Staff report
West Rowan, North Rowan and Carson play games in the second round of the girls basketball state playoffs tonight.
Fourth-seeded West Rowan will play No. 13 seed Ledford at home at 6:30 p.m. in a 3A matchup.
North Rowan, seeded 12th, will play at No. 5 seed North Wilkes in a 2A game at 7, while 17th-seeded Carson will play at No. 1 seed Morganton Freedom in a 3A game expected to start at 7 p.m.
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Ledford (18-8) brings a young team to West.
The Panthers count on three sophomores and two freshmen. The standouts are freshman guard Lyrik Thorne and sophomore guard Ashley Anthony. Those two combined for 50 points in the Panthers’ first-round 69-51 win against St. Stephens.
Egypt Alexander scored 23 points and Khaila Hall had a triple-double in West’s 67-22 first-round romp against Robinson.
West (26-2) would break the school record for victories in a season and would tie the school record for consecutive wins (19) if it prevails tonight.
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Freedom (27-0) is not only unbeaten, the Patriots have been ranked No. 1 in 3A most of the season.
The Patriots have a veteran team led by junior guard Ariyana Williams. She averages 15.0 points per game and is the reigning Burke County Player of the Year.
Lindsey Adams, a 5-8 senior, averages 14.3 points per game.
Senior Madison Ervin had 14 points and eight steals and 6-foot-2 senior Amy Rhoney had 10 rebounds in Tuesday’s 64-33 romp against Tuscola.
Freedom is expected to play without starter Taylor Gardin, who will be sitting out the second of two games for an ejection for technicals in the conference tournament.
Olivia Gabriel scored 25 points to lead Carson (16-11) to a 56-53 first-round win against West Iredell on Tuesday.
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North Wilkes is young, but tall. The top scorer for the Vikings (26-2) is 5-11 senior Allison Livengood, who averages 13 per game.
Emily Phillips, a 5-10 sophomore, averages 12.6 points per game. Savannah Billings, a 6-1 soph, averages 8.2 points per game.
Victoria Young, a 5-5 sophomore guard, averages 10.5 points per game.
North Wilkes’ only two losses this season were to 1A Elkin.
North Rowan got a game-winning shot from Special Washington and advanced to Round 2 with a 50-48 win against Franklin on Tuesday.
Aliyah Farmer had 10 points for North (18-7) on Tuesday and has 969 for her career.
Teams that win tonight move on to third-round contests on Saturday.

The next two rounds of the playoffs are scheduled for tonight and Saturday.

2nd Round
4A West Boys
(16) Richmond at (1) North Meck
(24) South Meck at (8) Dudley
(12) R.J. Reynolds at (5) NW Guilford
(13) Berry at (4) Butler
(30) Ardrey Kell at (14) Independence
(11) SW Guilford at (6) Alexander Central
(23) West Charlotte at (7) Hoke County
(18) Pinecrest at (2) Charlotte Catholic

3A West Boys
(16) Pisgah at (1) Hickory
(24) North Forsyth at (8) Ashbrook
(12) AC Reynold at (5) North Buncombe
(13) Freedom at (4) Weddington
(30) NW Cabarrus at (14) Cox Mill
(22) Sun Valley at (6) Kings Mountain
(26) Western Guilford at (10) Hibriten
(18) Hickory Ridge at (2) Robinson

2A West boys
(17) Hunter Huss at (1) East Lincoln
(9) Lincolnton at (8) Owen
(21) Reidsville at (5) North Surry
(13) Monroe at (4) Shelby
(14) East Burke at (3) Smoky Mountain
(11) West Stokes at (6) Lake Norman Charter
(23) R-S Central at (7) North Wilkes
(18) Maiden at (2) Forest Hills

1A West boys
(16) Rosman at (1) Avery
(25) Swain at (9) Mt. Airy
(12) Comm. School of Davidson at (5) Winston-Salem Prep
(20) River Mill at (4) Queens Grant
(14) Blue Ridge at (3) Cherokee
(27) Mtn. Island Charter at (11) North Stanly
(10) Hayesville at (7) Starmount
(15) Pine Lake Prep at (2) Lincoln Charter

4A West girls
(16) Hough at (1) NW Guilford
(9) Dudley at (8) West Forsyth
(12) Butler at (5) Myers Park
(13) Page at (4) Alexander Central
(19) R.J. Reynolds at (3) S. Caldwell
(11) Berry at (6) Ardrey Kell
(26) TC Roberson at (23) Charlotte Catholic
(18) SW Guilford at (2) Mallard Creek

3A West girls
(17) Carson at (1) Freedom
(24) West Henderson at (8) North Iredell
(12) North Gaston at (5) Weddington
(13) Ledford at (4) West Rowan
(14) Hickory at (3) Ashbrook
(11) Hickory Ridge at (6) Pisgah
(10) Piedmont at (7) Central Davidson
(15) S. Guilford at (2) Asheville Erwin

2A West girls
(17) Wilkes Central at (1) East Davidson
(9) LN Charter at (8) Newton-Conover
(12) North Rowan at (5) North Wilkes
(13) East Burke at (4) Mountain Heritage
(14) Owen at (3) R-S Central
(11) Monroe at (6) Parkwood
(23) E. Rutherford at (7) North Surry
(18) Bandys at (2) Smoky Mountain

1A West girls
(16) W. Montgomery at (1) Hiwassee Dam
(24) North Stanly at (8) Avery
(28) Bishop McGuinness at (12) Atkins
(20) Swain at (4) Elkin
(14) Highlands at (3) S. Davidson
(22) Rosman at (6) Cherokee
(26) Andrews at (23) East Wilkes
(15) Mt. Airy at (2) Winston-Salem State