By Mike Bowen
Times West Virginian
FAIRMONT — No. 1 North Marion’s quest for a second straight Class AAA girls’ basketball title begins tonight in Charleston at the Charleston Civic Center.
The Huskies, the No. 1 seed in the state tournament, will take on the No. 8 seeded Ripley Vikings at 7:15 p.m.
Leading the way for North is the West Virginia girls’ high school basketball Player of the Year Mariah Byard.
Byard, who hit the game-winning buzzer-beater that gave North the title last season, comes into the game averaging around 17 points per game and nine assists. But even being named the top prep girl in the state doesn’t make the game mean any less.
