The Recorder, Thursday, January 25, 2024 — page 25
Bath’s Ryleigh Phillips drives past Highland’s Annah Moyers.
HOT SPRINGS — Both Cappy Jackson and Eric Payne are building.
In Highland, Jackson is laying the foundation with a young varsity team and some talented middle schoolers.
At Bath County, Payne’s first year is with an equally youthful squad playing at the JV level.
Twice this season, the two programs got together on the same court.
Highland finished off the two-game sweep here Tuesday night.
Colleen Adams scored 17 points and snatched nine rebounds and Addison Lockridge and Zalea Good had 11 points apiece in the Rams’ 48-27 win over the Chargers.
Highland led just 20-15 at the half, but increased the lead to 12 after three, 32-20, and outscored their hosts 16-7 in the final period.
Jazmine Douglas had six points for the Rams and Hannah Meyerhoeffer rounded out the scoring with three.
Meyerhoeffer had a team-high 12 rebounds and both Lockridge and Good had five apiece.
“We had three eighth graders move up for this JV game,” said Jackson. “Having that bench really drove the other girls to give me a little bit more in practice yesterday. We had a good solid practice. They were fresh. They were there, both mentally and physically, which was nice. They were excited about this game.”
Bath’s Trinity Forbes puts up a jump shot past the tight defense of Highland’s Zalea Good. (Recorder photos by Gavin Dressler)
Trinity Forbes led Bath County with 11 points and seven rebounds, Ryleigh Phillips had seven points, Zoey Jenkins added six points to seven rebounds and Sophie Ailstock scored three. Macey Paxton had six rebounds.
“I think the big thing is just gaining these girls’ trust,” said Payne, who was hired to coach the varsity team, but moved to the JV when only one team could be fielded. “They were kind of hesitant. You know, does this guy really know what he’s doing? But I think what my staff and I have established this year is the fact that we can teach these girls basketball and how to play to win and play the right way. Hopefully, that will ignite some other girls to want to join the program in the future.”
Bath County will go back to its JV schedule tonight at Richwood, W.Va.
Highland returns to varsity action, hosting Pioneer District leading Parry McCluer tonight in Monterey.
Jackson is hoping to use Tuesday’s momentum to close the season strong. “That’s the plan,” she said. “That’s definitely the plan.”