By BRIAN WOODSON
Bluefield Daily Telegraph
BLUEFIELD — One hundred wins in a row.
That is the feat that the Summers County girls basketball team will attempt to accomplish tonight.
The Bobcats will host Webster County in the Rogers Oil Classic in Hinton, looking for a 4-0 start to the season and 100 wins in a row.
It’s a streak that’s been going on so long that Candace Brown has been a part of 87 straight wins in three-plus seasons at Summers County, and has never lost a varsity game.
“We are really excited,” said Brown, the youngest of four sisters, three of whom have been part of Summers County’s five straight Class AA state championships. “It is just amazing. All our hard work has paid off.
“We have worked really hard in the offseason since the fourth grade. It just feels good to win 100 finally.”
It takes a while to win 100 games. For the Bobcats, the streak started in 2007. Brown doesn’t want it to end anytime soon.
“My goal is not to lose a game and win another state championship,” Brown said. “My goal is not going to change this year.”
It has looked like it through three games. Brown is averaging 32.3 points, 14 steals, 12 rebounds and 5 assists per contest, leading the Bobcats to wins by 43, 49 and 30 points.
Not that Brown is concerned with the numbers, but her teammates make sure she knows what they are.
“I don’t pay anything attention to them until after the game,” Brown said. “After the games, the players tell me how I did.”
They’re worthy of mention, so much so that Brown is the Pocahontas Coal Association/Bluefield Daily Telegraph Player of the Week.
The 5-foot-9 Brown started her senior campaign — her third straight as the Summers County point guard – with a triple-double, tallying 29 points, 10 rebounds and 10 steals, along with four assists against Bluefield.
It gets better. She recorded another triple-double against James Monroe, collecting 34 points, 16 rebounds, 15 steals and five assists.
A different week, the same results on Wednesday, with Brown leading the Bobcats past Greenbrier West with another triple-double, finishing with 34 points, 17 steals and 10 boards.
Of all those statistics, Brown might be most proud of the steals.
“My favorite part of the game is defense, I am constantly going for the ball,” Brown said. “I try to dictate on defense and try to get the ball.”
That’s a good thing because Summers County head coach Wayne Ryan demands nothing less.
“It’s defense. That is what separate us from other teams is our defense,” Brown said. “If you can’t play defense, then you are not going to get into the game.”
Brown is the last of four sisters who have been so productive for the Bobcats. Sierra, who later played at Concord, didn’t win a state championship, losing in the title game. Jolysa, who is now a senior at Concord, won two state crowns, while Ashley captured four.
“It is a little bit of pressure trying to live up to it,” said Candace, who is striving for her fourth state championship. “I am proud of them and just want to follow in their footsteps.”
Growing up in a basketball family, Brown said it was her father, Ken Harshaw, who helped develop her game.
“My dad has probably had the most impact on my basketball career,” said Brown, whose mother is Lisa Brown. “Anytime I do anything wrong, he would be the first person to tell me. He is the biggest reason why I have gotten better.”
Yet, Brown certainly never expected to be undefeated as a varsity basketball player heading into her senior year at the Hinton school.
“I didn’t really envision winning every single game,” said Brown, whose brother, Isaiah, is a sophomore football and basketball player for the Bobcats. “I knew we would be successful, but I didn’t envision winning every game obviously.”
Summers County lost three talented players off last year’s team — Hallie and Hanna Gunnoe and Holly Mack — all of whom are now at Division I High Point. That has left a lot of young talent to fill the slots on the floor, meaning Brown has had to play a larger role to allow such teammates as Brandy Morrison, Tara Wynes and Lashae Bonds to develop their games.
“I knew that I was going to have to step up my game,” Brown said. “Obviously we are not as talented, but I worked hard in the offseason because I knew I would have a bigger role this year.”
If she hasn’t already, this is Brown’s year to shine, and she likes what sees in her Bobcats.
“It is kind of hard having all those good players on the court at one time and trying to stand out,” Brown said. “Most of the players playing now have never really played in a varsity game.
“I am used to players where I don’t have to talk because they knew what to do. It is a little different, but I like the challenge. It is already getting better. We still have a long ways to go, but we have to keep getting better.”
Apparently, so does Brown.
“I am still not finishing very well and rebounding probably,” said Brown, of where she needs to improve.
Brown said the Bobcats never overlook an opponent. They will focus on Webster County tonight, and then play Pocahontas County or Clay County on Saturday.
It will take that type of mentality to keep the Bobcats on the winning track.
“It all depends on how much everybody wants to work on defense,” Brown said. “If we play defense like we can, it is going to be hard for teams to score if we get up for the games.
“If we don’t play defense, it will turn out differently.”
Brown has thrived in other sports. She has won three state track titles — the 100 meters as a sophomore and junior, and the 200 meters last season. She was also part of the Bobcats’ state championship volleyball team in 2010.
“I am very thankful to have a lot of state championships,” she said.
The goal ahead is simple. Win, and don’t stop winning, even against teams that want nothing more than to snap the streak.
“Every team, especially this year, everybody is coming into the games ready to play,” Brown said. “We have to come to every game ready to play.”
The Bobcats have done that for 99 straight games. One hundred is next.
“I am excited,” Brown said. “I want it to be tomorrow already.”
—Contact Brian Woodson
at bwoodson@bdtonline.com

Honorable Mention
Dec. 5-11
Bland County (0-1 during week): Amber Eaton, 15 points vs. Northwood; Jessie Blessing, 11 pts.
Bluefield (0-2): Shelia Hopkins, 18 pts. vs Graham, 12 pts vs. Summers County; Katelyn Thompson, 8 pts vs. Summers; Tyra Jackson, 8 pts vs. Graham.
Graham (1-1): Liz Workman, 10 pts vs. Bluefield; Tori Repass, 8 pts vs. Bluefield; Ashley Moretto, 8 pts vs. Bluefield.
Grundy (2-0): Savannah Charles, 10 pts vs. Richlands; Loni Webb, 15 pts vs. East Ridge, Ky, 10 pts vs. Richlands; Morgan Hall, 10 pts vs. East Ridge.
James Monroe (1-1): Melissa Johnston, 21 pts, 11 reb vs. Giles, 13 pts, 12 reb vs. Summers County; Kelsey Mann, 8 pts, 12 reb vs. Giles, 10 pts vs. Summers County.
Montcalm (0-3): Miranda Kendrick, 14 pts vs. Craig County, 10 pts vs. Mount View; Hannah Johnson, 10 pts vs. Fayetteville, 8 pts vs. MV; Leslie Kelley, 14 pts vs. Craig County, 8 pts vs. MV.
MountView (1-0): Ashley Belfoire, 17 pts vs. Montcalm; Jordan Younger, 13 pts.
PikeView (1-0): Jennifer Taylor, 14 pts vs. Shady Spring; Danielle Compton, 12 pts, 9 reb, 3 blks; Hope Nester, 9 pts, 7 ast, 6 stls, 4 reb; Lyndsey Hatfield, 9 pts, 14 reb.
Princeton (1-0): Hannah Preservati, 22 pts vs. St. Albans; McKenzie Akers, 14 points.
Richlands (1-0): Brittany Allen, 26 pts vs. Graham; Jordyn Cole, 11 pts; MaKenley Davis, 10 pts.
River View (1-1): Chelsey Dobbs, 12 pts, 21 reb, 4 blks, 4 stls, 3 ast vs. Man, 11 pts, 21 reb, 10 assists vs. Independence; Samantha Matney, 22 pts, 8 reb vs. Man; Tara Bowles, 13 pts, 10 reb vs. Independence.
Summers County (2-0): Brandi Morrison, 12 pts, 11 reb. vs. Bluefield, 20 pts vs. James Monroe; Lashae Bonds, 10 pts vs. Bluefield; Tyra Wynes, 13 pts vs. James Monroe.
Tazewell (1-0): Autumn Hash, 17 pts, 5 rebounds vs. Blacksburg; Taylor Catron, 11 pts, 8 assists.
Twin Valley (0-1): Emily McClanahan, 13 pts vs. Virginia High; Katelyn Jackson, 11 pts.
NOTE: Statistics include games reported to the Daily Telegraph. Coaches are urged to make recommendations for the award.