By Ronnie Gallagher
rgallagher@salisburypost.com
MOUNT ULLA ó Carson has struggled through a nightmare season, so coming into its NPC play-in game at West Rowan, coach Brooke Misenheimer thought what better night to win than on Friday, the 13th?
It didn’t happen, however, as West ended Carson’s 2-22 season 51-24.
“We were optimistic about this game because we had played them close twice,” Misenheimer said of losses by two and five points to the Falcons. “It’s the only team we’ve played tight games with. So I thought the girls would be confident they could compete against West.”
Erich Epps’ Falcons (11-13) were the confident bunch on this night from the very start. Time and again Mila Simmons and Ayana Avery swiped the basketball and hit fastbreak layups. Simmons scored all eight of her points in the first quarter while Avery had nine of her 16 in the second.
It was 26-10 at halftime.
“I think they got our attention,” Epps said of the earlier close games. “We know it’s desperation time and we wanted to get another win.”
West was focused and intense. After Simmons and Avery, both suffering from sickness, sat down, Olivia Watkins, Ashley Dutton and Allison Parker, among others, never let up. When Amber Holloway drained a three, it was 47-21.
Brooke Settlemyer played well for Carson, leading the Cougars with five points. But she seldom had a chance to touch the ball because West made so many steals.
“Transition baskets killed us,” Misenheimer said after looking at the stat sheet that read 44 fastbreak points for West.
Epps expects to win all of his games, especially now that Peyton Sawyer is back. West is 5-4 since her return at midseason.
“Brooke does a fabulous job,” Epps said. “But we feel we have more talent. We feel like we should beat them.
“We didn’t want to finish the season with a loss to the last-place team.”
West plays at Lake Norman on Monday.
carson (24) ó Settlemyer 5, Sellers 4, M. Livengood 4, Monroe 3, Heggins 3, Brown 3, K. Livengood 2, Kahn, Marshall.
west rowan (51) ó Avery 16, Simmons 8, Calloway 6, Dutton 4, Parker 4, Holloway 3, Baucom 3, Turner 2, Cross 2, Watkins 2, Sawyer 1, Moose, Watson, Gillespie.
Carson 2 8 8 6 ó 24
W. Rowan 14 12 14 11 ó 51