The final Wetzel County girls’ team, Magnolia, bit the dust 43-39 in the Region I, Section I playoffs at the Carol Hamill Field House in Weirton, Feb. 23.

The Lady Eagles played the heavily-favored Red Riders toe-to-toe for three periods, but they failed to move on in sectional play since 2006.

Magnolia took a slim 6-5 lead after the first period and fell behind at the break, 17-13 in a defensive battle, while holding the Weir Red Rider shooting phenomenon Nikki Robinson without a basket in the first half. However, that left Weir senior Kassandra Robinson doing most of the damage, scoring 14 points that included four baskets from beyond the arc.

The Blue Eagle box-in-one defense had a good plan and held Nikki without a basket until late in the third period, while Blue Eagle stud Padyn “Buffy” Ludewig earned most of her baskets the hard way – from the charity line, where she swished 10 of 12.

Ludewig, beat to a pulp, netted a three-point basket and added a pair of two-baggers for a game-high 17 points to lead the Lady Eagles, while Marissa Bosley chipped in with 14 points that include a basket from beyond the arc. Jordan Babe netted six points for the Eagles, while Tori Tharp added a deuce.

Magnolia ended the season with a disappointing 5-14 record and will lose center Lindsay Cain to graduation. However, back next year will be most of the team, including top scorer Ludewig, who had a 22.2 ppg scoring average this season with 402 points.