Williamstown's Quinn Bunch, pictured here defending Parkersburg Catholic's Macy Singer, scored a game-high 23 points during the Yellowjackets' 51-39 Little Kanawha Conference victory Tuesday evening. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

WILLIAMSTOWN — Quinn Bunch drained five triples and put up a game-high 23 points here Tuesday night to help Williamstown to a 51-39 victory versus Parkersburg Catholic as the Yellowjackets punched their ticket to Saturday’s Little Kanawha Conference championship game versus top-ranked and defending Class A state champ Gilmer County.

The fifth-ranked Class A Crusaderettes, who were paced in scoring by Bryley Starkey (14) and Annie Tokodi-Ruth (10), slipped to 12-6 and will play in the LKC consolation game at 4:05 p.m. Saturday versus Buffalo inside Glenville State University’s Waco Center.

“They hit some big shots. When you get down and close it up you got to get that stop. Stop. Score. Stop. We would get the stop and the score, but we never did get the stop again,” admitted PCHS head man Bob Carr.

“Again, psychologically it does something to you. They are a good team and a good shooting team. We let them have some open shots that we’d rather them not got, but that’s learning for us.”

Williamstown, which received nine points and a game-high 10 boards from Arissa Burt, also got six markers apiece from Gracie Montgomery, Chloe Mulligan and Maggie Frye, who grabbed seven caroms.

Williamstown's Addison Woodburn makes a pass while being defended by Parkersburg Catholic's Meg Roedersheimer during the Yellowjackets' 51-39 Little Kanawha Conference victory Tuesday evening. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

“It was a tough one. Kudos to Catholic. I thought they played extremely well,” said WHS head coach Danny Bunch, whose 16-2 program scored the game’s first 10 points. “I thought they played hard. I felt like as the game went our depth and our tempo may have gotten to them a little bit. May, I don’t know. I tell the girls everyday we’re going to get everybody’s best game.

“We get everybody’s best game so I just kind of try to get the girls to be prepared for that no matter what these team’s records are. It was like a classic Parkersburg Catholic, Williamstown game. St. Marys, Williamstown sort of the same thing. You sort of got to throw records out the window and go play.”

Despite missing their first 10 shots from the floor, the visitors only trailed 10-3 after one thanks to Caroline Wynn closing out the first period scoring with a running bankshot.

Bunch’s second trifecta of the half had the Crusaderettes doubled up at 18-9 with 3:18 left in the second, but PCHS closed to within four at 20-16 following deuces by Macy Singer and Tokodi-Ruth along with a 3 from Starkey.

However, Montgomery hit from downtown and Frye followed with a bucket to give the hosts a 25-16 halftime cushion.

Williamstown's Arissa Burt pulls back as teammate Maggie Frye (14) grabs a rebound during the Yellowjackets' 51-39 Little Kanawha Conference victory versus Parkersburg Catholic on Tuesday evening. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Parkersburg Catholic continued its fight in the third and got it back within a quartet at 29-25 after Ellie Kinnison, who had seven points, assisted on a Starkey triple at the 5:11 mark.

Williamstown responded with a Frye spinning lay-in and after Bunch had a blocked shot, she followed it with a 3. Anna Cosner’s steal late in the third led to another Bunch trey as WHS led 40-28 entering the fourth.

“Fun game. They played really well. Anyway you can get a win and advance to the LKC championship, we’ll take it,” said coach Bunch, who added of playing the Titans “I don’t know if three days is enough to prep for the twin towers. Obviously they have to prep for us. Coach (Amy) Chapman will have them ready. She’s a great coach. Always enjoy coaching with her.

“It ought to be a battle. It’s almost sort of like we got these little guards and they got these big post players. David and Goliath type of deal or midgets versus giants. I chuckle about it, but it should be a good game. They’re a great team. That’s what I told the girls. No matter what happens Saturday we’re still coming to practice Monday and getting ready for regionals.”

Starkey led PCHS with six rebounds while Bunch had a game-high four steals.

Both Gilmer County and Williamstown as well as Buffalo and the Crusaderettes will be meeting for the first time this season.

“I don’t know anything about Buffalo,” added coach Carr. “We’ll find out. I’ll get something on them and go from there. We’ll take our chances. We finished top four in the LKC and that’s what your goal is every year other than the state tournament is getting to the Night of Champions. You know, we’re there. It’s not going to be an easy task.”

Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com