CONCORD — The West Rowan girls got off to a slow start Monday night at Cox Mill then it went downhill from there.
The Chargers used their defense to close the first half on a 15-2 run then scored the first 8 of the second half, rolling past the Falcons 51-35.
Fifteen first half turnovers and poor outside shooting hampered West but Coach Ashley Poole took a different view of the game.
“Effort was the real problem tonight,” she said, “There was none on our part.”
The loss dropped West 7-16, 5-10) into a tie for sixth with the Chargers in the South Piedmont conference with one regular season game left. They host Hickory Ridge for senior night Friday. Cox Mill upped its’ mark to 7-16, 5-10 as well with a road game at Carson this Friday.
“I kind of put the ball in our team’s court tonight because this was kind of a must win for us,” Charger coach Kate Jenis stated. “We wanted to slide up one more slot in the standings and we were able to do that tonight. It was a complete effort.”
The two teams struggled to an 8-8 tie after one period then Cox Mill found another gear. Leading 14-11 they went over a 15-2 run to end the half then quickly expanded it to 37-13 after the break. West never responded.
The turnovers, including nine steals sparked the Chargers in the first half. They finished the night with 16 thefts. Sophomore Shanise Miller was the bright spot for West with 14, including 11 in the second half. She also grabbed eight boards.
Guard Taylor Sehm-Crowley celebrated senior night with 16 points and six steals to lead the winners.

WEST ROWAN (35) — S. Miller 14, Q. Miller 7, McNeeley 4, Hall 4, Lovell 4, Alessandrini 2, Goddard, Cowan, Greene, Yow.
COX MILL (51) — Sehm-Crowley 16, Barker 10, Montgomery 8, Payne 4, Elmore 4, Rinkus 2, Morphey 2, Lewis 2, Claude 1, Davis, Joseph, N’Dala.
W. Rowan 8 5 10 12 — 35
Cox Mill 8 21 18 4 — 51