Catawba Ridge fights until the end but falls in quest for 4A state title game berth
Head coach Sheridan Pressley entered the Catawba Ridge locker room with a message that, despite the game’s score, was clear to everyone who watched her team play in the 4A Upper State championship game Tuesday night.
And that was this: The Copperheads belonged.
“I told them that despite what happened tonight and it not being the outcome we wanted, we have a lot to be proud of,” Pressley told reporters. “Nobody expected us to be here, but we deserved to be here. We had our opportunities, but at the end of the day, that doesn’t negate everything that we’ve done this season.”
Catawba Ridge fought valiantly until the end, but the team ultimately saw its season end in a 44-36 loss to Westside in the 4A Upper State championship game Tuesday at Bob Jones University’s Davis Field House. With the loss, the Copperheads concluded their deepest postseason run in their three-year history — one that ended just one win short of a state championship appearance.
Westside, conversely, will play for its second-straight state title Saturday at 6 p.m. at USC Aiken’s Convocation Center.
“We were able to make a run all the way to an Upper State championship without any seniors,” Pressley said. “So that is something that we need to remember, and keep our heads held high. I’m proud of each and every one of them. We fought hard, and things just didn’t go our way tonight.”
The Copperheads didn’t shy away from the moment on Tuesday. They scored the game’s first four points — the first bucket by freshman Skyla Tuthill, the second by sophomore Morgan Davis — and didn’t fret when they gave up the next nine points.
Catawba Ridge fought back all half to cut the halftime margin to one point, down 16-15.
The game stayed tight throughout. A trend emerged: Westside would struggle to a two- or four-point lead, more often than not thanks to a few 4A Player of the Year Destiny Middleton floaters spawned by a few Olivia Randolph blocks. And then the Copperheads would respond, whether it be by a Makailah Davis fast-break layup or a Brielle Windisch offensive-rebound-turned-score.
The Copperheads seized their first lead of the second half on a Tatum Postel 3-pointer and held onto that lead entering the fourth quarter 35-33.
But the defending-champion Rams reclaimed a 37-36 lead with 6:17 left in the final quarter and didn’t look back.
The Rams, in fact, didn’t allow another point. They only allowed one Copperhead point in the entire fourth quarter and finished the game on a 7-0 run.
“We went on a great run there in the third,” Pressley said. “We knew they were going to come back with a run. We just couldn’t come up with another one of our own. We’ve talked about it all year. Peaks and valleys. It’s going to be a game of runs. And unfortunately they had the last run of the night.”
The Copperheads, a team without any seniors, are remarkably young. And their youth shined on Tuesday.
They were led by Tuthill (a freshman), who finished with 11 points, and Windisch (a junior), who finished with nine. They also saw contributions from sophomore Morgan Davis (six points), freshman Makailah Davis (six points) and junior Postel (four points).
Said Pressley: “I also told them, ‘Remember this feeling. We’ll be back.’ We’ll be more experienced. It’s a growing opportunity. It’s a learning opportunity. And we can be better because of it.”
This story was originally published March 1, 2022 at 7:49 PM.
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