By John Clark
DUNN – Senior Leah Culbreth sparked a 9-0 Midway run that secured a 53-44 Southeastern Athletic Conference victory for the Lady Raiders over West Bladen Friday night.
Lady Knight senior Rylee Chadwick stole the ball and raced for a lay-up then dished an assist to junior Brookee Singletary who hurled in the lay-up that pulled West Bladen to within 41-40 with 4:17 left to play.
Culbreth drove for a lay-up, put back a rebound and made 2 free throws, before teammate McKenzie Williams threw in a 3-ball for a 50-40 Midway lead. Chadwick answered with a lay-up then powered in a follow shot for the final West points.
“We couldn’t get a rebound or get a shot to fall when we needed it,” said Lady Knight Coach Brian McCleney. “We got loose with the ball in the last 5 minutes.”
Chadwick blistered the nets with 21 points and collected 7 rebounds and 3 steals to lead the Lady Knights. Senior Lainey Autry fired in a trio of 3-point shots and racked up 11 points and 4 rebounds. Singletary scored 5 points and pulled down 7 rebounds, and junior Kiera Lewis contributed 5 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals.
Williams and senior Mallory Baggett shared Midway scoring honors with 11 points each. Senior Jaycie Byrd followed with 10 points, and freshman Lizzy Kirkland netted 9 points. Culbreth tallied 8 points.
Chadwick tossed in a basket and a free throw to start the game. Lewis nailed a 3-point shot and put back a rebound, but a Byrd 3-ball and 2 baskets from Kirkland staked the Lady Raiders to an early 13-8 lead.
Autry knocked down a pair of 3-point shots in the 2nd period then stole the ball and pitched ahead to Chadwick for a lay-up. Chadwick dashed to the rim for 2 more lay-ups as the Lady Knights closed the gap to 21-20 at halftime.
Singletary tied the score with a free throw to begin the 2nd half. Chadwick popped in a 12-footer, and Autry swished a corner 3-ball to put the Lady Knights ahead 26-23. Junior Megan Pait sent a pass to a cutting Autry for a lay-up and a 28-25 lead.
Chadwick stole the ball and dashed for a lay-up, and Singletary’s follow shot gave West a 32-27 lead. Chadwick kept West up 34-30 with 2 free throws, but Culbreth’s rebound basket tied the game 34-34 at the quarter break.
Sophomore Holland Davis’ rebound basket tied the game a final time at 36-36, before a Kirkland lay-up and a Byrd 3-point shot put Midway up 41-36.
West Bladen finished 1-11 in league play and 8-13 overall and will travel to either Fairmont or St. Pauls Monday. The opponent will be determined by a Saturday coin flip.
West Bladen 8 12 14 10 — 44
Midway 13 8 13 19 — 53
West Bladen (44) – Lainey Autry 11, Megan Pait, Holland Davis 2, Rylee Chadwick 21, Kirsten Warrick, Brookee Singletary 5, Kiera Lewis 5, Natalee Sykes, Kali Allen.
Midway (53) – Jaycie Byrd 10, Leah Culbreth 8, Lizzy Kirkland 9, McKenzie Williams 13, Kara Beth Benton, Mallory Baggett 11, Megan Jackson, Peyton Herring 2.
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