WALLBURG— As if North Rowan losing by 55 points,
98-43, wasn’t bad enough, Ledford added insult to injury immediately following Monday night’s opening round game of the Central Carolina Conference girls basketball tournament.
The scorekeeper had missed a point. The scorebooks showed the final was actually 99-43.
It was the last game for Mike White in his first season as coach of the Cavalier girls. His team finished 1-23, but he warned afterward: it’s not the last you’ll hear from North Rowan.
“This is a season we’ll learn from,” he said. “Even me. There will be bigger and better things next year.”
Ledford is bigger and better now. After last night’s win, the No. 1-ranked 2A team in North Carolina improved to 25-0. The Panthers just missed hitting the century mark for the first time this season.
“That wasn’t our main goal — to score 100,” Ledford coach John Ralls said. “We played our starters together maybe two minutes in the second half, then, it was subbing people in and out.”
You can’t say Ralls ran up the score. His Panther squad, full of slashers and dashers, was its usual self, forcing 25 turnovers, 12 in the first quarter, when it raced to a 26-10 advantage.
You can’t say Ralls’ team got all the calls. In the second quarter, for instance, North shot 16 free throws to Ledford’s three. That was North’s best quarter, when it scored 19 points. And the Cavs still trailed 52-29 at halftime.
It became a laugher in the third quarter. Ledford went on a 16-2 run to open the second half, with Courtney Hunter scoring the only Cav points. Then Ledford, using a slew of freshmen and sophomores, scored eight straight before Crystal Craige bounced in a 3-pointer. Then, Ledford scored 11 straight before a free throw by Kami Stallings with a tick left, ending the third.
The Panthers’ 27-6 quarter had them up 78-34. The only suspense left was in the final 20 seconds of the game. With most of the Ledford crowd on its feet, North’s Marquita Lipscomb dribbled out the clock, keeping the Panthers under 100.
“We didn’t do anything from Friday until today, but when we’re hot, we can do a lot of stuff,” Ralls shrugged.
White walked out with his head held just as high as Ralls’.
“More girls are going to come out next year,” he said. “And I’ve got Miss Hipps coming.”
He was speaking of eighth grade phenom Sophie Hipps, who is working her magic on the middle-school level.
“I’m looking forward to her running the point and taking the load off of Crystal and Moriah (Jones).”
White wore a look that said he wanted to start next season right now. “I’m looking forward to it,” he smiled.
n
NOTES: Just so Rowan County fans know, Ledford returns all but three seniors. And get this. The Ledford jayvees are 25-1 and the middle school team is undefeated. ... Craige led North with 15 points, while Ashley Hendrick had nine. ... Ledford will face the winner of the East Davidson-Central Davidson game.
NORTHROWAN 43) — Craige 15, Hendrick 9, Hunter 6, Foxx 4, Cuthbertson 4, Jones 2, Hairston 1, Stallings 1, Cameron 1, Suber, Lipscomb, Purnell.
LEDFORD (99) — Fitzgerald 16, Hinkle 14, Ralls 13, Pietsch 12, Rogers 9, Reese 8, Homsley 7, McCarthy 6, Motsinger 4, Stokes 4, Taylor 4, Davis 2.
North Rowan 10 19 6 8 — 43
Ledford 26 26 27 20 — 99
n
Contact Ronnie Gallagher at 704-797-4287 or rgallagher@salisburypost.com
.
Today's News
