COVINGTON – The West Liberty-Salem Lady Tigers nipped the Arcanum Lady Trojans 45-44 in OHSAA Division VI basketball tournament play Tuesday night at Covington, ending the Lady Trojans’ 2025-2026 season in a one-point heartbreaker.
West Liberty-Salem, playing out of the Ohio Heritage Conference, entered the night at 20-3 (13-2 OHC) while Arcanum, representing the Western Ohio Athletic Conference, stood at 14-9 (7-3 WOAC) on the season.
Arcanum’s Caroline Long, the WOAC’s second leading scorer, brought a 16.0 points per game average into the contest, having scored in every game this season and reaching double figures in all but two. West Liberty-Salem’s Ava Astorino came in as the OHC’s fifth leading scorer at 15.6 points per game, also scoring in every game and reaching double digits in all but three.
The Lady Trojans took an early 3-0 lead on a Long old-fashioned three-point play at the 7:31 mark of the first quarter. WL-S answered to go up 4-3 before Clair Hein scored at the rim to put Arcanum back on top 5-4. The Lady Tigers regained a 6-5 advantage only to have Long finish at the rim for a 7-6 Lady Trojan lead.
The back-and-forth continued as Matty Noe drilled a 3-pointer to give Arcanum a 10-8 lead at 1:56. West Liberty-Salem tied the game at 10-10 with 1:29 on the clock before Ella Flatter knocked down a basket just inside the arc at the top of the key, giving Arcanum a 12-10 lead after one period of play.
Ava Poppe accounted for all 10 of West Liberty-Salem’s first-quarter points while four Lady Trojans scored in the period, led by five from Long.
The second quarter played out much like the first. WL-S opened the scoring with an Arianna Weaver triple to take a 13-12 lead. Hein later connected from behind the arc to put Arcanum up 19-15 at the 1:09 mark. Wallen answered with a 3-pointer to make it 19-18 and then canned her second triple of the quarter with five seconds remaining to give the Lady Tigers a 21-19 lead.
Long responded with a baseline 3-pointer at the buzzer, sending the teams to the halftime break tied at 21-21.
The third quarter produced the highest offensive output of the night for both teams. West Liberty-Salem held two three-point leads while Arcanum managed a two-point advantage during the period. The game was tied three times, including at 35-35 late in the quarter.
With time winding down, Long drained a baseline 3-point buzzer-beater, giving Arcanum its lone three-point lead of the period and a 38-35 advantage heading into the final quarter.
Wallen opened the fourth by knocking down her third 3-pointer of the night to even the score at 38-38. Long answered with a layup to give Arcanum a 40-38 lead. Wallen responded again, hitting her fourth triple to put WL-S on top 41-40 at the 3:29 mark, prompting a timeout from the Arcanum bench.
Long scored at the rim to give the Lady Trojans a 42-41 lead with 2:20 to play, but back-to-back baskets from Weaver and Poppe pushed West Liberty-Salem ahead 45-42 with 33 seconds remaining.
Noe stepped to the line and knocked down two free throws to make it a one-point game at 45-44 with 16 seconds left. The Lady Trojans were unable to get the final shot to fall as the Lady Tigers escaped with the one-point win.
Scoring was limited to four players from each team. Long led all scorers with 23 points while Arcanum’s defense held Astorino, West Liberty-Salem’s leading scorer on the season, scoreless.
“You don’t see that very often, but that says a lot for the game plans that both of us had,” Arcanum coach Abbey Moore said of just eight players denting the scoring column. “Clair Hein’s effort defensively holding Astorino scoreless is top-notch, and that was her job, and she did it.”
Two seniors wore the Orange and Black for the final time – No. 11 Avery Leeper and No. 14 Caroline Long.
“They’re two peas in a pod, and they are going to be hard to replace,” Moore said. “Their friendship is pretty special. They always walk into the gym together and leave the gym together, and I am pretty sure they are going to be college roommates next year. Their personalities, making you smile, making you laugh – and sure are going to miss them moving forward with the program.”
Moore reflected on both the loss and the season following the game.
“These girls are so much fun to be around, and I hate that it is over, but we have to move forward,” Moore said. “You girls who are going to play spring sports, you’re going to practice tomorrow, and you’re going to be there for your team. You’re going to go be the best that you can because that’s what big girls do. You’re not going to hang your head and feel bad and feel sorry for yourself. You’re going to pick yourself up, you are going to go do good things and every opportunity you have to take it.”
Balancing her roles as coach, athletic director, mom, and wife, Moore added she looks forward to a little more family time while remaining involved with the program.
“The juggling act of coach-mom, athletic director and wife – I’m pretty lucky to have the family that I have,” Moore said. “They are so understanding, and it’s going to be nice to be able to be mom and do dishes, make supper, but I am also going to be here to support these girls through the spring season. That’s the great thing with my kids being where they are now and the ages they are. They come with me, and they are just as attached to these kids as what I am so we’re still going to be involved and can’t wait until these 28 days no contact is over so we can get going in the gym again.”
Arcanum closes out the season with a 16-9 record.
BOX SCORE:
WEST LIBERTY-SALEM 45, ARCANUM 44
WEST LIBERTY-SALEM – A. Poppe 17, A. Wallen 16, A. Weaver 7, E. Wygal 5 – TOTALS 13 4-5 5 45
ARCANUM – C. Long 23, M. Noe 14, C. Hein 5, E. Flatter 2 – TOTALS 12 8-10 4 44
3-POINTERS
West Liberty-Salem 5 (A. Wallen 4, A. Weaver 1)
Arcanum 4 (M. Noe 2, C. Hein 1, C. Long 1)
SCORE by QUARTERS
10-11-14-10 45 West Liberty-Salem
12-09-17-06 44 Arcanum
