Staff report
CONCORD — West Rowan’s girls basketball team dropped a tough game against Northwest Cabarrus on Friday, the first loss of the season for the Falcons.
The Falcons (18-1, 9-1) bounced back to rout Concord on Saturday afternoon.
Northwest won 62-54 on its home floor against the Falcons, avenging a hard-fought loss in Mount Ulla. Both teams now have one loss in the South Piedmont Conference. While almost anything is possible, it’s not likely that either of them will lose again in the regular season.
It was only the second loss for senior guard Tiara Thompson in her three seasons in a West uniform. She’s been on the winning side 80 times.
Thompson did all she could have done against the Trojans, making five 3-pointers and scoring 28 points. Jahneria Hurd and Sydney Smith scored nine each.
But Northwest had a dynamic duo in action. Makenzie Gonder turned in a career game at an optimal time for her team, scoring 26 points for the Trojans. She made the difference. She made two 3s and three clutch free throws in the fourth quarter.
Northwest got three 3s and 18 points from senior star McKenzie Ortscheid, who has recovered from an ankle injury.
West Rowan 14 9 16 15 — 54
NW Cabarrus 19 9 16 18 — 62
WEST — Thompson 28, Hurd 9, Smith 9, Allen 4, Pharr 3, A. Martin 1.
NWC — Gonder 26, Ortscheid 18, Ibanez 8, Burton 6, Willoughby 4.
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The Falcons had no trouble in a 76-15 romp against winless Concord.
West scored 31 points in the first quarter and owned a 57-10 lead at the half.
Thompson scored 20 of her 22 points in the first half. Aubrey Martin bounced back from a 1-point game against Northwest Cabarrus and scored 21. Martin scored 11 in the first quarter.
Jamiela Allen scored 15 points, a season high.
West Rowan 31 26 13 6 — 76
Concord 7 3 2 3 — 15
WEST — Thompson 22, A. Martin 21, Allen 15, Hurd 6, Pharr 4, Smith 4, C. Martin 2, Everhart 2.
CONCORD — Smith-Rogers 9, Ivory 3, Claros 2, Blue 1.
