By Mike London
mike.london@salisburypost.com

CHINA GROVE — Carson’s Kailie Ketchie got a tooth knocked loose in the first half but came back in the second half to knock down a 3-pointer.
Ketchie’s comeback from a loud foul and some loss of blood was the highlight of Carson’s easy, 58-13 South Piedmont Conference win against the East Rowan girls on Tuesday. Ketchie went up for a shot and collided with East’s Jordan McCall. The foul wasn’t intentional, but it was painful.
“She’s a tough girl and she really wanted to get back in there,” Carson coach Brooke Misenheimer said.
Ketchie’s swollen lip made her look like she’d lost a mixed martial arts bout, but she should be OK. She’ll head to a doctor today to make sure.
“I’m just glad I was able to tough it out,” Ketchie said. “And Sydney (Taylor) went in for me and hit a free throw.”
Carson (2-1, 1-1 SPC) got seven points in the first quarter from McKenzie Gadson and cruised to a 15-4 lead.
“We had a lot of energy from the get-go and we played well together,” Misenheimer said.
When Carson opened the second quarter with a 10-0 run capped by a Shaleah Jolly steal and layup, it was all over. By halftime, it was 33-9.
What occurred wasn’t unexpected. Carson has 11 returning players with varsity experience. East (1-2, 0-2 SPC) has only two girls who played varsity last season and no returning starters.
“It’s a steep learning curve for such an inexperienced team,” new East coach Kevin Holland said. “And here we are playing in a varsity game against a very good team.”
Ketchie and Micah Furr hit 3-pointers in the third quarter as Carson’s lead swelled. East scored only four points in the second half, with sophomore Zynoria Winford making two free throws and a bucket.
“The biggest challenge for us right now is effort,” Holland said. “You’re going to have breakdowns and you’re going to make mistakes, but the effort always has to be there. Tonight, it wasn’t.”
When Jolly made a layup for a 51-11 lead with 6:50 remaining, the Cougars led by 40. That triggered a running clock for the rest of the game.
Jolly’s layup was part of a 16-0 run by the Cougars. Holland called a timeout with 3:45 remaining, not for strategy, but to remind his girls to finish out the game with their best effort.
“Our girls don’t have a comfort level yet, and we’re still thinking too much, rather than playing,” Holland said.
Winford scored six to lead East.
Gadson had 15 for Carson, while Olivia Gabriel and Jolly scored nine each. Eleven different Cougars scored.
The 13 points matched the fewest ever scored in a game by the East girls. The 1959-60 Mustangs lost to Children’s Home, 36-13.
East’s 13 points came close to being a record for the fewest allowed by the Carson girls, but the Cougars beat Statesville, 54-11, in the 2012-13 season.

EAST (13)
Winford 6, H. Harrison 4, Wagner 3, Trexler, Honeycutt, Coughenour, Graham, A. Harrison, Houpe, McCall, Shafer
CARSON (58)
Gadson 15, Jolly 9, Gabriel 9, Taylor 5, Turney 4, Furr 3, Shumaker 3, Jackson 3, Ketchie 3, Fesperman 2, Cooper 2, Wiggins, Street.

East Rowan 4 5 2 2 — 13
Carson 15 18 16 9 — 58