By Tabitha Evans Moore | EDITOR & PUBLISHER

LYNCHBURG — On nights when the three ball is hitting and the defense is dialed in, the Moore County Raiderettes are hard to beat. That was the experience of their friendly, not-s0-friendly, across-county rivals the Huntland Lady Hornets on Friday in Lynchburg as a suffocating Moore County defense and a trey hot streak from Ally Sharpe collided for a dominating 63-19 Raiderettes’ win.

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

Sharpe manages five first half treys

Friday was the first match up for the District 9 rivals. The Raiderettes came out swinging in the first period. The tip bounced directly into the hand of freshman Emma Dye, who quickly dribbled left for an easy layup. An aggressive Moore County defense went into an immediate press and Ellie Graham and Dye trapped a Lady Hornet in the right corner — just in front of the student section. The lights-out defensive play set the tone for the first half.

Off the turnover, Dye went up again, this time for a trey, to give Moore County a quick 5-0 lead. Huntland’s Riley Maxwell answered with a layup for the Lady Hornet first points of the game around the three minute mark. Sharpe then went up with the first of her five first half three point shots.

On the next possession, Sharpe hassled a Huntland dribbler on the left side. She threw the ball to no one to avoid a five-seconds call. Sharpe then made them pay for it with another trey to give Moore County a nine-point lead.

On Huntlnd’s next possession, Anna Harder deflected a pass right into the hands of Graham for another turnover. Katy Fletcher cashed in the opportunity with an off-the-glass jumper for two more — prompting a quick time out from the Huntland coach.

Several plays later, Hunland’s Madison Burks got a right side layup for the Lady Hornets last points of the first period. At the end of the first eight minutes, the Raiderettes led 25-4.

Raiderettes shut out Huntland in the fourth

It didn’t get any easier for Huntland in the second period. Moore County defense held the Lady Hornets to just six second period points while putting up 14. Moore County went into the locker room with a 29-point lead.

Moore County came out strong in the third period building a lead off points from Sharpe, Fletcher, and Graham as well as Emma Sazonov, who came off the bench for two points. At the end of the third stanza, the Raiderettes led 57-19.

Coach Spencer substituted heavily in the second half with. With Alexus Hornaday, Ella Burks, Bella Tucker, Nora Kate Sumner, Ellie Carter, Audrey Harder, Hannah Martin, Makenzie Goodwin, Emily Burks, and Harley Hart all getting valuable playing time. Audrey Harder, Martin, Ella Burks, and Tucker all contributed second half points.

Moore County shot 34 points from the floor and another 21 from the perimeter including five from Sharpe and one from Audrey Harder. They were impressive again from the line — shooting eight of 10 (80 percent). For comparison, the Lady Hornets scored five from the floor and three from the perimeter. They were a goose egg from behind the line.

Ally Sharpe led for Moore County with 25 points. Others contributing Raiderettes were Katy Fletcher (9), Ellie Graham (7), Emma Dye (7), Audrey Harder (5), Hannah Martin (2), Ella Burks (2), Bella Tucker (2), Emma Sazonov (2), and Anna Harder (2)

Number two Moore County travels to a non-district matchup against Class 1A number six Van Buren County on Tuesday. •

{The Lynchburg Times is a locally owned and locally operated community newspaper in Lynchburg, Tennessee. We’re the only newspaper that publishes editions twice a week every Sunday and Wednesday as well as 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. }