PARKERSBURG — With only a one-point Parkersburg South lead at the end of the first quarter, the Patriots held the Ripley Vikings nearly scoreless in the second quarter, making the game a breeze with the final 63-43 in the Class AAA, Region IV, Section 1 tournament opener Wednesday at the Rod Oldham Athletic Center. Shooting seven for eight from the field, including three for three from deep in the first, Ripley went nearly scoreless in the second — going one for seven with 11 turnovers, as South went on a 22-0 scoring run starting in the final minutes of the first quarter. “We are a lot better in transition, our kids are more comfortable playing in the open court,” South head coach Ed Davis said. “We got more active and we were able to take away the next logical pass. We sprinted to trap in the corners a lot better, we were a lot more active with our hands,” Makenna Winans led in scoring and rebounds for South with a 16-point, eight-rebound performance. Another double-figure scorer for South was Sierra Hays with 15 points, on four for seven shooting and a team-high three steals. Erin Williams had a good game with seven points and two steals. “Her length out front is really helps us in those traps. And when she gets active and tips passes, her offense is like a deer running down the court and she gets real involved in offense, and she is just scratching the surface. I’m glad we have her for another year,” coach Davis said. Kenzie Johnson went one for two from the line off a Taylor Kennedy foul and got the first points of the quarter at the 7:16 mark. On the ensuing Ripley possession, Hays picked Kennedy’s pocket from halfcourt and scored a layup on the other end. A Kaitlyn Sarver bucket got Ripley on the board in the first quarter, but Winans converted on a three-point play on the next South possession. Ripley took its first lead of the game, responding with two 3ss from Sarver and Jaeyln Hunt. That made it a two-point Ripley lead 8-6 with 5:30 left in the first. South got the lead back with two points from Winans and Williams, alongside a Hays 3, but Sarver responded with a 3 of her own. Ripley took its last lead of the night with Tessa Ray going perfect at the charity stripe, but in the final moments of the quarter Lauren Pelfrey picked Ripley pockets twice setting up a layup and putback of Johnson’s miss, making it a 18-17 South lead as time expired. As a team, Ripley shot nearly perfect going six for seven from the field and a perfect three for three from deep. Going into the game, Davis was expecting a good start from Ripley and wasn’t surprised. ” We told him all week that Ripley would be ready to play, John (Kennedy) would have a good game plan and they did,” Davis said. Johnson and Winans got the second going off of two quick baskets a minute in the second, as South had a balanced attack. Williams and Hays scored five points apiece during the period and both came away with back-to-back layups off steals before coach Kennedy called a timeout to stop the momentum with 5:48 remaining. Kennedy’s timeout didn’t work, as Hays drilled a 3 and Williams beat her man with a nice drive on the following Patriot possession making it a 34-17 South advantage. Kennedy’s bucket at the 1:21 mark ended the Vikings’ scoring drought, but Pelfrey and Bosley each got a steal and bucket in the final 30 seconds, as South took a 40-19 lead into half. South forced Ripley to shoot one for seven from the field in quarter number two, shooting 14 percent. Pelfrey finished with seven points and seven rebounds, while Skylar Bosley (seven) and Rylee Harner (six) rounded out the scoring for South. Ripley had two players in double-digit scoring, with from 10 points from both Sarver and Ray. Coach Davis is hoping that the third time could be the charm, as South will play for the sectional championship against its crosstown rival Parkersburg Big Reds Friday. ” They are good and they play hard, we will match them in playing hard. They are great at what they do, they press, trap and will be flying around everywhere. We just have to take care of the basketball and convert when we have the chance.”