CHARMCO – Two seasons ago, Greenbrier West was testing uncharted waters. The girls’ basketball team had not qualified for a state tournament since the 1987 season, but the wait was emphatically over with a win over River View in the Region III Co-final. Last season, the Raiders got their revenge with an improbable win in Charmco. The postseason format changed in 2025 with the elimination of sectionals, making the path to Charleston one game shorter. My what a difference a season makes.
The Lady Cavaliers are on a mission this season and it has shown in the regional tournament. Greenbrier West followed up a 48-point win over Richwood in round one with the most lopsided postseason win in the school’s history, a 61-point demolition of the Greater Beckley Christian Crusaders. West’s 85-24 win rubber-stamped the sixth state tournament appearance in school history and second in three years.
Preslee Treadway asserted herself early and often in the first quarter. Treadway poured in 17 points on 6-6 shooting from the floor and 5-7 from the foul line. Brilee Redden chipped in with six points and Maddie Fields added four points. Greenbrier West raced out to a 27-7 first quarter lead.
Greater Beckley’s leading scorer on the season, Leah Adkins, was held to four points on 4-6 free throw shooting. A three-point shot from second leading scorer Destyni Farrish was all the offense the Crusaders could muster.
Cavalier head coach Mark Agee dipped into his bench in the second quarter, partially by design and sometimes out of necessity. Fouls were adding up for the Lady Cavaliers forcing Agee to go to his bench. The strategy wasn’t bad with Greater Beckley only having seven players in the lineup. Although none of Agee’s substitutes scored, they provided defensive help and rebounding. Lacey Critchley led the way for West with five points and Treadway added four more to her total. Haylee Ward and Fields both added buckets for the Cavaliers who expanded the lead to 40-11 at the halftime break.
Adkins led Greater Beckley with five points at the half followed by four for Destyni Farrish. Aislinn Pelfrey was the Crusaders’ only other scorer, knocking down a pair of free throws.
While the West attack was balanced in the third quarter, the Greater Beckley offense turned abysmal. Treadway and Ward combined for ten points with four more coming from Fields. Sam Holliday came off the bench to score four while Critchley buried a three from the left wing. Redden added a basket for the Cavaliers. The Crusaders got an Adkins free throw with about a minute left in the quarter for their only point, staking the Cavaliers out to a 63-12 lead at the end of the third quarter.
With the outcome clearly at hand, the biggest question leading into the final quarter was whether Treadway would surpass her season-high of 35 points. Treadway had her opportunities from the foul line but missed her last three attempts on a night that saw her hit 9-15 free throws. Treadway also went 13-15 from the floor and tied her season-high with 35 points. The senior forward pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds.
The balance of the Greenbrier West offense was incredible. Maddie Fields collected 14 points and pulled down 11 rebounds. Redden narrowly missed a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds. Holliday matched Redden with nine points and 10 rebounds. Ward chipped in with 10 points and eight boards with Critchley adding eight points and seven rebounds.
Adkins scored eight points in the final frame for the Crusaders who ended their season 7-12. Adkins finished with 14 points. Destyni Farrish had six.
Greenbrier West secured the sixth seed in next week’s Class A state tournament and will face Tucker County at 9:30 A.M. on Thursday, March 13.
GB: 7 11 12 12 – 24
GW: 27 13 23 22 – 85
Scorers – (GB) Adkins 14, D. Farrish 6, Pelfrey 2, B. Farrish 2
(GW) Treadway 35, Fields 14, Ward 10, Redden 9, Holliday 9, Critchley 8
