The long-awaited moment for Charlotte Catholic is almost here.

Last year’s extended playoff performance and challenging regular season have contributed to the No. 9 Cougars’ goal of reaching the state’s top level in Winston-Salem in a month.

Within a span of 24 hours, the team successfully completed one of its last simulations of playoff basketball.

At the start of the second half at South Mecklenburg on Wednesday night, Charlotte Catholic stepped up their game. Gracynn Gough and Blanca Thomas combined for 29 points in the second half, turning a 23-22 halftime deficit into a 55-39 victory in a non-conference matchup.

In the first quarter of the two-mile journey on Park Road, there were a total of 11 fouls. The Sabres missed 7 free throws, giving Charlotte Catholic the opportunity to take a 17-14 lead by the end of the quarter.

In the second quarter, South Mecklenburg started off strong. Makailah Davis added a corner three-pointer to her 5 points from the first quarter, giving the home team the lead for the first time.

During the first half, freshman players Kathleen Miller and KB Brown contributed a total of 12 points, with 6 of those points scored in the frame. The Sabres were successful in limiting the Cougars’ offense and only allowed them to score one field goal.

In the third quarter, there was a change in the script. Gough quickly started off the quarter with two consecutive three-point shots, while Thomas contributed 7 points to kickstart a 14-4 run.

In the third quarter, Charlotte Catholic increased their advantage to a maximum of 10 points and limited South Mecklenburg to only 5 successful shots in the last 16 minutes of the game.

Gough started off with a Thomas three-pointer from the top of the key, followed by two more shots from the corner. The Holy Cross commit successfully made all four of her three-point attempts during the game.

In the fourth quarter, Davis contributed a crucial three-pointer for South Mecklenburg, leading the team with 12 points. Thomas, who has now surpassed 1,000 rebounds in their career, grabbed 16 for Charlotte Catholic. In addition, Olivia Fava had 5 assists in the win.

On Friday evening, the Cougars will be continuing their three-game journey on the road as they face off against Rocky River. Their overall record stands at 17 wins and 3 losses, with an undefeated 8-0 record in league play, thanks to their recent victory over No. 13 ranked Independence on Tuesday.

On Friday, South Mecklenburg will aim to recover from their previous defeat by facing Palisades. The team’s current record is 11 wins and 9 losses overall, with a 5-2 standing in the SoMeck league.

Charlotte Catholic Scoring:

• Gough, 21
• Thomas, 21
• Kernodle, 8
• Fava, 3
• McKain, 2

South Mecklenburg Scoring:

• Davis, 12
• Brown, 9
• Miller, 6
• Hensley, 6
• Farah, 3
• Williams, 3

Source: highschoolot.com