From staff reports
North Rowan’s girls lost 56-43 to league-leading Chatham Central in Bear Creek on Wednesday night.
The Cavaliers dropped their fifth straight contest but played inspired ball in the second half after trailing 31-12 at the break.
“We really started playing well defensively in the second half,” North coach Tony Hillian said. “We moved our feet and we stopped them.”
North (4-9, 3-3 YVC) took care of the ball, committing only 10 turnovers and got 11 points from JoJo Carby and nine from Teaunna Cuthbertson.
The big negative for North was 7-for-23 foul shooting.
“Once we settled down, it was a really good effort by the girls coming off that long layoff,” Hillian said. “Everything except the free throws.”
Chatham Central (9-2, 7-0 YVC) got 15 points from Brooke Strickland and 12 from Jessica Courie.
GIRLS
NORTH ROWAN (43) — Carby 11, Cuthbertson 9, Sells 7, Brown 6, Berry 5, Bradley 3, Bush 2.
CHATHAM CENTRAL (56) — Strickland 15, Courie 12, Culverson 9, Brown 6, Little 5, Suggs 4, White 3, Thompson 2.
N. Rowan 5 7 13 18 — 43
Chatham 17 14 6 19 — 56
• North Rowan’s boys (10-3) beat Chatham Central 59-44 to stay undefeated in the YVC on Wednesday night in Bear Creek.
North is home against South Davidson in a YVC makeup game on Saturday.
Information on the Chatham Central game should be in Friday’s edition.
• College basketball
Charlotte’s K.J. Sherrill (West Rowan) had seven points and four rebounds in 25 minutes of action in a 73-54 loss to Massachusetts on Wednesday.
• Prep basketball
South Rowan announced basketball rescheduled dates for NPC foes Statesville (road, Jan. 26) and North Iredell (home, Jan. 27).
• A.L. Brown has rescheduled SPC basketball games with Concord (Saturday), Northwest Cabarrus (Jan. 26) and Robinson (Feb. 9).
• Jayvee girls basketball
East Rowan’s jayvee girls rolled over South Rowan 48-25 on Wednesday. Casey Gullett scored 14 points for the Mustangs. Bobbi Thomas had 10 points, and Allyson Mills scored nine.
Elisha Davis scored eight points t to lead South. Rachel Honeycutt had six, and Emma Pope added five.
• Middle school hoops
Knox’s eighth-grade girls moved a step closer to winning the Rowan County Conference championship by defeating Erwin 46-40 on Tuesday.
Knox (12-1) clinched a tie for first place and can finish all alone at the top by beating Southeast today.Second-place Corriher-Lipe (11-2) plays West Rowan in its final game.
Knox snapped Erwin’s three-year home winning streak of 32 games. The Trojans trailed by 10 early but took charge in the second half behind Demeria Robinson. She scored all 14 of her points in the second half.
Ashley Blaire scored nine points for the Trojans, while Tameria Riche and Bryanna Caldwell added eight and seven, respectively.
Kaleigh Troutman paced the third-place Eagles (10-3) with 19 points and 13 rebounds. Erin Hatley scored eight points. Amani Ajayi added seven points and nine rebounds. Kelli Fisher scored six points and grabbed 18 rebounds.
• Erwin’s boys (12-1) also clinched a tie for the conference title by defeating Knox 54-44. Erwin built up a 30-point halftime lead, then held off a strong Knox rally. The Eagles play at North Rowan Thursday. Second-place West Rowan (11-2) visits Corriher-Lipe in its final game.
Conor Honeycutt led Erwin with 20 points and six steals. Seth Wyrick scored 13 points, grabbed seven boards and had four steals. Samuel Wyrick had nine points and six assists. Harrison Bell and Jack Weisensel had 11 and eight rebounds, respectively.
Knox (2-11) was led by Robbie Slate with 17 points. A.J. Hill scored seven, and Isaiah Little and Brian Cuthbertson scored six apiece.
• West Rowan’s boys (11-2) beat China Grove 47-35. The shooting was off for the Bulldogs after a long layoff, but their defense was tough.
Alexis Archie played with a purpose and led the Bulldogs with 18 points. M.J. Rayner scored 14 points, and Celexus Long had six.
Archie had 10 rebounds while Rayner had five. Jeremy Simpson and Archie racked up numerous steals.
Lavon Hill led the Red Devils with 13 points. Josh Barlow scored 12, and Caleb Clanton had six.
• Hamilton retiring
Salisbury native Vicki Hamilton is retiring as Charlotte-Mecklenburg athletics director on Feb. 28.
Hamilton has worked in the school system 34 years and was AD for 17 years.
Hamilton is the daughter of Bone Hamilton, who owned the Salisbury minor league baseball team in the Western Carolinas League.
• Livingstone hoops
Livingstone’s basketball teams will be on the road tonight at CIAA foe Chowan tonight.
• Volleyball tryouts
Catawba Valley Community College’s volleyball program will hold a tryout at the school’s gym on Sunday, Jan. 23, from 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Carson grads Sarah Marshall and Breckin Settlemyer play for the CVCC Bucs.
• Salisbury 49ers
Registration for the Salisbury 49ers football and cheerleading programs for the spring season have been moved to Saturday, Jan. 29, at Hall Gym from 9 until noon.
Youngsters ages 5-12 are eligible for the program. Parents should bring their child’s birth certificate.