Farmville Central sweeps Rosewood in Carolina 1-A action

Published in Sports on January 23, 2005 2:00 AM

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Final scores of Friday night's Rosewood-Farmville Central basketball games hardly tell the tale of being oh so close, and yet so far.

The same bad dream kept coming true.

Not only did the Eagles drop both contests to the visiting Jaguars, but they lost in virtually the same tantalizing, but agonizing way, and by almost identical scores.

The women fell 55-43, while the men came out on the short end of a 53-43 verdict, dropping Rosewood to 2-5 in Class 1-A Carolina conference play. The Lady Eagles remain in the hunt for the N.C. High School Athletic Association playoffs at 4-3.

It was the same script. Only the names of the actors and actresses were different.

Both clubs put themselves in the hole in the first quarter. The girls got behind 13-4, while the boys were on the wrong end of a 14-2 score before things finally got rolling.

Coaches Jerry Narron and June Hill changed defensive schemes to start the second quarter, moving to a full-court press.

Results were immediate.

Farmville Central turned the ball over the first three times they had the ball, and had a total of eight for the quarter.

Rosewood's offense also came to life. Baskets by Claire Narron and Latitia Wade, along with a 3-pointer by Jessica Hill brought the Lady Eagles within one, 17-16, just under the six-minute mark of the second quarter.

Hill then hit Wade on a picture perfect pass for the go ahead score, 18-17, at 5:02. Hill, along with Stephanie Rhodes, held their own under the boards against their very physical guests.

Rhodes was also a significant part of the Lady Eagle offense in the second half. Passes into her in the low post resulted in three baskets in the third quarter, tying the game twice, and for a 32-28 lead at the five minute mark.

Farmville coach Denitra Hayes had three antidotes to their pesky hosts. She broke the press with pinpoint out-of-bounds passes to midcourt. The Jaguars were also devastating from the foul line down the stretch, converting 10 of 11 in the half.

Finally, Megan Zullo got untracked offensively. Held scoreless in the first quarter, the senior guard came alive with 10 in the second and added 15 more after intermission. After Rosewood had cut the lead back to two, 42-40 at 3:46, she iced the game sinking six consecutive free throws down the stretch.

"When you play a good team like Farmville, you've got to come out ready to play from the opening whistle," said Narron. "Farmville did. We didn't. With the exception of the opening quarter, I think we played one of the best teams and better players in the state very well."

The Rosewood men's offense went cold from Kyle Bunn's opening basket to their next point, a free throw by Danny Langston at 2:13. Compounding this were 11 first half Eagle turnovers. Farmville Central did not commit their first turnover until 7:03 of the second quarter.

As in the girls' game, Rosewood started their comeback midway through the second quarter. Baskets by Langston and Kyle Grey, and a three-pointer by Holt Rains with only :34 left, cut the lead to only four, 25-21, at the half.

The Eagle comeback wasn't over. Grey's left-handed hook knotted the score at 28 at 4:02 of the third quarter. Rosewood's only lead, 33-32, came at 6:18 of the fourth quarter when Langston converted a free throw to cap a three-point play.

Rosewood resorted to fouling to keep pace in the game with devastating results. Farmville Central converted a withering 11 for 12 from the charity stripe to close out the game.

"We had our chances, but just couldn't get the ball in," said coach Daniel Mitchell. "I was proud how we came back."

Rosewood is the guest of Ayden-Grifton next Tuesday.