BY KYLE LOVERN
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

GLENHAYES, W.Va. — The Tug Valley Lady Panthers won the Class A, Region IV, Section 1 championship on Thursday night, defeating perennial power Tolsia 42-39 in a game at Tolsia High School in Wayne County.

Coach Seth Ooten’s team has battled adversity all season with injuries and a tough regular season schedule. They have only been dressing eight players.

The Lady Panthers lost both regular season games to Tolsia by close scores.

They say in sports that it is difficult to beat a team three times—and that proved true again with the Tug Valley and Tolsia rivalry.

The Lady Panthers came into the postseason with a losing record. With the two sectional tourney wins, they are 6-18 on the season and now heading into the regional tournament.

Haven Deskins helped Tug Valley jump out to a 17-13 lead in the first quarter as she scored 10.

However the Lady Rebels of Tolsia outscored Tug Valley 13-5 in the second quarter and showed the Lady Panthers it would be a tough game.

Deskins scored 13 first-half points for TV, while Bailee Hall chipped in six.

Tug Valley turned up the defensive pressure in the second half. They held the Lady Rebels to just five points in the third period and eight in the final quarter to pull out the big tournament win.

Deskins finished with 17 points, Hall scored 13, and Katelyn Richardson chipped in 13 important points for TVHS.

Emily Artrip led Coach Rick Morrone’s Tolsia team with a game-high 22 points.

Ooten, in his first year as head coach, had served as an assistant coach for the last few years.

Both teams will now advance to the regional tournament. Tug Valley will host the regional game and has a chance to make it to the state tournament with another victory. The Lady Panthers are slated to play No. 2 Gilmer County (22-2) at home in the co-regional finals Tuesday.

Score by quarters:
Tolsia: 13 13 5 8 – 39
Tug: 17 5 11 9 – 42