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Tuesday, Dec. 19 – Playing shorthanded, the Rockbridge County High School girls basketball team suffered a 51-37 home loss to Valley District rival Harrisonburg on Tuesday night in Lexington.
The Wildcats (1-7 overall, 0-3 district), coming off a 39-34 home win over Staunton on Monday night, had just seven active players, as they were missing three of their top players – Brooklyn Beverly, Parker Dameron and Ruby Goodhart – all out sick.
Without having to deal with Goodhart, RC’s 6-foot2-inch center, Harrisonburg (5-2, 1-1) took advantage inside early, jumping out to a 12-3 lead by the end of the quarter. The Blue Streaks extended the lead to 18-3 in the second quarter before RC’s Emma Clark scored seven points for the Wildcats – on a drive, a 3-pointer, and a jump shot – to cut Harrisonburg’s lead to 22-10. Clark led all players with 16 points, sinking four 3-pointers, and grabbed five rebounds.
Facing a 25-14 halftime deficit, the Wildcats picked up their offense in the third quarter, with Clark sinking three 3-pointers to cut Harrisonburg’s lead to 33-26. Abby Bouchard then made two free throws for the Wildcats to trim the Blue Streaks’ lead to 33-28, but the Wildcats would get no close. Harrisonburg’s Terrya Shifflett hit a 3-pointer to put her team up 36-28 at the end of the third quarter.
Shooting well and making free throws, the Blue Streaks extended their lead to 46-31. Bella Dorey made a couple of quick drives to the basket to trim into the lead a bit, but the Wildcats were down to four players in the final two minutes after Clark fouled out. Fouling out earlier in the game were Sadie Moore and Desirae Butler. Harrisonburg hit several free throws to end the game.
Other than Clark, RC’s leaders were Dorey with eight points and three assists, Butler with six points on two 3-pointers and five rebounds, Bouchard with four points, seven boards and four steals; Moore with six rebounds, and Natalie Samante-Asunción with three points and three rebounds.
Shifflett led Harrisonburg with 14 points, Alyse Sheffley added 11 points, McKenna Dayton had 10 points, and Sierra Cain chipped in eight.
The Wildcats did a good job taking care of the ball, committing just eight turnovers, while Harrisonburg had 16 turnovers.
RC shot 31.1 percent (14-of-45) from the field, 33.3 percent (6-of-18) from three-point range, and 30 percent (3-of-10) from the free throw line.
After Christmas, the Wildcats will return to action on Wednesday, Dec. 27 when they play host to county rival Parry McCluer at 4 p.m. The varsity game will precede the varsity boys’ game between the two schools, scheduled for 5:30 p.m., and following the junior varsity game, starting with the girls’ JV game at 1 p.m.
For the full story and photos from this week’s action, please see our Dec. 27 newspaper.
