On Tuesday, March 17, 2026, Wheeling Central Catholic opened its state title defense in dominant fashion, rolling past Frankfort in a Class AA quarterfinal at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center.

The Maroon Knights wasted no time setting the tone, as Luke Sancomb and Eli Sancomb combined to score the first 12 points of the game. Central jumped out to an early double-digit lead and never looked back.

Eli Sancomb delivered a historic performance, finishing with 23 points, 13 rebounds, and a state tournament record 16 assists. His playmaking fueled a balanced offensive attack, including a game-high 27 points from Max Olijasz and strong contributions from Niko Cusick and Stephen Brodegard.
Frankfort was led by all-time leading scorer Jeremy Phelps, who poured in 34 points, but the Falcons were unable to keep pace with Wheeling Central’s high-powered offense.

The Maroon Knights built a 48-25 halftime lead and continued to pull away in the second half, cruising to a 95-56 victory.

With the win, Wheeling Central Catholic advances to the Class AA semifinals, where they will face Wayne.