By J. DANIEL ROLLINS
for the Daily Telegraph
CLEAR FORK — Westside coach Nick Cook knew if he we as going to win a state championship this year, it was going to take a total team effort.
If Wednesday night's effort was any indication of what he wants, the rest of Class AA may be in trouble.
No. 5 Westside had five players finish in double-figures in a 78-64 win over the visiting PikeView Panthers, punching its ticket to a third-straight state tournament.
“It never gets old,” Cook said following the game. “Going to Charleston never gets old.”
PikeView coach Colton Thompson knew that if his team was going to pull the upset and knock off the favorite Renegades on their home floor, it was going to take a defensive effort to contain the big three of Justin Kenneda, Justin Cogar and Will Fox. What he wasn't expecting was the depth of Westside to step up in a big way and seal the victory.
"We've been here the last two years. This is our third year in a row we've come here," Thompson said. "We knew what to expect and how hard it is to play here. They just came out the way good teams do. They knocked down shots and were really selective and crisp in their offense. I felt like we had a good game plan, and they executed like good teams do."
The Panthers opened up in a triangle-and-two defense, hoping to neutralize Kenneda, Cogar and Fox. However, it was senior Bryce Robinson and junior Larry Cook who took advantage of the mismatch and broke the score open. Junior Tre Colucci came off the bench with a big 3-pointer to close out the first quarter with an 18-6 lead in favor of the Renegades.
With the supporting cast stepping up, PikeView switched defenses several times, which allowed Kenneda and Fox to step up. The guard duo combined for 31 of Westside's 78 points.
However, PikeView big man Tyler Ruble made life tough for Cogar inside, leading to the Westside inside presence getting in foul trouble and heading to the bench. Ruble led the way for the Panthers with 17 points.
But the team effort of the Rengades once again proved to be too much for PikeView, scoring timely buckets against a much larger Panthers team in the third quarter, setting up the eventual victory.
"When Justin (Cogar) and Larry (Cook) got in foul trouble, those other kids came in there," he said. "We were giving up five or six inches to a lot of different positions. it was a true team effort."
The depth is something hoops fans in West Virginia may be surprised to see from Westside, who last year used only six or seven players a game. This season, they're able to go eight-to-10 players deep on the bench, each capable of coming up with big plays when the moment calls for it.
"People didn't think we would be as deep as we are this year," Fox said. "I think we're a lot deeper than we were last year. Anybody can come off that bench and give us a lift. That's huge."
Colucci led the bench scoring with 10 points, all while playing tough defense, preventing PikeView's talented team from getting back into the game.
"I know we cut it to eight at one point," Thompson said. "But they did what good teams do and found a way to win. They're a tough team."
The depth off the bench is something that makes Cogar — one of the primary targets for opposing defenses — a lot more confident this season.
"I feel comfortable knowing anyone can step up on any night," he said. "We have a lot more depth this year. Any of our eight or 10 guys can come in and score 20 points."
The win gives Cook his third-straight regional championship, winning for the first time in his career in 2013. He hopes this year's trip to Charleston will be a little more rewarding than it has been the last two season. The Renegades were eliminated in the first round two years ago by Bridgeport and fell in the semifinals in overtime to Robert C. Byrd last year.
Cook knows it's going to take performances like Wednesday night's if they're going to get over the hump and bring the first ever boys state championship home to Clear Fork.
"it's going to take a total team effort like we had tonight," he said. "This is one of the strongest Class AA fields I can remember. We've got our work cut out for us."

At Westside
PIKEVIEW (14-10)
Austin Hazelwood 2 0-0 5, Takota Bailey 5 0-0 4, Seth Wood 6 2-2 14, Seth Meadows 4 0-0 9, Hunter Hill 1 0-0 2, Tyler Ruble 7 3-4 17, Jason Weitzel 1 1-2 3. Totals: 26 6-8 64
WESTSIDE (19-2)
Larry Cook 2 0-0 6, Will Fox 6 0-1 15, Tre Colluci 4 0-0 10, Josh Morgan 1 0-0 2, Bryce Robinson 4 4-5 14, Justin Kenneda 5 5 5-10 16, Justin Cogar 4 4-7 13, Isaiah Lester 0 0-0 0, Brock Smith 0 0-0 0, Elijah Puett 1 0-0 2. Totals: 27 13-23 78
PikeView............8 10 26 20 — 64
Westside...........16 18 24 20 — 78
3-pointers — P: 6 (Bailey 4, Hazelwood, Meadows.) W: 11 (Fox 3, Cook 2, Colucci 2, Robinson 2, Kenneda, Cogar). Fouled out — P: Bailey