Indians fall on road to Cougars, 75-46

by Jamie Harris
Looking to end their recent three game losing streak, the Berkeley Springs Indians Varsity Boys’ Basketball Team ventured to Jefferson County for a match up with the Jefferson Cougars.

In a game featuring two teams going in seemingly similar directions, somebody was going to get a potential momentum-builder and someone was going to head back to the chalkboard.

Give Jefferson (3-9) the momentum. For Berkeley Springs (4-7), chalk one up for the chalk board.

Powered by Jalen Smith's 20 points, Jefferson got off to a quick start and cruised to a 75-46 win last Tuesday night January 22.

For Berkeley Springs, the venture up to playing above its classification is not showing results in the win-loss column, but the idea isn't exactly to build a sterling winning percentage.

After making a trip to Wyoming County to face Class AA heavyweights Wyoming East and Westside last December and Bluefield in the state tournament, Coach Jeremy Horvat knew a change was in order. So he scheduled likewise.

"I would not have scheduled these teams, Jefferson, Hedgesville and Washington, if I didn't think we could compete and win the games," Horvat said. "This is new. After playing some of the better (AA) teams last season, we saw what we have to do to get to that level. We were a little shell shocked by that, because we hadn't seen competition like that.”

"Hopefully by playing some of the teams we are scheduling, we will be more competitive when we get to the postseason."

That said, Horvath was not overly pleased by his team's play.

"I'm a little disappointed," he said. "We didn't compete like I thought we would. It is better competition. As long as we progress, then that's the point of playing this kind of competition."

Kyle Appel led the Indians with 13 points, including 11 in the second half. Michael Kearney added 10.