COVINGTON — In a game that never allowed anyone to exhale, West Liberty-Salem slipped past Arcanum 45-44 Tuesday night in a Division VI district semifinal at Covington High School.
It was everything a postseason game should be — tense, physical and decided in the final seconds.
Neither side led by more than four points all evening. Every run was answered. Every possession mattered.
Arcanum appeared poised to seize control in the second half behind standout guard Caroline Long, who poured in 23 points and repeatedly found ways to score in traffic. Matty Noe added 14, keeping the Lady Trojans steady as the clock dipped under four minutes.
But championship-level poise surfaced when West Liberty-Salem needed it most.
With the Tigers trailing late, Ava Poppe and Addi Wallen delivered in the biggest moments. Wallen attacked the rim and knocked down crucial free throws, finishing with 16 points. Poppe matched her with 17, calmly converting from the stripe before making the defensive play of the night.
Clinging to a one-point lead in the closing seconds, Poppe read Arcanum’s full-court inbound attempt perfectly, elevating to deflect the pass and disrupt the Trojans’ final opportunity. The buzzer sounded moments later, and the Tigers’ bench erupted.
West Liberty-Salem received key contributions throughout the lineup. Arianna Weaver added seven points, and Ellery Wygal chipped in five. Notably, season-leading scorer Ava Astorino was held scoreless — a testament to Arcanum’s defensive focus — yet the Tigers found other answers when it mattered most.
With the victory, West Liberty-Salem improves to 21-3 and advances to the Division VI Southwest 2 District Final.
The No. 2-seeded Tigers will face No. 6 seed Ansonia on Saturday, Feb. 28, at Monroe High School. Tipoff is set for 11 a.m.
