Golden Bears clinch third-straight sectional title
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NEW MANCHESTER -- There's an old saying don't poke the bear.
In reference to West Virginia softball, perhaps it should be don't give the Golden Bears something to prove.
After being seeded second in the Class AA Region 1, Section 1 tournament, Oak Glen concluded a sweep of the field on Wednesday, claiming a third-straight section crown with its second win in three days over top-seeded Weir High, 2-0.
All three sectional titles have come at the expense of the rival Red Riders.
"It's certainly about pride," Oak Glen head coach Sherrie Garner said. "We felt that we were the No. 1, so we had to come out and prove something for sure."
The Golden Bears (23-8) advance to the Region 1 tournament, which begins on Monday. The victory was their third in the tournament and 17th-consecutive victory overall, in which time a third-straight OVAC title was also won.
"It feels very good for this group, I'm really proud of them," Garner said. "Compliments to Weir High, they did a great job. These kids have played together competitively for years."
In fact, the hardware only adds to what is already one of the winningest senior classes in program history.
"With this, these seniors are 80-15 and that's with losing a year (due to COVID)," Garner said. "That's significant. This group is special, the last several have been. I've been fortunate to coach them. There is a core there that has played this game together for a while with the support of the parents and the love of the community."
Senior Lizzie Kell was a key contributor, as she has been throughout the drastic turnaround from a 1-5 start to the season.
She fanned 10 batters in pitching a complete game shutout, and, with the game still scoreless in the fifth, broke the tie with a two-out RBI single to plate what proved to be the winning run.
"Lizzie is such a competitor," Garner said. "She came through at the plate … she just digs in and does her job.
"(Weir) did some things to switch it up … we had to be patient."
Kayla Wright's RBI single in the sixth after the Red Riders' lone error added some insurance for Kell, who worked a 1-2-3 seventh to seal the deal.
For Weir High, which ends up 16-19, a third-straight season ending with a loss at Oak Glen was tough.
"The difference the last three years has been when (Oak Glen) has needed to make a play, they've made a play," Red Riders head coach John Leary said. "Look at Lizzie today. She pitches a shutout and when they needed a hit, she gets the big hit. My hat is off to them.
"There's nothing I can say, no excuses to be made. It's happened three years in a row."
The Red Riders looked as though they were going to tie the game when Brayley Lash hit a hard liner with a runner on second in the top of the sixth, but Sydney Brown snagged it.
"We played a mostly clean game, we gave them an additional run because we made a mistake in the last inning, but two runs shouldn't doom you," Leary said. "We did a better job of putting the ball in play, we didn't strike out as many times (as Monday) but we didn't get the big hit when we needed it and they did and that's the name of the game."
SENIOR FARWELL
Weir High will depart four seniors -- Phia Aperfine, Reagan Hoover, Riley Donaldson and Elli Cowden.
"We're going to miss them, they're going to be tough to replace," Leary said.
UP NEXT
Oak Glen will meet the winner of the decisive game between Keyser and Frankfort in the Section 2 final, which takes place today. The Region 1 championship series beginning on Monday.
WVSSAC Region 1, Section 1 championship
No, 2 Oak Glen 2, No. 1 Weir High 0
Weir High 0-0-0 0-0-0 0 – 0 3 1
Oak Glen 0-0-0 0-1-1 x – 2 4 2
WEIR HIGH (16-19): Utt (LP, 5 1/3IP, 2R, 1ER, 4H, 1K, 2BB, 1HBP), Donaldson (2/3IP, 1K, 1BB) and Aperfine. Aperfine D, S, Hoover S.
OAK GLEN (23-8): Kell (WP, CG, 0R, 3H, 10K, 2BB) and Sa. Brown. Kell 2S, RBI; Wright 2S, RBI.