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The West Virginia Encyclopedia
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The West Virginia Encyclopedia
Continuing the county’s tradition of girls basketball success, the Lady Bobcats of Summers County High School set a boys-girls record by winning 105 games in a row. The Lady Bobcats’ streak began with a victory over Greenbrier East on February 2, 2008, and continued until January 15, 2012, when they were defeated by Scott High School. The Skyhawks, losers of the last two state championships to Summers County, beat the Bobcats 72-55.
The previous record of 88 games was set by the Parkersburg Catholic girls in 1979. The Bobcats broke that record with their 89th win on February 15, 2011, by defeating Woodrow Wilson in Beckley by 59-37.
When the school was still known as Hinton High School, the Lady Bobcats won Class AA championships in 1988 and 1992. After the county opened a new school in Hinton in 1994 and introduced the name Summers County High School, the team won AA titles in 1994, 2000 and 2007 before beginning the streak. From 1988 through 2011, Summers County made 21 state-tournament appearances.
The Lady Bobcats’ style of play has changed very little since the 1988 state title, said coach Wayne Ryan, who has worked at the school as either head coach or an assistant for 23 years. Beginning in middle school, the girls learn a fast-break offense and a full-court pressure defense designed to turn steals into easy points. Ryan and his staff sometimes make slight modifications in the style based on the team’s talents and personnel.
Written by Mike Whiteford