Prep Basketball: East Rowan girls 61, South Rowan 52

East Rowan's Alaina Vanderford (20) takes a shot in game with South Rowan. photo by Jon C. Lakey, Salisbury Post.

East Rowan's Lindsey Eagle (33). photo by Jon C. Lakey, Salisbury Post.

East Rowan's MacKenzie Holshouser (14). photo by Jon C. Lakey, Salisbury Post.

By Mike London

mlondon@salisburypost.com

GRANITE QUARRY — East Rowan girls coach Karen Garmon started her five seniors on Senior Night, and they provided 46 points and enough energy to upset cold-shooting South Rowan 61-52.

Alaina Vanderford went 8-for-8 from the foul line and scored a career-best 19 points in her last appearance in the East gym. Mackenzie Holshouser scored 11 points and took over the fourth quarter with her passing and driving. Madalyn File and Tempest Means contributed eight points apiece.

East's fifth senior, Lindsay Eagle, didn't score, but she scrambled to the floor and shoveled a pass from her knees to Holshouser in the opening minute. Holshouser buried a 3 off that pass for the first points of the game and set the tone for one of East's stronger efforts.

"We're having a tough season, and it's real easy to roll over and just ride it out," East coach Karen Garmon said. "But we're not quitters. We've never been quitters. We're playing it hard right to the end, and tonight we turned it up a little more."

Sophomores Asia Caple (14 points) and Lauren Miller (12) scored in double figures for the Raiders, who shot 26 percent for the game and shot just 3-for-21 from the floor in a frantic fourth quarter.

"One practice in six days, and I was afraid the rust would show in our shooting," South coach Jarrod Smith said. "We missed layups, and you should make layups. On the other end, we allowed too much penetration and fouled too much, and East makes free throws."

It was a devastating loss for the Raiders (6-13, 3-6). They dropped their fourth straight and watched their hopes of catching Carson for the NPC's fourth and final playoff spot go up in smoke. South still has a game left with Carson, but even beating the Cougars on the road won't be enough now.

East (4-15, 2-7) had lost five straight since it beat North Rowan in the Christmas tournament, but the Mustangs were all smiles after winning the rubber game of the three the teams played this season.

"South's a rival, and we were all pumped up and ready to play," Vanderford said. "The last few weeks we've started playing better together, and Mackenzie and I have been working together pretty well."

Vanderford scored eight first-quarter points as East took a 19-17 lead, but a pair of 3s by Miller helped South gain a 34-33 halftime edge.

East controlled the third quarter, but Caple swished a 25-footer at the horn to cut South's deficit to 47-44 heading to the fourth.

The turning point came in the first minute of the fourth when Holshouser found File and Olivia Sabo for back-to-back, uncontested layups. That pushed East's lead to seven, and South couldn't score enough to climb back.

south rowan (52) — Caple 14, Miller12, Sides 8, Morrow 5, Barringer 5, Corriher 4, Jones 2, Goins 2, McManus, Lookabill.

EAST rowan (61) — Vanderford 19, Holshouser 11, File 8, Means 8, Sabo 6, B. Boling 4, Drew 4, Corpening 1, Honeycutt, Eagle. S. Rowan 17 17 10 8 — 52

E. Rowan 19 14 14 14 — 61