By Tabitha Evans Moore, EDITOR & PUBLISHER

LYNCHBURG, Tenn. – Raiderette fans knew the Cornersville Lady Bulldog would travel to Lynchburg looking for a fight. Nothing prepared them for the tense 32 minutes of girls’ high school basketball that took place in the Region 5A Semifinal on Monday night at MCHS.

With visions of playing spoiler to the Raiderettes this season, the Lady Bulldog played intense from the tip, in a game that felt like a replay of the 2024 Region 5A Semifinal game.

In last year’s game, Madison Dingler tied the game with 41 seconds to play – forcing overtime. Then with 1:07 to play in OT, Dingler inbounded the ball to Katy Fletcher, who waited patiently on the right side. As time expired, she went up for the game winning off-the-backboard basket – handing Moore County a 45-43 win on their way to the Class 1A State Runners Up title. {To read our full coverage of that game, click here.}

Add in a healthy rivalry between Raiderettes Head Coach Chad Spencer and Cornersville Head Coach Hayden McMahon, and Monday night’s game contained all the ingredients for a showdown with the Lady Bulldog itching to exact a little revenge.

Physical first period ended 4-2

Of particular note on Monday, was the #5 on #5 battle between Moore County’s Ally Sharpe and Cornersville Emma Kate Dunavant, which felt strained from the word go. Sharpe went after the tip off and Dunavant snatched it away. Moments later, Sharpe stole the ball from Dunavant and made a fast break towards the Moore County goal only to be elbowed and body slammed into the wall by Cornersville’s Annamarie Cooper.

Sharpe sat stunned and referees halted play for several moments before the Raiderettes’ Athletic Trainer and Coach Spencer helped her off the court. Emma Sazonov came in to shoot Sharpe’s two from the line. She made both to give Moore County an early 2-0 lead, but the incident set the tone for the rest of the game.

Sharpe sat out for the next four minutes then came back in at the 3:19 mark to a round of applause from the home crowd. She continued to relentlessly guard Dunavant — who looked red-faced and visibly aggravated.

The first period ended up being a defensive battle that ended with Moore County leading 4-2. All four Raiderette points came from the line with Sazonov and Katy Fletcher swishing two each.

21 first half fouls between the two teams

Ellie Graham got the first points of the second period with two from the line to make it 6-2. Cornersville turned the ball over, then Fletcher went up for put-back points to stretch the lead to six, 8-2.

Several plays later, Lady Bulldog Ally Gentry hit a trey to pull back within three, 8-5. Then a determine Graham drove in from the left side on the next play, and drew the foul. She made both to stretch the lead back to five, 10-5.

On the next Cornersville possession, they drew an offensive foul when Sazonov went up for a rebound and Franklin crashed over her back — sending her to the line. She swished both to make it 12-5.

Two possession later, Audrey Harder drew her second foul of the game sending Abigail Finley to the line. She made both, 12-7. Moore County turned the ball over, then fouled Dunavant. She swished both to make it 12-9 — but it was as close as Cornersville would get.

Sharpe made the Raiderettes’ lone trey of the game with 27 second left in the first half to send Moore County into the locker room leading by six, 15-9.

Moore County earned 11 first half fouls and Cornersville managed 10. Three Lady Bulldogs — Franklin, Cooper, and Gentry — went into the break with three fouls each. Franklin and Cooper would eventually foul out in the fourth period.

Moore County came out of the break swing with points from Fletcher, Graham, and Dye. At the 3:37 mark in the third, Gentry went to the line and made one of two. The Raiderettes then pieced together an 11-point run and held Cornersville scoreless until half way through the fourth.

At the final buzzer, Moore County denied the revenge — downing Cornersville 34-18.

Graham led with 12 points

Ellie Graham led for Moore County with 12 points followed by Katy Fletcher with seven. Ally Sharpe, Emma Dye, and Emma Sazonov scored four each. Anna Harder added three more.

The Raiderettes will now move on to play Richland in the Region 5A Championship game on Wednesday at Moore County High School. Richland beat Fayetteville on Monday, 67-52.

Tip off of the Region 5A Championship Game on Wednesday will take place at 7 p.m. at Moore County High School •

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