By BOB REDD
Bluefield Daily Telegraph
RICHLANDS, Va. — It was an exciting night at Richlands Middle School as the homestanding Richlands Blue Tornado split a boys-girls doubleheader with the Bluefield Beavers, Thursday night.
In the opening game the teams went to double overtime before the Richlands girls claimed a 78-71 victory. Montana Hearl scored 31 points and Olivia Harmon added 29 to lead the Lady Blues to the win.
Bluefield jumped to a 6-0 lead and held a 15-8 lead after one. Bluefield expanded its lead to 10 points before Richlands cut the lead to only two midway through the second stanza.
Bluefield led 24-20 at halaftime.
The Lady Beavers went back ahead by six before Hearl’s three-point play tied the game at 32 and a Harmon trey with just over two minutes to go put Richlands ahead 35-32. Another three by Lani Rinehardt pushed the Lady Blues’ lead to eight heading into the final eight minutes.
Bluefield fought back, pressed and created steals and layups. Alyssa Lester’s basket made it a two-point game with just over two minutes left. Richlands extended its lead and Hearl’s two free throws with just under a minute left gave the home team a 55-50 lead.
Bluefield chipped away and with 13 seconds left, Essence Brown’s bucket made it a one-point game. Richlands turned over the inbound pass and the Lady Beavers took the ball with 11.7 on the clock.
The Lady Beavers missed two shots underneath, but Jia Coppola was fouled at the buzzer. She stepped alone to the line and made the first shot to tie the game at 55. The second shot rolled off the rim, sending the game to overtime.
In the first extra period Richlands got a three point lead at 61-58 but Jessica Hayden’s three put the Lady Beavers back on top 63-61. Hearl’s two free throws tied the game at 63 with 28 seconds to go and with 17.3 on the board, Coppola made one of two to put Bluefield back on top 64-53. With 14.4 left Harmon made one of two free throws to knot the game. Neither team could put the ball through the hoop and the game went to a second overtime period.
In the second OT, Richlands dominated and came away with the victory.
Coppola led Bluefield with 20 points, Brown had 18, Dani Janutolo 12 and Lester came off the bench to score 10.

BLUEFIELD (12-4)
Gallinger 0 3-4 3, Jia Coppola 8 4-10 20, Essence Brown 9 0-2 18, Hayden 2 0-0 6, Lester 4 2-2 10, Atwell 0 0-0 0, Void 1 0-0 2, Dani Janutolo 3 5-8 12.
RICHLANDS (10-9)
Montana Hearl 8 15-21, 31, Rinehardt 2 0-0 6, Street 1 0-0 3, Olivia Harmon 9 10-15 29, Overton 1 3-4 5, Whited 0 0-0 0, Burton 2 0-0 4.
Bluefield…….....…15 9 19 21 9 7 — 71
Richlands…...……8 12 22 13 9 15 — 78
3-point goals: B 2 (Hayden 2); R 4 (Street, Rinehardt 2, Harmon)