Menchville Spoils Woodgrove's Perfect Season, Wins Class 5 Girls 59-36
VHSL Class 5 Girls
MENCHVILLE 59, WOODGROVE 36
After going 13 years without a team High School Champion, the city of Newport News earned its second in two weeks, as the Menchville Monarchs routed the Woodgrove Wolverines 59-36 on Friday evening.
With the win, Menchville earned the Class 5 Girls state title, but also leveled the Wolverines hopes of winning their first Championship and finishing the season with a perfect record.
Instead, it was the Monarchs and Head Coach Adrian Webb, who won their inaugural state crown.
Two weeks ago, the Heritage girls track team, also of Newport News, won the Class 4 meet at the Tolsma Track Center on the Lynchburg campus of Liberty University.
The way the Monarchs ruined Woodgrove’s previously undefeated season was rough and unemotional. Just business.
And that’s the way that Menchville played during a game whose outcome was never in doubt.
From Lisa Nice’s three-point swish just 16 seconds into the game, to Rileigh Weaver’s two free throws in the game’s final ten seconds, Menchville executed their game-plan with exceptional skill. The Monarchs turned the ball over only seven times, and the defense held Woodgrove to 29 percent shooting from the floor (12-42).
Amari Smith led the Monarchs with 17 points and eight rebounds, and Atiana Williams plated well all over the floor, finishing with 13 points, six boards, four steals and three assists. In the paint, the Monarchs finished with a decisive 30-12 advantage.
Even Woodgrove Coach Derek Fisher knew his team was in trouble early.
“Once they get far ahead, they are hard to catch,” said Fisher, whose team fell behind by 30 points at the end of the third quarter. “They just knocked down shots and got on runs. If we could have held their 10-point runs to six-point runs.”
Menchville started the game on fire, building a 17-6 lead at the end of the first period. Jayleen Hallums scored 11 of her 13 points in the first half, while the Monarchs boosted their lead to 39-20.
A 16-5 run through the third quarter gave Menchville its 30-point lead at 55-25, which led to a mostly uneventful final quarter that served as a coronation for the new champion.
Williams and Smith spoke of the importance of winning states for their city after the game.
“It feels great to represent our city,” said Williams, a junior guard. “This is a big win for our community.”
Speaking of the Championships won by Heritage and now Menchville, Smith added, “it’s great to be part of a movement.”
Anni Rohs paced the Wolverines scoring with 11, and Colette Baine added 10 points and eight rebounds for Woodgrove, who finished the season 28-1. The Wolverines were without injured standout Ashley Steadman, a 1st Team All-Region performer who'll play her College Basketball at Christopher Newport University, a nationally-ranked Division III program.
Inside the Numbers:
MENCHVILLE 17, 22, 16, 4 -- 59
WOODGROVE 6, 14, 5, 11 -- 36
MENCHVILLE (25-3): Woodson 6, Smith 17, Williams 13, Robertson 2, Harrison 6, Thomas 0, Woodbury 0, Bagwell 0, Weaver 2, Hallums 13, Wright 0, Hester 0. Totals 23 9-15 59.
WOODGROVE (28-1): Steadman 0, Nice 6, Baine 10, Mullen 6, Shores 3, Shea 0, Rohs 11, Miller 0, McCullers 0, Pabon 0. Totals 12 6-14 36.
Three pointers: Menchville 4 (Hallums 3, Williams). Woodgrove 6 (Nice 2, Mullen 2, Rohs 2).
Menchville Postgame Press Conference:
Menchville Girls Postgame Press Conference after their 59-36 win over Woodgrove on Friday, March 11, 2022 in the VHSL Class 5 State Championship at VCU in Richmond.
Speaking from left to right are Keylee Harrison, Coach Adrian Webb, Atiana Williams and Amari Smith.
With the win, Menchville finished 23-3 overall and captured their first state title in program history. They became the first girls basketball team from the city of Newport News to win a state title since Heritage High in 2008.
Woodgrove Postgame Presser:
Woodgrove Head Coach Derek Fisher and players chat with the media following their 59-36 loss to Menchville in the VHSL Class 5 Girls Basketball State Championship held at VCU in Richmond on Friday, March 11, 2022.
Fisher's Wolverines - the Region 5D Champs - finished 29-1 overall.
