By Tabitha Evans Moore, EDITOR & PUBLISHER

HUNTLAND, Tenn. — Much to our chagrin, the Moore County Raiderettes are playing like a team that don’t read their press clippings. No matter the team or the score, they play with the same intensity and rarely take their collective Columbia blue feet off the accelerator – even when up by double digits.

That intensity – both on offense and defense – overwhelmed the just-six-players from Fayetteville on Saturday as the Moore County Raiderettes edged one step closer to their gold ball dreams with a decisive 66-24 win in the District 9A Girls’ Basketball Championship game played at Huntland High School. And it was never close.

The win gives the Moore County squad their third District 9A Championship in four years. They were perfect in district play through the regular season as well as through the district tourney.

{Editor’s Note: This year’s Raiders basketball coverage is free to all readers thanks to our community partner, Woodard’s Market.}

Sharpe led in the first half with 22

The Raiderettes jumped out big in the first period thanks to points by Ally Sharpe, Katy Fletcher, Ellie Graham, and Anna Harder. Sharpe led in the first period with nine after hitting a perimeter hot streak. She eventually swished six first half treys for 18 points and also led at the half with 22.

Moore County outscored Fayetteville 19-4 in the first and 17-4 in the second to go up 36-8 at the half.

Raiderettes score 19 off the bench

Out of the break, Fayetteville’s Kayden Parks swished a trey to kick off the third period scoring and then a wide-open Graham immediately answered. Graham, Fletcher, and Sharpe then pieced together a nine-point run to build a 45-11 lead.

Coach Spencer then began to substitute heavily. Emma Sazonov and Audrey Harder came in early in the first half and were joined in the third by Hannah Martin, Bella Tucker, and Makenzie Goodwin. Tucker put up six second half points from underneath including a right-side layup with less than four seconds to play in the third period.

At the end of the third period, Moore County led by 36 points, 51-15.

You can bet that all the Region 5A coaches and players are watching Raiderette film this week leading up the Region 5A Tournament, which will kick off at Moore County High School on Friday. They, of course, will notice the need to come up with an answer for Sharpe, Fletcher, and Graham. But one of the Raiderettes’ strength this season is depth. Moore County boasts multiple players who’ve notched plenty of game time and will become that X factor as post-season play progresses.

Moore County flexed that muscle on Saturday as Ellie Carter, Ella Burks, Emma Burks, Lily Hoagland, Harley Hart, Abbey Mason, and Alexus Hornaday all substituted in and kept the points coming in the fourth period.

Moore County’s starters – Graham, Fletcher, Sharpe, Anna Harder, and Emma Dye – scored 36 in the first half and Moore County’s bench added another 30 in the second. Audrey Harder, Tucker, Hoagland, and Carter contributed 19 points off the bench.

At the final buzzer, the Raiderettes added another District 9A Championship to the MCHS trophy case with a resounding 66-24 win.

Ally Sharpe led for Moore County with 23 followed by Ellie Graham with 13. Other contributing Raiderettes were Katy Fletcher (9), Bella Tucker and Ellie Carter (6 each), Audrey Harder (4), Lily Hoagland (3), and Anna Harder (2).

Kayden Parks led Fayetteville with 17 points.

During the awards ceremony, District 9A coaches named Fletcher to the All District 9A Season Team. Sharpe and Graham shared the District 9A Season Player of the Year Award. Moore County Coach Chad Spencer was names as the Coach of the Year.

Fletcher and Sharpe were both named to the District 9A Tournament Team and Graham earned the District 9A Tournament MVP.

Moore County will now move on to the Region 5A Tournament and will get the privilege of home court advantage this year. We’ll update about their opponent as soon as that bracket is released. •

{The Lynchburg Times is a locally owned and locally operated community newspaper in Lynchburg, Tennessee. We’re the only newspaper that publishes new stories every morning at 7 a.m. plus breaking news as it happens. It’s also one of the few women-owned newspapers in the state. We’re supported by both readers and community partners who believe in independent journalism for the common good. You can support us by clicking here. }