What could have been a frustrating disruption during a high-stakes regional basketball tournament instead became a memorable example of cooperation, leadership, and community spirit across Wood County Schools.
Williamstown High School was set to host a regional basketball matchup against Ravenswood High School when an unexpected event brought the evening to a sudden halt. In the middle of the national anthem, sung by Williamstown student Zoe King, the power inside the gymnasium went out. A transformer on 8th Street had blown and caught fire, leaving much of Williamstown without electricity.
Even without power, the moment that followed captured the spirit of the night.
As King reached the final line of the national anthem, the microphone had fallen silent—but the crowd had not. Spectators from both schools joined together, helping her finish the final words in unison, filling the darkened gymnasium with a powerful chorus.
With the situation unfolding quickly, Williamstown High School Principal Jill Bryant immediately began coordinating next steps. She consulted with local firefighters and law enforcement while also contacting MonPower to assess the timeline for restoring electricity. The update was not encouraging: power restoration would take at least two and a half hours.
Because regional tournaments operate under additional regulations, Bryant also contacted the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission (SSAC) to determine the available options. The response was clear—teams could relocate the game to another high school gymnasium within 90 minutes, or the contest would need to be rescheduled for the following day.
Bryant quickly reached out to Jason Potts, principal of Parkersburg High School, with a simple question: could the game be moved there?
Potts’ response was immediate: “We will make it happen. Give me five minutes.”
Before making the announcement to the crowd, Bryant first met with both teams’ coaches—Williamstown’s Scott Sauro and Ravenswood’s Mick Price—to discuss the possibility of relocating the game. Both coaches agreed without hesitation. Bryant then directed the teams to gather their players and begin traveling to Parkersburg High School.
Behind the scenes, she also coordinated with tournament staff—including ticket takers and other event workers—to get them on their way to the new venue before informing spectators of the change.
When Bryant addressed the crowd to share that the game would continue at Parkersburg High School, about 30 minutes away, the response was overwhelmingly supportive. There were no complaints. Only two attendees requested refunds because they were unable to make the trip.
The rest of the crowd simply got in their cars and headed to Parkersburg.
When teams and fans arrived, they were welcomed by a gymnasium that was completely ready for competition. The lights were on, the facility was clean, and everything was in place—thanks to the quick work of Parkersburg High School custodian Jennifer Martin, who ensured the gym was prepared for the unexpected regional tournament game.
What began as a power outage ended as something far more meaningful: a reminder of how schools, communities, and competitors can come together to support one another.
From a crowd finishing the national anthem in the dark, to administrators coordinating across schools, to staff members preparing a gym on short notice, the evening became a testament to the cooperation and goodwill that define public school communities across the region.
Sometimes the best moments in sports happen long before the opening tip.