Photo by Kyle Lutz Wheeling Park’s Shanley Woods drives to the basket during Friday’s sectional championship game against John Marshall. Woods finished with a game-high 19 points.

WHEELING — The Wheeling Park girls basketball team couldn’t have asked for a better start during the West Virginia Class AAA Region One, Section One championship game against John Marshall. The Patriots raced out to a 24-4 first quarter lead and never looked back en route to a 65-26 victory over the Monarchs Friday night at the Palace on the Hill.

Wheeling Park will host Morgantown on Tuesday in a Regional co-final for a chance to punch its ticket to the state tournament.

“I think it’s been so long since we’ve played, the kids were hungry to play somebody else. We were getting sick of looking at each other,” Wheeling Park coach Ryan Young said. “I think we came out strong, we took care of business like we needed to. I was real happy with their efforts on the board.

“I thought Kieran Johnson really set the tone underneath and Bella (Abernathy) also.

“And Asia just managed the game real well. She’s as strong as I’ve seen her all season. Hopefully that’s good for us in the stretch here.”

The Patriots scored the first 10 points of the contest before a pair of John Marshall free throws by Catherine Hunnell. Johnson’s first bucket of the night sparked a 14-0 run for Wheeling Park to put the score at 24-2 with 2:32 remaining in the first quarter.

Four Patriots scored in double figures as Shanley Woods led the way with 19 points while Asia Roby contributed with 15. Abernathy chipped in 12 points and Johnson tallied 10.

“I know Shanley led us in scoring, but she didn’t shoot the ball as well as she can. Lindsey (Garrison) didn’t shoot the ball well. So hopefully, they’re saving those for Tuesday. The rest of the kids picked it up and they got good looks, sometimes they just don’t fall,” Young said. “But, I thought both Shanley and Lindsey were really active on top of our zone. They got their hands on a lot of balls and didn’t give them a lot of easy shots. I think we have up two field goals in the first half. Sometimes, when they’re not falling offensively, you have to pick it up on defense. And I think our kids did that.”

The Patriots also received a boost of energy from Abby Snedeker who was playing in her first game since Jan. 11 because of an injury.

“She hasn’t played since the last time we’ve played John Marshall,” Young said. “She’s a big lift. She just one of those kids that provides so much for you. She can play every position and is our most athletic kid. So, to have her back was definitely a big boost. I think (Friday) was kind of a warm up game for her, so hopefully Tuesday she can return to form as well.”

Even in the loss, the Monarchs will have a chance to secure a trip to Charleston. They will travel to University in the other Region One co-final. The Hawks defeated the Mohigans in the West Virginia Class AAA Region One, Section Two championship, 45-30.

Hunell paced the Monarchs with a team-high 11 points.

“Our region in particular, this game (Friday), we kind of been saying this is just for home court because Morgantown and University in my eyes are about the same,” John Marshall coach Brock Melko said. “It’s not like if you win, you get an easy opponent. Regardless of what happened (Friday), we’re going to have to show up Tuesday and play great to get a win. That’s still in front of us. We went over that after the game too. I said, ‘You know, as uncharacteristic as (Friday) was and as disappointing as you all are, go win Tuesday and everyone forgets about this real quick.”