points than Musselman from the line, and made 15 of 21 free throw attempts with the game on the line in the final quarter.

Berkeley Springs defeated Paw Paw 67-30 on Friday, February 2, in Berkeley Springs to sweep the season series between the two longtime rivals.

The rematch was similar, with Berkeley Springs racing out to a big first-quarter lead, before coasting to another lopsided win. Paw Paw used to give Berkeley Springs fits on the hardwoods, but recently the size differential between the two schools has been apparent.

The Warm Springs girls basketball team won two games last week, improving to 13-2 on the year.

"I am really proud of this team," said Warm Springs coach Jeff Derby. "Even when they aren't playing their best they find a way to win. I guess that is because they work really hard and have good attitudes."

Super Bowl thoughts

A couple thoughts on the Super Bowl.

Just 11 days before the Berkeley Springs High School boys basketball team hosted Hampshire County, they had been thoroughly dominated by the Trojans in Romney, 65-36. The 29-point loss was the most lopsided defeat the Indians had suffered the entire year, giving little hope to the Berkeley Springs faithful that the Tribe could beat their Class AAA rival when Hampshire County invaded the Berkeley Springs High School gymnasium on Tuesday, January 23.

However, the Indians had a plan and it worked to perfection as they pulled off the 66-65 overtime upset of the visiting Trojans.

Berkeley Springs girls basketball coach Dale McCumbee knew that his team had to play well if they were to have any chance of beating St. Maria Goretti in Hagerstown, Md. on Thursday, January 25. And, he was smiling from ear to ear when the buzzer sounded ending game, as his Lady Indians played well enough to upset Goretti 44-41.

"We knew coming into the game that we would have to play good defense and get to the free throw line if we were going to get a

Upcoming events

Sunday, February, 4: 2 p.m., 522 Ball Complex, board meeting with interested managers and coaches.

Beilein working magic

West Virginia University basketball coach John Beilein would modestly disagree, but his coaching method is working again. Strapped with the loss of five of his top six players from last year, this year's version of Mountaineer basketball was picked to finish as low as last in the Big East this year.