On Tuesday, March 17, 2026, Tug Valley overcame an early deficit to defeat Ritchie County in a hard-fought Class A quarterfinal at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center.

Ritchie County came out strong behind Isaac Hodges, who finished with a dominant 32 points and 16 rebounds. The Rebels jumped out to a 17-5 lead after the first quarter, fueled by scoring runs from Seth Cronin and Turner Shriver.

But the two-time defending state champions responded in a big way. Tug Valley used a 14-2 run in the second quarter to take control, with key contributions from Brayden Farris, Cam Sloan, and Carson Newsome to grab a 32-28 halftime lead.

The Panthers extended their advantage in the second half behind strong play from Sloan and timely scoring from Bryson Elia and Zade Raines. Farris led Tug Valley with 30 points, helping the Panthers build a double-digit lead entering the fourth quarter.

Ritchie County continued to battle, with Cronin adding 18 points, but Tug Valley maintained control down the stretch to secure a 67-61 victory.

With the win, Tug Valley advances to the Class A semifinals, where they will face Tucker County in a highly anticipated matchup.