Top Performers as Galax, Clarke County Take Class 1 and Class 2

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class 2: Clarke County pulls away in the second half to go back-to-back.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["865384"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69b4dd29b029e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">It felt like on every Union possession, Katelyn Witt was attempting to get to the rim and put pressure on Clare County's defense. Katelyn's mix of speed and ball handling allowed her to get to the paint, and even though you wish she had a little more discretion when it came to putting shots up at the rim, that directness was Union's only real source of offense. She had a handful of great passes when going downhill, and in a game Union was being picked to lose, their surprise first-half lead had to mainly be attributed to her.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["409781"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69b4dd29b032f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Alainah McKavish was not great early, but she started to get it going as the game went on, especially in the second half. She got the half started with a three that extended a one-point Clarke County lead to 4, and after that, it felt like Clarke County started to keep Union at a little bit of a distance. Clarke County started to do great work on the offensive glass, and that was part of why they started to separate from Union. Alainah's used her size to get her hands on loose rebounds and get some buckets around the rim. She had a couple of blocks at the end and did a great job pushing the ball off her rebounds. Clarke County loves playing fast, so when you're big, you can handle the ball off a rebound, which helps a lot. She also finished this game as the leading scorer in Clarke County history, so shoutout to Alainah for a massive achievement.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Paige Stemberger","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'8u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12121","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Clarke County","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69b4dd29b0425"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Paige Stemberger had a huge day for Clarke County off the bench. At the very least, you know that you will get elite perimeter defense from Paige Stemberger, but today she showed she is capable of doing more than just that. She came in the second quarter and had an immediate impact. She had a couple of plays where she was in the right spot at the right time and punished a defender for going under a screen by knocking down a three. Paige rebounded at an elite level all day, and her effort was big. She finished with 13 points, 14 rebounds, and 3 assists.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1201275"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69b4dd29b04b0"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Paige McKavish's well-rounded game and versatility are a giant piece for Clarke County. I mentioned earlier, when talking about Paige's sister Alainah, that Clarke County loves to get out and run. One of the things that makes it work is that both McKavish sisters have the length to rebound and the skill to push the ball after a board. Paige did that a number of times today. She had a huge sequence in the middle of the 3rd quarter that kick-started a Clarke County run that they never looked back from. She blocked a fast break lay-up, got the rebound, pushed it full court, then delivered a pass to Alainah that she could not convert. Paige still followed that miss, getting an and-1 putback lay-up. You get a two-way star in Paige, and she now has two state titles in her first two years. She finished with 13 points, 11 rebounds, 2 steals, and 3 blocks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class 1: Galax uses hot shooting early to cruise by Luray.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1805639"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69b4dd29b0516"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1805639' first='Madelyn' last='Goad'] got Galax going early with her shooting. She hit 5 first-half threes, and a couple of these shots didn't touch the rim. She made a couple of great passes off her drives and had a dime in transition. Madelyn plays with a level of poise you don't see from a freshman, and she looked like the best player on the court in this one. Madelyn finished a team-high 15 points as Galax took home the Class 1 state title.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Keeley Bartlett","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12120","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Galax","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69b4dd29b060a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Keeley Bartlett did not have a great first half, but she really picked it up in the second. She used her body in the post to get her first bucket early in the 3rd quarter and dominated a lot of that quarter. She used her size to get on the offensive glass, and she was the recipient of some nice passes that she used to finish at the rim. She altered a number of shots as well and finished with 10 points and 9 rebounds.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1727031"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69b4dd29b0670"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">This Galax team is loaded with underclassman talent. I talked about how impactful [player_tooltip player_id='1805639' first='Madelyn' last='Goad'] was earlier, and [player_tooltip player_id='1727031' first='Rylee' last='Hawks'] was another freshman who played a big part in this win. Rylee has great size for a wing and is a knockdown spot-up shooter. She knocked down a three-pointer a few minutes into the 3rd and was a monster on the offensive glass. She finished this game with 12 points and 9 rebounds.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Ella Parlett","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'5u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12125","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Luray","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69b4dd29b0757"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">A lot of Luray's best players did not have a great day, but I felt Ella Parlett was really solid. Ella did not start the game or take a whole lot of shots, but she was this team's biggest source of offense. She knocked down a couple of spot-up threes and did a great job getting to the line. She finished with 15 points, which led Luray. Credit to Ella for battling back from an ACL injury last April and giving her team a big boost in the final push of the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->