Bulldogs

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - Thank goodness Christmas is over. Because if Martinsburg girls basketball coach Don Bullett heard the carol "Let It Snow," no one would be surprised if he would double dribble his radio. Even though his No. 5 Bulldogs plowed through Woodrow Wilson 66-56 Saturday afternoon, the frightful weather outside took Bullett and his team away from the delightful confines of the school gym for the past two days - and it showed. "You just cannot give people two or three days off," Bullett said after his team committed 31 turnovers and had fits on the boards against the smaller Eagles.

The Martinsburg volleyball team found out all you need is a little polish to shine. The Bulldogs put in some extra work on their skills and it paid off in a 3-1 victory over St. Maria Goretti on Wednesday. Martinsburg notched the win by scores of 25-21, 19-25, 25-17, 25-19 at the Gael Center. "I think that our effort equaled our outcome tonight," Martinsburg coach Charity Cobb said. "We definitely needed that victory to boost our self-esteem right now. Teamwork and confidence were definitely the keys to our victory tonight.

Injured Bulldogs still dangerous By DAN KAUFFMAN / Staff Writer MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - It's hard to believe Martinsburg's girls basketball team is playing at less than full strength. Jefferson isn't buying it at all. continued The Bulldogs played without starters Danielle Murray and Lauren Askin on Wednesday, and didn't need them. LaSha Anderson scored 16 of her 21 points in the first half of a near-perfect display of basketball, as Martinsburg ran around and through the Cougars, 75-44.

bobp@herald-mail.com SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. - Basically, Martinsburg was basically too good at the basic. The Bulldogs did the easy things right to turn simplicity into an art form. Nearly everything Martinsburg touched turned into points on Tuesday turned in a near flawless performance of fundamentals to execute Musselman 88-53 to win the West Virginia Class AAA Region II championship at Shepherd College's Butcher Center. "Yesterday we went back to basics in practice and worked on the fundamentals," said Martinsburg forward Durrell Johnson, who finished with a game-high 24 points.

Three Martinsburg players rushed for more than 100 yards as the Bulldogs kept rival Hedgesville winless, defeating the Eagles 62-0 on Friday night. Hedgesville sputtered on offense, totaling minus-16 yards, while giving up more than 500 to Martinsburg (4-2). The Bulldogs posted their most points in a game this season despite their quarterbacks completing only 2 of 16 passes for 20 yards with three interceptions. "We probably could have scored more in the first half but we kept throwing the ball," Martinsburg coach David Walker said.

The Martinsburg football team has made nine straight trips to the postseason. In each of those nine seasons, the focus has been squarely on the Bulldogs' high-powered offense. This year's Martinsburg defense has worked hard to change that, allowing just more than a touchdown a game on average over its last eight games to put the Bulldogs on the cusp of their fourth trip to the West Virginia Class AAA championship game in six years. "I think it's a fair assessment to say our defense has been underrated," Martinsburg coach David Walker said.

Bulldogs get an ugly win By BILL STERNER / Staff Correspondent Martinsburg 50, Musselman 41 MARTINSBURG (50) Anderson 13, Robinson 8, B. Merceruio 5 , T. Merceruio 3, Johnson-Peters 15, Williams 6. Totals 29 19-42 50. MUSSELMAN (41) Albright 9, Sprinkle 3, Shanholtz 3, Wright 13, Kennard 4, Orsini 8, Butts 2, Grove 2. Totals 16 6-9 41. Martinsburg781916-50 Musselman1111910-41 Three-point goals - Musselman 3 (Wright 2, Albright)

koelble@herald-mail.com INWOOD, W.Va. - Late in the first quarter, Martinsburg girls basketball coach Beth Sedlar called a time-out and kindly reminded her girls, "You've dug a hole in swiss cheese again. " The Bulldogs were lethargic in the opening minutes against a tenacious Musselman outfit and the Applemen were on the way to an 11-6 lead after the first eight minutes. Unlike Wednesday night, when the Bulldogs were unable to regroup from an early 15-point deficit in a loss to Hampshire, Martinsburg managed to scramble its way back into the contest early in the third quarter and scoot past the Applemen 45-36 on Thursday.