.jpg)
Wednesday, Jan. 11 – Jumping out to an early double-digit lead, the Rockbridge County High School girls basketball team earned a 54-46 home win over Riverheads on Wednesday night in Lexington.
While putting up their highest point total of the season in the nondistrict victory, the Wildcats (2-11) snapped a 10-game losing streak.
RC’s Emma Clark led all scorers with 14 points, knocking down three 3-pointers. Rachel Hines added 10 points and had nine steals for the Wildcats, Lola Mulitalo scored nine points, and Maddie Dahl added eight points. Abby Bouchard contributed seven points, sinking two 3-pointers, five assists, four rebounds, a steal and a block. McKenzie Hines chipped in four points. The Wildcats made five 3-pointers while holding Riverheads (4-6) to two.
After trailing 10-8 late in the first quarter, the Wildcats applied their defensive press and went on a 14-0 run, with Rachel Hines making three steals during that stretch. RC led 15-10 after the first quarter and took a 29-23 lead into halftime.
In the third quarter, the Gladiators battled back, cutting the lead to three, and the Wildcats took a 36-33 lead into the fourth quarter.
Anna Shirley made a three-point play to tie the game 36-36 just 13 seconds into the fourth quarter, and Riverheads took its first lead since the first quarter by going up 38-37 about a minute later.
The game remained close the rest of the way, and it was tied 43-43 before Bouchard hit a 3-pointer. Clark then sank another triple to put RC up 49-43 with 2:07 left, but Grace Golladay sank a triple for the Gladiators to cut the lead to 49-46. Rachel Hines then made an inside bucket, and the Wildcats prevented Riverheads from scoring for the rest of the way, as a free throw and an inside basket from Clark sealed the win.
Abby Ralston led Riverheads with 11 points, Taia Chandler added 10 points, and Shirley and Alexis Myrtle contributed nine points each.
The Wildcats will return to Valley District play when they visit Spotswood on Friday, starting with junior varsity action at 5:30 p.m.
For the full story, with photos from the win over Riverheads, in our Jan. 18 newspaper.
