Norwayne basketball - Wayne-Wilson News Leader, Fremont, NC

As usual, the ladies kicked into high gear at the top of the game, earning 23 points to Rosewood’s nine in the first half. An aggressive defense allowed turnovers from Rosewood, boosting Norwayne’s scoring power.

The ladies continued to play strong in the second half, allowing only 7 more points from the Eagles and amassing 20 more on the visitor’s side of the board.

Imari Howell was the lead scorer on Thursday, earning 13 points, while Courtnei Gilbert earned nine. Brooke Bell put six on the board, and Kayla Williams, Reagan Herndon, and Ivy Hartzell contributed four apiece. Alaina Moore rounded out the score with three points.

The girls breezed by Eastern Wayne 43-12 to claim the conference title and finish out their perfect season on Monday.

The ladies earned 16 points in the first period alone, more than their opponents would collect the entire game. The ladies held a 21-2 advantage at the half, and held back the surge of the Eastern Wayne girls in the second half, allowing only 10 points while gaining 22 more for themselves.

Howell and Gilbert led the offense again, earning 10 and nine points, respectively. Hartzell also had nine points. Moore had three points, and Bell, Herndon, Natana Martin, and Jenna VanHorn each had two points.

The Norwayne boys finished out their season with two losses.

Thursday, the boys traveled to Rosewood and suffered a big loss at the hands of the Eagles.

The Cobra boys started off right, earning seven points, while the Eagles kept things close with six points. But the Eagles started to push ahead before the half, building to a 17-15 lead, but the Norwayne boys seemed to still have a handle on things.

But as the Rosewood boys took the court for the second half, the Eagles ripped out of the Cobra’s grasp, earning an impressive 20 points during the third quarter while holding the Norwayne boys at 10. Their dominance continued into the final period, and the Eagles finished with a 53-35 win.

Kareem Alawar was the lead scorer for Norwayne with nine points, while AJ Mundle contributed eight. Jalen Williams and Hunter Jones each had five, and Hunter Britt had four. Greg Williams and Adam Pate rounded out the scoring with two points apiece.

Though it was a good first half and a bad second half that led to their defeat at Rosewood, the reverse earned a loss for Norwayne in their final game at home against Eastern Wayne on Monday.

Eastern Wayne doubled the Norwayne boys score in the first period, earning 16 to the Cobras eight. The Norwayne defense held the EW boys in the following periods, while boosting their own offense, but couldn’t quite catch up. Eastern Wayne earned the win with a 53-41 lead at the bottom of the game.

Mundle, Alawar, J. Williams, and Shakel Powell each contributed six points for Norwayne. Bryant Stafford had five points, while Eric Murchison and Britt each had four. G. Williams and Jones each had two points.

Norwayne’s girls celebrated their remarkable season by cutting down the nets after the boys’ game on Monday.

Coach Pam Andrews said she was proud of her girls, but was sad to see the season end.

“This has been an outstanding season for our team – talent, hard work and great chemistry have been a winning combination,” she said.

As many of her girls will go on to Aycock next year, she wishes them the best.

“C.B. Aycock girls’ basketball program has a very bright future,” she said.

For more photos from the games, see the girls or boys galleries.

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Issue of 14 February 2008

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