By Mike London
mlondon@salisburypost.com
CHINA GROVE ó East Rowan’s girls program owns 695 wins.
Carson is gaining. The fourth-year school has seven after it beat the Mustangs 55-38 on Monday. It wasn’t an upset, but the ease with which Carson won was surprising.
“East has a lot of tradition, so this a good step for us ó a very good step,” said Carson coach Brooke Misenheimer, a former Mustang.
The Cougars’ first victory against East came in their ninth try. Carson (3-7, 1-2) opened the second half with a 14-0 flurry that decided the NPC contest.
“It felt wonderful, especially with Carson not ever having beaten East before,” said freshman Allison Blackwell, who had 16 points. “Now we know that we can beat teams if we push ourselves and play with intensity.”
Misenheimer started three freshmen. Blackwell, Kelly Dulkoski and Tyesha Phillips came through with 29 points.
Veteran Kaylene Livengood (11 points) made several key shots for the Cougars. Chloe Monroe contributed a defensive spark with four steals.
It was about as ugly as it gets early, with both teams applying defensive pressure and turning it over at a record-setting pace. Just about everyone seated in the first few rows of the Carson gym had a chance to catch a wild pass.
There were 39 combined turnovers in the first half.
“We had to shake off the turnovers and get into it,” Blackwell said. “We started kinda iffy and kinda nervous.”
East (1-8, 1-1) took advantage of Carson’s youth and led 11-5 after a frantic first quarter.
“I thought both teams had spurts of great defense early,” East coach Karen Garmon said. “It was back-and-forth, and no one was able to score. But then they started putting the ball in the basket, and we never really did. We’re just struggling offensively right now.”
Carson finally tied the game at 13-all late in the second quarter when Blackwell passed to Brittany Alexander for a layup.
Carson took a 19-17 lead on a 3-pointer by Livengood, and she added a free throw for a 20-17 halftime edge.
Then Carson took control at the outset of the second half.
“Starting the third quarter strong was the key to winning the game,” Misenheimer said. “Whoever starts the third quarter the strongest seems to keep the momentum.”
Monroe got the first bucket of the second half to trigger that 14-0 run. Next came another 3-pointer by Livengood, back-to-back layups by Blackwell and a 3-pointer by Jazzmin Brown, Carson’s all-time scoring leader.
“We were getting to the right spots in our press and getting the ball down the floor quickly with an advantage in numbers,” Misenheimer said.
Once Carson got up by double-digits, the cold-shooting Mustangs didn’t have much hope. East shot 27.8 percent from the floor and was a frigid 7-for-20 from the foul line.
While it didn’t shoot well in the first half, Carson shot a solid 44.5 percent in the second and cut down on the turnovers.
“Carson hit the open man and hit the open shot,” Garmon said. “I knew they were stronger this year than they have been, and tonight they were on.”
Madalyn File, who came off the bench, scored 10 points to lead East.
Alaina Vanderford, Olivia Sabo and Tempest Means scored six apiece.
EAST ROWAN (38) ó File 10, Vanderford 6, Sabo 6, Means 6, Honeycutt 4, Holshouser 3, Drew 2, Corpening 1, Goins.
CARSON (55) ó Blackwell 16, K. Livengood 11, Dulkoski 7, Phillips 6, Settlemyer 4, Monroe 4, Alexander 4, Brown 3, Heggins, M. Livengood, Cloninger.
East Rowan 11 6 6 15 ó 38
Carson 5 15 16 19 ó 55