West Rowan will have the opportunity to defend its state championship from the previous year by moving on from the N.C. High School Athletic Association 3A western regional championship game, which took place on Tuesday afternoon.

At the Lawrence Joel Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum, West Rowan pulled ahead in the first quarter after being tied with A.C. Reynolds. They maintained their lead throughout the game and ultimately defeated the top-ranked team 66-54, earning a spot in the 3A state championship game.

Following a tied first quarter with a score of 13-13, West Rowan took the lead in the second quarter and outscored A.C. Reynolds 16-7, securing control of the game.

At the 6:18 mark in the second quarter, the Rockets were ahead 17-13. However, when West Rowan called a timeout, it proved to be a strategic decision. The Falcons used this break to their advantage and went on a 12-0 run, led by sophomore point guard Tiara Thompson who found her shot and assisted her teammates with scoring opportunities.

In the first half, West Rowan was ahead of A.C. Reynolds with a score of 29-20. The Rockets struggled to make shots during this time.

During the third quarter, A.C. Reynolds regained their offensive momentum, but the West Rowan offense continued to dominate. West Rowan managed to score 19 points, while A.C. Reynolds only scored 16. Emma Clarke scored the final six points of the quarter for West Rowan, giving the Falcons a 48-36 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

A.C. Reynolds narrowed the gap to seven points against West Rowan in the final quarter thanks to a successful shot and free throw by Anna Wilcox with 4:45 remaining. However, Thompson of West Rowan made a significant impact in the final minutes. They made a steal, drew a foul, and scored a basket with 3:23 remaining, extending West Rowan’s lead to 58-45.

West Rowan persevered through every A.C. Reynolds’ attempt to score, securing the victory with a final score of 66-54.

At the conclusion of the game, West Rowan had four players who scored in double digits. Thompson was the highest scorer in the game, totaling 17 points. Clarke contributed 14 points for the Falcons, with Mya Edwards and Demya Phifer each adding 12 points.

Peyton Harvey was the top scorer for A.C. Reynolds with a total of 15 points. Julie Jamnus and Tait Harvey also contributed to the team’s score with 12 and 10 points, respectively.

For the second consecutive year, West Rowan (30-1) has reached the 3A state championship. They will attempt to defend their 2019 title against the winner of Friday’s game between (3) Terry Sanford and (1) South Central.

A.C. Reynolds completed their season with a 27-2 record following their defeat.

Result: West Rowan defeats A.C. Reynolds with a final score of 66-54.

Cannot reword.

The scoring for A.C. Reynolds was as follows: Peyton Harvey with 15 points, Julie Jamnus with 12 points, Tait Harvey with 10 points, Addie Long with 9 points, Anna Wilcox with 6 points, and Ava Young with 2 points.

Source: highschoolot.com