Photo by Kristin Mazgaj Wheeling Central’s Erin Maxwell shoots inside against Charleston Catholic during the WVSSAC Class AA girls basketball state championship on Saturday inside the Charleston Coliseum.

CHARLESTON — For the first time since 2007, the Charleston Catholic Fighting Irish are state champions.

The third time was the luck of the Irish on Saturday inside the Charleston Coliseum, as Charleston Catholic figured out the Wheeling Central Catholic Maroon Knights, 55-41, in their 10 a.m. title match. Charleston Catholic got out to an early advantage and, though the Knights cut it awfully close at times, the Irish never lost their lead after going ahead midway through the first quarter.

“Charleston Catholic defended us really well,” Wheeling Central head coach Roberta Olejasz said. “I said all along that if the game was in the 40’s or 50’s, it’d be a grind. If we could get it to the 60’s and 70’s at our pace it would bode much better for us. Charleston Catholic got us to play in the 40’s and 50’s and it was a grind. We got down early and just couldn’t get it to the pace we wanted.”

The third meeting between the Irish and the Maroon was not lacking in drama though, with Wheeling Central cutting the lead to one point during the third quarter, and the game sitting within two possessions through most of the fourth.

Mary Rushworth (16 points, seven rebounds) and Molly Messer (15 points, six rebounds) led the way for Charleston Catholic, while Kaitlyn Blake (14 points, eight rebounds) and Erin Maxwell (nine points, 10 rebounds) were among the top performers for Wheeling Central.

Blake’s ninth point on Saturday got her to rarified air, with 2,000 career points for the senior forward.

Offensive fouls contributed to a stop-and-start offense for Wheeling Central, who never seemed to find their rhythm, especially in the first half, where the Knights had nine turnovers to the Irish’s four.

“They play their game,” Olejasz said. “They doubled [Kaitlyn Blake] a lot. I thought the game was very physical- it was physical all three times we played them. It came down to, we didn’t make shots.”

“We didn’t get it to our pace. I thought we had a little bit of jitters early. We started getting some turnovers and converted but it was just a little bit too late.”

It was an 18-8 Irish advantage at the end of the first quarter.

“Any time you can start the game the right way it’s always helpful, especially down here,” Charleston Catholic head coach Wes Hevener said. “I do think playing them twice and having them beat us, we did come in with a little bit of a chip on our shoulder.”

Meanwhile, it was smooth sailing for Charleston Catholic. The Irish shot well from behind the arc, going 5-11 from 3-point range in the first half. Molly Messer and Ali Wilcox each made two from deep. Wheeling Central was run off of the 3-point line, not attempting a longball until a try from Bella Fitzsimmons with four minutes left in the second quarter.

Familiarity played to the Irish’s favor in the two teams’ third meeting.

“They definitely defended me better than the past two times,” Blake siad. “Every time I caught it they sent three whereas in the past they sent two or they were late. They definitely weren’t late down there today. They did a really good job.”

“I think it was definitely a factor, being able to play them twice, understanding what their strengths were and maybe finding a couple ways to attack them differently,” Hevener said. “On the defensive side I thought we were able to contain Blake, she’s a fantastic basketball player, and the biggest difference today was being able to be where we needed to be on the backside help with our defensive pressure. Also, in the second half our girls did a fantastic job of rebounding the basketball. Holding them to one position was great.”

Charleston Catholic led 28-22 at halftime.

A charge call and illegal screen early in the third quarter seemed to spell more of the same for Wheeling Central, but the Irish were not in any hurry to pull away. Charleston Catholic shot % in the third, and the Maroon climbed back in it, Seneca Heller nailing a 3-pointer with 3:30 in the quarter to pull within one, 32-31. A 3-pointer by Charleston Catholic’s Aurelia Kirby went down as the buzzer sounded on the period, putting the Irish up 41-34 and seeming to energize Charleston Catholic.

That momentum carried into the fourth quarter, where the Irish shot 45% while stifling Wheeling Central, who shot 32% on the game. The lead grew to double figures as the Irish began to feel victory at hand. The Knights began intentionally fouling at the 1:16 mark, and Charleston shot 5-6 from the foul line down the stretch to seal a 14-point championship win.

The third meeting between the two teams was the first win for Charleston Catholic, as the Knights won 64-59 on the road on Jan. 25, and 69-61 at home on Feb. 14.

The Knights end their season with a 23-3 record, an OVAC championship, regional title, and first state championship appearance since 2018.

“This group of girls was an absolute joy to coach,” Olejasz said. “They are a tremendous group of young women. They really enjoy each other, they come to practice every day ready to go, they do not complain, they do everything that we ask them to and more. They ask to get in the gym early, they’re getting shots up whenever they can.

“They really like each other, they spend time together off the court. They’re a phenomenal group of girls and they make our job easier.”

“My staff is absolutely tremendous,” Olejasz added. “Our position coaches from guards to forwards, they are absolutely tremendous, we could not be here without them. They see things that I don’t see. We are a group and I’m so lucky to have them.”

Blake was named the Class AA tournament MVP, garnering 37 points and 10 rebounds in the quarterfinals against Philip Barbour, and 28 points and seven rebounds in the semifinals against James Monroe before crossing the 2,000-point threshold in the championship.

“It’s been great,” Blake said. “If you would’ve told me my freshman year that I would do all that, I would’ve probably told you that you were crazy. I didn’t expect any of this to happen. This Central team has probably been the best thing that’s ever happened to me. They got it next year.”

Blake was joined on the all-tournament team by teammates Addie Payton and Seneca Heller. Blake is the only member of the Central starting five graduating this year, as the Maroon will return Payton, Heller, Fitzsimmons, Haley Severns and sixth-man Maxwell.

Blake, Angelina Robrecht and Ava Hanson graduate for Central.

“It’s hard losing Kay, and our other two seniors Ava and Ang,” Addie Payton said. “But this gives you the drive that you want to win a state championship. We’re all very goal driven too, so we’re determined.”