Wyoming East will be back to defend its Class AA state championship after its convincing 71-34 victory against Mingo Central.
The defense-fueled victory sends to Warriors back to the state tournament as the No. 1 seed, where they will face Charleston Catholic at 5:30 p.m Thursday.
Wyoming East (2-2) jumped out to an 18-4 lead after one and it only escalated from there. Most of it was field by the Warriors pressure defense.
“I think the last two games (the sectional championship against Summers County last Thursday) we’ve really picked up the pace on defense,” Davidson said. “It sounds crazy but that was kind of the plan. We wanted to ratchet it up as the season went along. I think we are in a good place right now. We are making people play really, really fast.”
It was the Warriors’ fourth straight Region 3 championship.
Wyoming East 71, Mingo Central 34
Mingo Central
Addie Smith 2 0-0 5, Delaney Grimmett 4 1-2 9, Giana Akers 4 1-1 9, Karissa Bradford 1 0-0 2, Jaydon Bailey 3 0-0 6, Jeanna Bradford 0 0-2 0, Eva Monroe 1 1-2 3, Madi Estep 0 0-0 0, Sheridan Hatfield 0 0-0 0, Bug Akers 0 0-0 , Autumn Hall. TOTALS: 15 3-7 34.
Wyoming East
Maddie Clark 9 4-6 22, Cadee Blackburn 10 0-0 24, Alivia Monroe 3 0-0 6, Abi Baker 6 2-2 14, Gabby Cameron 1 0-0 2, Kyndal Lusk 1 0-0 3, Charleigh Price 0 0-0 0, Kenna Price 0 0-2 0, Michaela Brooks 0 0-0 0, Kyleigh Martin 0 0-0 0, Carlee Lane 0 0-0 0, Carlee Russell 0 0-0 0, September Belcher 0 0-0 0, Emma Blankenship 0 0-0 0, Kaylee Hodges 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 30 6-10 71.
Mingo Central 4 7 13 10 – 34
Wyoming East 18 21 26 6 – 71
Three-point field goals – MC: 1 (Smith 1). WE: 5 (Blackburn 4, Lusk 1). Fouled out – None.