FARMVILLE – A 34-2 Farmville Central run snapped a 19-19 tie and propelled the top-seeded Lady Jaguars to a 77-36 victory over East Bladen Thursday night in the second round of the NCHSAA Class 2A Girls Basketball Playoffs.
Senior Rashya Speight’s 5 points sparked Farmville to a 14-10 first quarter lead. Senior Patience Ward tossed in a pair of baskets for the Lady Eagles, and sophmore Alexus Mitchell buried a 3-point shot and a free throw. Freshman AnnaGrey Heustess also netted a basket.
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Photos by Kenneth Armstrong
Sophomore Mya McDonald bombed in a 3-point shot, and junior Katie Evans, Ward and senior Lorna Mendell dropped in baskets as East Bladen tied the game 19-19. However the Lady Jaguars closed the half with a 7-0 run to take a 26-19 halftime lead. Sophmore Amiya Joyner and senior Ja’Shyrah Carmon tallied 5 points each for Farmville in the period.
Sophomore Jahnyah Willoughby rang up 10 points, and Carmon added 8 as Farmville began the second half with a 27-2 surge that stretched the lead to 53-21 and then 56-28 at the quarter break. Sophmore Mariah Smith drilled in a 3-ball for the Lady Eagles, Mitchell sank 2 free throws, and Ward and Mendell added a basket each.
Willoughby scored 8 points in the final period, and Speights drained a pair of 3-balls for Farmville. Smith popped in a basket and 2 free throws for the Lady Eagles. Ward pumped in a basket and a free throw, and senior Abbie Cross threw in a basket.
Ward fired in 11 points for East Bladen. Mitchell and Smith totaled 6 points each. Willoughby led the Farmville scoring with 22 points. Carmon followed with 17 points, and Joyner and Speight finished with 14 points each.
The Lady Eagles finished their season with a 22-5 record. It was the final game for seniors Patience Ward, Lorna Mendell and Abbie Cross who were members of East Bladen teams that posted a 98-15 record over the last 4 years.
East Bladen 10 9 9 8 – 36
Farmville Central 14 12 30 21 – 77
EAST BLADEN (36) – Katie Evans 2, Mya McDonald 3, Alexus Mitchell 6, AnnaGrey Heustess 2, Abbie Cross 2, Patience Ward 11, Lorna Mendell 4, Mariah Smith 6.
FARMVILLE CENTRAL (77) – Kayln Baker 3, Jahnyah Willoughby 22, Amiya Joyner 14, Rashya Speight 14, Lauryn Pitt, Janisja Carmon, Kamiyah Wooten, Janiya Foskey 7, Ja’Shyrah Carmon 17.