The Cranberry Middle School Boys and Girls both had a tough week as both squads lost their two games against Harris and East Yancey. On Monday, the Wildcats traveled to Harris and the girls squad lost 35-27, while the boys team lost a nail biter 22-21. Thursday evening saw Cranberry host the East Yancey Panthers. The Wildcats lost their second close game as they fell 26-23, while the Lady Wildcats lost 43-15.The Cranberry girls started the week at Harris, and Kristen Burleson started the game off strong as she scored four of Cranberry’s six first quarter points as they trailed 9-6 at the end of the first quarter. The Lady Wildcats held their own in the second quarter as Dani Carpenter and MaKenzi Hayes both hit key shots. CMS trailed 17-15 entering the third quarter. Burleson once again rose to the occasion as she hit a key 3-pointer and added another bucket. Kota Turbyfill also added two points to keep the Lady Wildcats within striking distance.
However, they could not pull closer as Harris took the victory with a final of 35-27. Burleson led the way for Cranberry with 12 points, while Turbyfill added five points. Katie Rigdon scored four points, while Brittany Clawson, Hayes, and Carpenter each had two points apiece.
On Thursday, the Lady Wildcats fought hard, but the East Yancey Lady Panthers came out on top for the 43-15 victory. Burleson and Rigdon led the Lady Wildcats with six points, while Carpenter added two points and Destiny Pryor chipped in a point.
In boys action, Cranberry started the week off with a strong showing at Harris. Shea Buchanan and Stetson Stafford each scored two points in the opening quarter as CMS trailed 4-7 at the end of the first. In the second quarter, Bryce Pittman scored four points as the Wildcats closed the gap and tied the game at 12 right before halftime.
Pittman continued his hot streak as he scored all six of the Wildcats points in the third quarter. Cranberry held Harris without a point in the fourth quarter, but came up short one point shy of the victory as Harris held on and won 22-21. Pittman was the leading scorer for Cranberry as he had 11 points. Buchanan added six points, and Stafford scored four points for the Wildcats.
Cranberry found itself in another tight game on Thursday night as they hosted East Yancey. The Wildcats jumped out quickly for a 5-4 lead at the end of the first quarter. In the second frame, Pittman scored three points while Buchanan chipped in two points, and Alex Manger nailed a 3-pointer to put the Wildcats on top at the half 13-8.
The Panthers managed to hold the Wildcats to four points in the third frame as they chipped the CMS lead down to 17-15. The fourth quarter saw both teams trade the lead in the final minutes; however East Yancey came out on top 26-23.
Pittman led the way for the Wildcats with seven points, and Buchanan added six points. Chandler Austin and Ben Turbyfill scored three points apiece, while Stafford added one point.
Last week, the Avery Middle School Panthers traveled to East Yancey and hosted Bowman. The Lady Panthers swept their games as they won 42-38 over East Yancey and 51-15 over Bowman. The Panthers fell to East Yancey on Monday 31-15, and held on to a 33-30 victory over Bowman.On Monday, the Lady Panthers traveled to East Yancey, and came home with a 42-38 victory. The Lady Panthers received four points apiece from Lauren Burleson and Megan Dellinger, but trailed by two points entering the second quarter .Kelsey Clarke sparked the Lady Panthers as she hit two 3-pointers in the second quarter, and Brooke Rhodes added four points as Avery Middle pulled within one point at the break.
The third quarter saw the Lady Panthers outscore East Yancey nine to seven, allowing AMS to take a lead into the final period. Sela Pittman scored six points in the fourth to help preserve the Lady Panther victory. Dellinger led the way with 12 points, while Clarke added ten points for the Lady Panthers. Rhodes scored eight points, and Burleson and Pittman added six points.
On Thursday, it was all Avery Middle from the start as they cruised to a 51-15 victory over Bowman. At the end of first quarter, AMS was up 11-1 after starting the game on a 9-0 run, and did not look back the rest of the contest. Ten Lady Panthers scored points during the contest, and was led by Rhodes’ 11 points. Clarke added nine points, while Dellinger tossed in six points. Abigail Vance and Heaton scored five apiece, and Paige Henderson and Burleson scored four points apiece. Pitman added three points while Ginny Leaman and Savannah Perry collected two points apiece.
In boys’ action, the Avery Middle Panthers came up short at East Yancey 31-15. The Panthers hung on tough, but could not keep up in the second half. Chance Watson scored five points, and Dalton Cook added four points. Jordan McClellan, Chase Buchanan, and Rob Wood all scored two points apiece.
The Panthers hosted Bowman on Thursday, and got a much needed victory. Wood scored three points, while Watson and Buchanan added two points apiece to give the Panthers a 7-5 lead at the end of the first quarter. The second quarter belonged to Bowman as they roared back and took a two point lead into the locker room at the half. The Panthers outscored Bowman 9-4 in the third quarter, and that gave AMS a three point edge entering the final quarter. Buchanan rose to the occasion as he scored seven points int eh final six minutes for the Panthers to help preserve the three point victory.
Buchanan led the way for the Panthers with 14 points. Watson had nine points on the night, as Wood scored eight points. Cook also scored two points for AMS.
