By Tabitha Evans Moore, EDITOR & PUBLISHER
LOCAL SPORTS | What is it with thrilling, last-second finishes between the Moore County Raiderettes and the Huntland Lady Hornets?
If you’ll recall, last year then sophomore Ellie Graham made three from the line with no time on the clock to hand the Lady Hornets a 38-37 loss in their second game of the 2022-23 season. With just seconds to play, Maecy Fletcher threw what was arguably a football pass the length of the court to a waiting Graham. The Lady Hornets fouled Graham on her three-point attempt — sending her to the line. She made all three shots to seal the win.
Raiderettes lead in the first but trail by halftime
The Raiderettes jumped out early in first period. Huntland’s Jocy May used the backboard to earn the first points of the game at the 7:06 mark then Moore County’s Graham quickly answered with a lay up underneath.
Like most rivalry game, this one got a bit chippy at times, but the referees seemed content to let them play. Both teams played tough and managed contact in the paint.
After trading turnovers, Huntland moved down court and May set up down the left side. Graham tipped her shot to regain possession but the Raiderettes couldn’t convert to points. On the Lady Hornets next possession, Moore County fouled Lady Hornet Maddie Burks sending her to the line. She hit one of two to make it 3-2. Those would be Huntland’s last points of the first period. Moore County then went on a five-point run with points by Graham and Anna Harder plus one from the free throw line by Katy Fletcher to end the first period up by four, 7-3.
Huntland battled back in the second period – putting up 12 points while holding the Raiderettes to just two scores, one by Graham and a second by Audrey Harder. At the end of the first half, Moore County trailed by four, 15-11.
Ellie Graham led in the first half with six followed by Audrey Harder and Anna Harder with a bucket each. Katy Fletcher added one from the free throw line.
Game goes into to double overtime
Moore County got the ball first in the second period and took advantage with a left side, crashing-the-boards bucket by Madison Dingler. Now playing an aggressive man defense, Moore County forced back-to-back turnovers, then Fletcher managed a right side layup for two that tied the game at 15-15.
Huntland’s May missed on a left side layup, then Audrey Harder fed Fletcher the ball at the top of the key and she swished a trey to give Moore County back the lead, 18-15. Burks then went inside for two and earned the “and one” foul. She missed to give Moore County a narrow one-point lead. Fletcher then fed Graham the ball down low. She missed, got her own rebound, and put the ball back up for two – drawing her own “and one” foul. Her three points padded the lead to three, 20-17.
Following a time out around the 5:04 mark, Graham went inside again drawing the foul. She made one of two. Huntland answers with two more points by Burks. The two teams then traded turnover before Graham drove in the paint for two more to make it 24-19. Emma Sazonov then came off the bench, stole the inbound pass, and drove in for two more Raiderette points. On Huntland’s next possession, May dished to Burks down the left side for a Lady Hornet bucket to pull them back within four.
Following a Moore County turnover, Baily Morris scored to make it a three-point game, then a heads up defensive move by Audrey Harder gave the Raiderettes back the ball underneath. Graham collected the pass at the top of the key and drove down the right side for the last Moore County points of the third period. A free throw by Burks and Stratton Davis made it Moore County 28, Huntland 26.
Then shenanigans started. As Raiderettes Head Coach Chad Spencer called a timeout, he began to give his players the “what for” for the unnecessary foul. The referee mistakenly thought Coach Spencer was yelling at him, and called a technical foul to the delight of the home crowd. Davis went to the line and hit one of two. At the end of the third, Moore County led by one, 28-27.
Moore County and Huntland matched each other nearly point-for-point in the fourth. With 3:42 to play, Fletcher rebounded the ball and threw a long down-court pass to Graham who then drove inside for two to earn the Raiderettes a five-point lead, 36-31 around the three minute mark.
Huntland’s May then drove through traffic for two points to make it a three-point game — prompting a Lady Hornet time out. After trading turnovers, Lady Hornet Morris drained a trey with a little over a minute to play – tying the game and sending it into overtime, 36-36.
Moore County and Huntland managed four points each in the first OT minutes. May got a bucket and Burks shot two from the line for the Lady Hornets and Graham scored a basket and two from the line for Moore County.
With 1:00 to play, Huntland went up by two thanks to two from the line by Burks. Then, Graham had a chance to put the game away with two from the line with 49 seconds to play but she swished one of two. Audrey Harder also went to the line with 2.2 seconds remaining but missed on both to send the game into double overtime.
Moore County struck first in OT number two when Sazonov dished to Graham underneath for two points, 42-40. Then, Graham deflected a pass to May – forcing the turnover on the next play. They called the exact same play on their next possession and a determined Graham shot, caught her own rebound, and shot again four times before drawing the foul. She hit both to make it 44-40.
Moore County immediately got a turnover – prompting a Huntland timeout. Anna Harder took advantage – swishing a trey from the left corner to make it 46-40 with 2:03 to play. Lady Hornet Aysia Williams answered with a three of her own to pull Huntland back within three, 46-43. Moore County then turned the ball over on a bad pass. Huntland returned the favor, thanks to a tipped pass by Graham.
Another bad pass prompted a scramble for the ball. With possession still in question, Huntland Coach Edmonson called a time out with 54 second to play. Following the break, Morris went up for two to make it a one-point game, 46-45.
With nine seconds remaining, the Hornet intentionally fouled Dingler sending her to the line, but she missed on both. Three seconds later, they fouled Dingler again. This time she made both to give Moore County the go ahead points. Huntland’s Morris missed on the attempted buzz-beater – handing the Raiderettes a road victory against the Lady Hornets in dramatic fashion for the second year in a row.
Graham led with 28 points
The win improved Moore County to a 3-0 district record and first place in District 9A play.
Ellie Graham led for Moore County with 28 points. In the fourth quarter, the Hornet announcer stopped play to announce that Graham made her 1000th career point.
Katy Fletcher added six more. Madison Dingler and Anna Harder scored four each. Emma Sazonov, Audrey Harder, and Makenzie Goodwin scored a bucket each.
The Raiderettes will travel to Eagleville on Friday for their second district match up with Eagleville on Friday. As a reminder to fans who plan to travel with the team, all Rutherford County schools implement a clear bag policy for all spectators at high school athletic events. One clear tote no larger than 12x6x12 or small clutch is allowed per person. Purses, backpacks, diaper bags, etc. are not allowed.
If you can’t attend in person, the Moore County Sports Broadcasting Team will live stream the game on the NFHS Network. The Times will also live blog the action on our Facebook page. •
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