Middle school sports roundup for Nov. 18

Liberty
Girls basketball
The Liberty Middle girls basketball team showed progress in its opening non-conference game at Granite Falls Middle on Monday.
The Lady Knights lost 47-42.
Liberty led 12-7 after one quarter and held a 28-24 lead at the end of the third frame but couldn't manage to stop the Lady Blue Demons' six-foot center Courtney Wood down the stretch.
Wood scored 24 points while Granite Falls point guard Anna Lee Bollinger added 16 in the Lady Blue Demons victory.
Liberty was led in scoring by Taylor Chapman's 16 points. Other scorers for the Lady Knights included Katie LeCroy (nine), Hailey Hopkins (eight), Savannah Putnam (seven) and Leah Hasson (two).
Liberty's low post players McKenzie Hamby, Abby Hardin and Hopkins kept Wood at bay for the majority of the game but fatigue began to wear on the Lady Knights in their opening game of the season.
"Everyone played hard from the starters to the bench players," new Liberty head coach Rob Gregory said. "I told the girls that winning today's game was not the most important thing but hard work will pay off down the road. This was a really good performance today and a step forward for Liberty basketball."
Gregory and Liberty's other coach, Brittany Facciolla, announced this year's Lady Knights squad. The 2009-10 team members are Taylor Chapman, Abby Hardin, McKenzie Hamby, Lacy Davis, Hailey Hopkins, Katie LeCroy, Sarah Ramsey, Leah Hasson, Savannah Putnam, Devan Berry, Ann Marie Liles, Emily Smith, Taylor Fredrickson, Katelyn Hudson, Makayla Radford and Hannah Carlton.
The student-managers are Lindsey Adams, Savanah Worley, Malarie Tallent and Tabitha Pearson.
The Lady Knights will play six home conference games this season. Liberty will host Table Rock (Dec. 14), East Burke (Dec. 21), Heritage (Jan. 5), West McDowell (Jan. 7), Walter R. Johnson (Jan. 14) and East McDowell (Jan. 26).

Boys basketball
The Liberty Middle boys basketball squad took control late in the third quarter of Monday's non-conference road contest at Granite Falls Middle to claim a 36-33 win in the season opener.
Hayden Caraway broke a 16-16 tie late in the first half with an old-fashioned three-point play to give the Knights the lead. Liberty led 19-17 at the half.
After a defensive battle in the third quarter, Liberty guard Matthew Williams drove to the hoop, banked in a shot and was fouled on the play. Williams calmly sank the free throw to put the Knights ahead 25-21 with 1:22 left in the third quarter.
"It came down to our team play. We passed the ball, found the open player and made good attempts at the basket," Williams said. "We played good defense and didn't foul as much in the second half."
Williams extended the Knights' advantage to seven points (28-21) with another old-fashioned three-point play with 5:27 remaining in the game.
Granite Falls (1-1) battled back to within three points (30-27) before the Knights responded with a basket from Williams off an assist from Wyatt Fleming. Liberty extended the lead to 34-27 when Caraway sent a bounce pass to Fleming, who in turn made a short jumper with 1:32 left.
After Granite Falls sank two free throws, Williams connected on two charity tosses for a 36-29 lead with 27 seconds left.
Granite Falls scored two late field goals to account for the final score.
Williams led the Knights in scoring with 24 points. Caraway added four points, Collins Hamer scored four, Fleming two and Noah Eggers two.
The Knights picked got solid defensive play from Jared Sain, Brock Toner, Luke Baker and Nick Conklin in the low post positions. DJ Lynch and Austen Winters also played well off the bench.
Liberty (1-0) will travel to face East Yancey on Monday.

Table Rock
Boys basketball
Table Rock Middle boys head coach Jeff McCarrick listed the names of the 2009-10 team members. The Falcons basketball team members are Sampson Cuthbertson, Chris Bridges, Morgan Yancey, Javae Howell, Jeron Hemphill, Tray Reid, Marcus Wakefield, Ty Hemphill, Daniel Clark, Mitch Lipscomb, Josh Ray, Nathan Moore, Brendan Caldwell, Trynton Rutherford and Zach Hawkins.
Table Rock will open up the season with a home non-conference tilt against East Yancey Middle on Tuesday.
The Falcons conference home opener is on Dec. 2 versus East Burke. The other home conference contests include Walter R. Johnson (Dec. 17), Heritage (Jan. 11), West McDowell (Jan. 14), Liberty (Jan. 21) and East McDowell (Jan. 21).

Heritage
Girls basketball
Heritage girls basketball coaches Kristin Ramsey and Anna Sherrill released the Lady Eagles team members on Monday.
The 2009-10 squad includes Abby Robinson, Adasia Bradshaw, Anna Hughey, Erika Graybeal, Lacey Elliott, Gracan Deal, Kymonah Hall, Bailey Rhoney, Emily Rhyder, Sophia Hardenstine, Katelyn Rhoney, Kelsey Walker, Angel LeMaster and McKenzie Thornburg.
The student-managers are Courtney Robinson and Leslie Leonard.
The Lady Eagles will host Table Rock (Dec. 7), East Burke (Dec. 14), Walter R. Johnson (Dec. 21), West McDowell (Jan. 6), East McDowell (Jan. 14) and Liberty (Feb. 1).

Calendar
Thursday
Basketball
West Alexander at Walter R. Johnson
NCSD at Carolina Day