Tuesday’s girls’ basketball rewind: No. 1 Mallard Creek aims to finish at the top
Mallard Creek’s girls’ basketball team began the season No. 1 in The Charlotte Observer’s Sweet 16, but then lost two of its first four games, battling injury, and tumbled down the poll.
On Tuesday, the Mavericks moved back to the top spot.
And after a 76-38 win over Sun Valley to start the N.C. 4A playoffs, coach Karlyn Dixon said her team wants to make sure it stays there this time.
“I think they’re elated to be back,” Dixon said, “but it’s where they want to stay and that means continuing to work hard and try to get to the end goal.”
To remain on top of the poll, the Mavericks (25-3) will have to win their first state championship next month.
Last week, reigning state champion Panther Creek of Cary lost star Taylor Barner — a Memphis recruit who is one of the state’s top 10 players — to a season-ending knee injury.
So now, the Mavericks may be the favorite.
On Tuesday, Mallard Creek got 14 points, two steals and two assists from Lili Booker; 19 points, three rebounds, two assists from Elle Stone; 10 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals from Alana Biosse and 10 points from Olivia Robertson.
The Mavericks won their 17th straight game and will host Mount Tabor in a second round game Friday.
“We’re trying to build on each win,” Dixon said. “Now, we focus on Friday.”
Links to Tuesday’s coverage
NCISAA all-state; CISAA all-conference teams announced
North Meck girls get physical, roll Asheville
South Meck boys win playoff game with heavy hearts
North Meck boys celebrate McDonald’s All-American, get bad news, too
Tuesday’s first round scores, second round pairings
NC has a girls’ basketball problem and it’s not going away
Two new teams, new No. 1 in Sweet 16 polls
Tuesday’s girls’ #BIG5 top performers
Kaylee Carson, Independence: During Tuesday’s 77-40 win over South Mecklenburg, Carson scored her 1,000th career point in her 59th game. She played in 25 games her sophomore year and 10 as a freshman during the COVID-19 pandemic. She missed her junior year due to an ACL injury. This season, she’s averaging 16.7 points. Tuesday, she had 19 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Amya Leathers, Hickory Ridge: In a 55-39 win over West Cabarrus in the first round of the 4A playoffs, Leathers had 22 points, four rebounds and three steals.
Olivia Robertson, Mallard Creek: In a first round win over Sun Valley, Robertson had 10 points, four rebounds, four steals, four blocks and two assists.
Alexis Shehan, Lake Norman: In an 81-36 win over Cuthbertson, Shehan made 16-of-18 field goals and had 34 points and 10 rebounds.
Taniyah Thomas, East Lincoln: In a 79-33 win over Forestview, Thomas had 15 points, five steals, two assists and a block.
Tuesday’s girls’ box scores
NO. 1 MALLARD CREEK 76, SUN VALLEY 38
Mallard Creek 21 20 17 18 — 76
Sun Valley 12 12 5 9 — 38
MALLARD CREEK 76 — Alana Biosse 10, J.Stone 2, Olivia Robertson 10, Elle Stone 19, Lili Booker 14, Young 7, Easterling 9, McGuire 2, Tendall 3
SUN VALLEY 38 — Robinson 18, Henry 14, Coppin 3, Meaders 3
Records: Mallard Creek 25-3
NO. 2 INDEPENDENCE 77, SOUTH MECKLENBURG 40
Independence 20 20 24 13 — 77
South Mecklenburg 5 7 15 13 — 40
INDEPENDENCE 77 — Kaylee Carson 19, Jessica Worthey 13, Kamryn Kitchen 13, Chloe Moss 11, H. Moss 7, Sellars 6, Brimmer 6, Brown 2
South Meck: M. Dacis, Hensley 9, Heasler 9, Brown 6, Miller 4
Record: Independence 23-5
NO. 5 EAST LINCOLN 79, FORESTVIEW 33
Forestview 9 11 8 5 — 33
East Lincoln 25 26 22 6 — 79
FORESTVIEW 33 — Miangel Thompson 13, B. Riley 8, T. Phillips 4, A. neely 4, M. Fargan 2, K. Anthony 2
EAST LINCOLN 79 — Taniyah Thomas 15, Nevaeh Atkins 12, Abbie Hege 12, Emma Montanari 11, Lane Pethel 11, K. Anderson 9, B. Miller 5, M. Matz 2, M. Schmitz 2
Noteabls: For East Lincoln, Taniyah Thomas had 15 points, five steals, two assists and a block. Lane Pethel (11 points, 10 rebounds), Abbie Hege (12 points, six rebounds, three assists), Nevaeh Atkins (12 points, two rebounds), Emma Montanari (11 points, five rebounds, three steals, three assists) and Kiara Anderson (nine points, 10 assists, six rebounds) all had strong games.
Records: Forestview 16-10; East Lincoln 27-1
NO. 6 CHARLOTTE CATHOLIC 67, SOUTH CALDWELL 18
Catholic 17 21 18 11 – 67
South Caldwell 5 2 8 3 – 18
Catholic 67 – Blanca Thomas 17, Maggie Kernodle 10, Fava 8, McKain 8, Gough 7, Byron 5, Tucker 4, Richard 3, Walker 3, Fey 2
South Caldwell 18 – Lillie Bumgarner 10, Smith 3, Weisner 2, Barber 2, Edwards 1
Records: Catholic 23-4, South Caldwell 10-16
NO. 7 MYERS PARK 64, HOUGH 44
Hough 10 14 12 8 — 44
Myers Park 16 17 14 17 — 64
HOUGH 44 — Chloe Palombeck 15, Zoerb 6, Jakibuy 5, Kate Breault 12, Law 3, Otto 3
MYER PARK 64 — Jerin Truesdale 27, Raven LeXander 14, Wilson 8, Barner 7, Lassiter 2, McDaniel 4, Thomason 2
Record: Myers Park 25-2
Notable: Myers Park’s Jerin Truesdale scored her 1,000th career point. She had 27 points, 10 rebounds, five steals and five assists.
NO. 8 NORTH MECKLENBURG 86, ASHEVILLE 53
North Meck 26 15 25 20 — 86
Asheville 14 10 7 22 — 53
NORTH MECKLENBURG 86 — Lenise Joesph 25, Boston Bates 12, Shanon Hoover 12, Chelsea Rivera 10, Fullenwider 9, Reid 6, Pimentel 4, Knox 2, Johnson 1
ASHEVILLE 53 — Hayziah Dillingham 24, Hazel Capp 10, Bick 8, Jacoby 5, Calloway 2, Scully 2, Shefler 2
NO. 9 HICKORY RIDGE 55, WEST CABARRUS 39
West Cabarrus 5 7 8 19 — 39
Hickory Ridge 9 13 18 15 — 55
HICKORY RIDGE 55 — Leathers 22, M. Gidney 15, S. Gidney 8, Ritter 3, C. Woodward 3, K. Woodward 3, Duley 1
Notable: For Hickory Ridge, Amya Leathers had 22 points, four rebounds and three steals. Ma-kaela Gidney added 15 points, four rebounds and three assists.
Records: West Cabarrus 14-12; Hickory Ridge 23-5
NO. 13 ARDREY KELL 73 BUTLER 46
Ardrey Kell 20 15 15 23 — 76
Myers Park 15 11 11 9 — 46
ARDREY KELL 76 — Autumn Washington 19, Molly Burns 15, Karly Glahn 15, Skyler Fleck 10, Adarkwah 4, Mapp 4, McCoy 4, Keenan 2
BUTLER 46— Park 11, Hasson 12, Williams 2, Saunders 11, Stitt 6
EAST BURKE 57, MONROE 16
EAST BURKE 57 — Braelyn Stilwell 24, Kamiah Lawing 10, Ally Moore 9, Kara Brinkley 6, Kassie Turner 6, Journi McDowell 2
MONROE 16 — S Jones 9, S. Gingham 4, S. Wallace 3
Records: East Burke 27-0
LINCOLN CHARTER 51, MAIDEN 40
Maiden 13 7 7 13 — 40
Lincoln Charter 21 4 16 10 — 51
MAIDEN 40 — K. Cutover 16, A. Beal 8, R. Rembert 5, N. Campbell 5, K. Pugh 3, W. Bass 3
LINCOLN CHARTER 51 — Kallie Lusk 17, Tyler Beller 14, Martha Guinle 9, Claire David 6, Symphanie Stevens 3, Taylor Riggenbach 2
Notable: For Lincoln Charter, Kallie Lusk led the way with 17 points and sealed the win by making seven of her last eight free throws.
Record: Lincoln Charter 22-5
MCDOWELL 46, PROVIDENCE 39
Providence 11 6 11 11 — 39
MCDowell 13 13 6 14 — 46
PROVIDENCE 39 — Delanie Hill 14, Marlee Whitten 10, Lindsey Nolan 4, Isabella Hall 8, Julia Skinner 3
McDowell 46 — Kimora Stewart 11, Emma Washburn 1, Kensley Stewart 8, Khloe Joyner 13, Abby Wyatt 4, Sage Young 9
Notable: Marlee Whitten had nine rebounds, Delanie Hill had four steals, four assists.
Record: Providence 13-13
WEST HENDERSON 59, SOUTH POINT 43
South Point 8 12 16 7 — 43
West Henderson 12 18 13 16 — 59
SOUTH POINT 43 — Claire Frank 16, Amya Graham 14, Maddie Frank 7, Jossilyn Wallace 4, Lexi Birtwistle 2
Notable: For South Point, Amya Graham finishes the season with her 25th double double: 14 points, 13 rebounds. Maddie Frank has seven points, five assists.
Record: South Point 17-10.
