Grafton girls basketball downs Liberty, Lewis and RCB to extend undefeated start

The Bearcats never relented, proceeding outscore Liberty 25-6 in the second, 31-3 in the third and 14-8 to coast to the win.

The Grafton starting five combined to score 70 points with the star duo of Hadley Horne and Kenna Keener leading the way with 25 apiece. Yet everyone got involved as evidenced by the 11 Bearcats that scored at least a point against Liberty.

Keener exploded for nine in the first and 13 in the third, recording a double-double with 10 steals while also recording eight rebounds and three blocks.

Similarly, Horne scored in spurts, netting eight in the first and 13 in the third while adding six assists, four steals and three rebounds.

Natalie Beltner made crucial contributions with eight points, four rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Hope Dever added seven points, three assists and a steal while Jazalynn Ray made a versatile impact with five points, four steals, three assists and two rebounds.

Ciarra Spring (7 points), Jordan Cox (3), Peyton Freeman (3), Reagan Knight (2), Ashlynne Bolyard (2) and Ruth Horne (1) rounded out the scoring for the Bearcats in the win.

"We were solid on Monday night, especially when you look at everyone in the team got quality minutes. The top-six in our rotation only played 16 minutes of the game together as a group. Kenna and Hadley complimented each other really well," coach Keener said. "I felt that the rest of our players each starred in their roles. I was really impressed by the way we played team basketball all night. When you balloon out a lead the team basketball concept goes to the waste side, but not tonight we did the things we were asked to do offensively and defensively all night."

Returning to action on Wednesday, the Bearcats once again leaned on identical point totals from Horne and Kenna Keener to scored a 53-42 home win over ninth-ranked Lewis on Wednesday.

Both Horne and Keener netted 18 points with each also crossing individual career milestones in the win. Kenner became first junior and the seventh overall Bearcat in Grafton girls basketball history to hit the 1,000-point milestone in-addition, rounding out a double-double with 10 rebounds, three steals, an assist, a block and a steal. Horne broke Bearcat girls basketball's all-time leading scoring record, pushing her career total to 1,141 to eclipse the mark previous held by June Shriver (1,140) while also recording a double-double with 11 rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Dever (7), Beltner (6), Ray (2) and Ruth Horne (2) accounted for the rest of Grafton's scoring in the win.

Grafton continued to roll, capitalizing on a hot offensive start to bookend the week with a commanding home win over Robert C. Byrd on Friday, 64-37.

The Bearcats shot out to a 16-0 lead over the opening five minutes, coasting the rest of the way to the win.

“End of January, beginning of February, that’s when we need to step it up and be playing our best,” coach Keener said. “I thought our first seven brought it and came out and challenged them from the start.

“We shared the basketball, didn’t commit a lot of turnovers, didn’t force any shots and attacked the middle really well. I was definitely happy with the way we came out of the gate.”

The dynamic duo of Hadley Horne and Kenna Keener led the way for the Bearcats. Horne hit 7-of-11 shots from the field and was a perfect 4-of-4 from the foul line in scoring a game-high 20 points. Keener was right behind with 18 points and a game-high nine rebounds.

The Grafton girls basketball team (14-0) will look to remain unbeaten traveling for a road date with Bridgeport on Wednesday, Feb. 5 before returning home to play host to Buckhannon-Upshur on Friday, Feb. 7. Both games are set to tip at 7:30