The sectional tournament loss at Portsmouth Notre Dame was the final game in the high school careers of Manchester Lady Hounds’ seniors Ashleigh Dunn and Daya Morgan. (Photo by Mark Carpenter)
Sophomore Ryland Wikoff was the leading scorer for the 2022-23 Manchester Lady Hounds, averaging 9.6 points per game. (Photo by Mark Carpenter)
By Mark Carpenter
People’s Defender
After knocking off Ironton St.Joseph 41-37 in the Southeast District Division IV sectional tournament semi-finals, the Manchester Lady Greyhounds faced a nearly impossible task in their second round tourney contest, traveling to Portsmouth Notre Dame to face off with the #1 seeded Lady Titans, who are also ranked #6 in the state poll.
As expected, it was tough sledding for the overmatched Lady Hounds as the host Notre Dame squad dominated from the opening tip on their way to a convincing 57-7 victory.
It was pretty much an omen of things to come when the Lady Hounds were shut out in the opening quarter, finding themselves in a 20-0 hole after eight minutes. The Manchester girls did manage to find the bucket twice in the second stanza, getting baskets from Ashleigh Dunn and Mahayla Brown, but still trailed big at the half, 39-4.
In the third quarter, the Lady Hounds got a bucket from Abby Neria and a free throw from Maddie Dunn, but those turned out to be their final points of the night as they were blanked again in the final period as the heavily favored Lady Titans won their 13th consecutive sectional championship and moved on to the Division IV district semi-finals where they will battle #8 seeded Lucasville Valley.
The Lady Hounds finished their first season under head coach Brandon Hinson with an overall mark of 4-18 and will bid farewell to a pair of seniors, Ashleigh Dunn and Daya Morgan.
For the season, the Lady Hounds were led in scoring by sophomore Raegan Wikoff at 9.6 points a game, with Ashleigh Dunn averaging 7.1. Freshman Mahayla Borwn led the team in rebounding, hauling down an impressive 8.1 boards per contest.
