Unbeaten Martin Riverside ends Rosewood's dream season

By Kenneth Fine
Published in Sports on March 8, 2014 11:15 PM

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kfine@newsargus.com

FAYETTEVILLE -- They hoisted a trophy after the final buzzer sounded -- just not the one they were hoping for.

Tears fell at mid-court and in the locker room -- just not the kind that often accompanies elation.

The Rosewood Lady Eagles' historic season came to an end Saturday evening in a 75-48 loss in the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 1-A eastern finals.

Riverside-Martin was simply too big -- their defense too tenacious.

Lexi Mercer's double-double -- a hard fought 21-point, 10-rebound outing -- was not enough to propel the Lady Eagles to its first-ever appearance in the NCHSAA championship game.

But Rosewood head coach Rick Grantham said he will try to focus on the journey -- on a group of young ladies that, for the duration of the season, never knew the word quit -- and not how it ended.

"That's what I told the kids in the locker room -- that I was proud of them, that they did everything they could do. Sometimes, it just ain't good enough," he said. "You have to be able to look in the mirror and say that you did the best you could. We did. We drained our tank. When I looked at those babies out there, they drained their tanks. That's all we ever asked of them."

Plagued by turnovers -- the Lady Eagles (25-2) committed 22 of them that led to 25 points for the Lady Knights -- Rosewood didn't see a lead after the first few minutes of the game.

And for most of the evening, a Riverside victory seemed well in hand.

Freshman Kayla Jones, the regional MVP, turned in a 20-point, eight-rebound performance and Jalyn Brown added 21 for the Knights, who maintained a double-digit advantage for the better part of the contest.

But Grantham's players never quit.

They sprinted down the court time and time again when their opponents got out in transition.

They dove, on countless occasions, for loose balls.

Seniors Alicia Burns and Hayley Mercer took several hits from a physical Riverside squad.

"They're gonna go until they can't go no more," Grantham said. "When I look at them and they can't physically generate that energy anymore, that's not lack of effort. They have done all they can do. At some point, you run out of gas -- just like an automobile. You are going to run out of gas."

Burns, who scored 13 points in her final game as a Lady Eagle, got emotional when she talked about the end of her Rosewood career.

"I can honestly say that I don't have any regrets. I know that every single one of us gave it all we could on the court," she said. "Regardless of the outcome tonight, we made history. We'll be remembered forever."

Mercer agreed.

The sophomore characterized playing in the regional final -- a first for Rosewood since 1983 -- as a "major experience," for those who will return to the hardwoods for the school next year.

"We're hoping that next year we can keep on pushing," she said. "Hopefully we can use that experience to our advantage."

But for now, she will take bask in all she and her teammates accomplished during a season that will live on in the Wayne County history books.

"It's crazy to even think about. This is what we've wanted since we started and we finally reached our goal," she said. "So we may have fallen short, but we still made history and our legacy will be remembered forever."

Grantham will never forget this team.

So when he was asked Saturday how he would leave them at the end of the night, just what his final message of 2014 would be, he answered quickly -- a smile creeping across his face.

"I love 'em," he said. "I love 'em."We did. We drained our tank.

"When I looked at those babies out there, they drained their tanks. That's all we ever asked of them."

Turnovers plagued the Eagles, who gave up 22 points on 25 miscues.

For most of the evening, a Riverside victory seemed well in hand.

Freshman Kayla Jones, the regional MVP, turned in a 20-point, eight-rebound performance. Jalyn Brown added 21 for the Knights, who maintained a double-digit advantage for the better part of the contest.

Rosewood never quit.

The Eagles (25-2) sprinted down the court time and time again when their opponents got out in transition.

They dove for loose balls on countless occasions.

Seniors Alicia Burns and Hayley Mercer took several hits from a physical Riverside squad.

"They're gonna go till they can't go no more," Grantham said. "When I look at them and they can't physically generate that energy any more, that's not lack of effort. They have done all they can do.

"At some point, you run out of gas -- just like an automobile. You are going to run out of gas."

Burns, who scored 13 points in her final game for the Eagles, got emotional when she talked about the end of her high school career.

"I can honestly say that I don't have any regrets. I know that every single one of us gave it all we could on the court," she said. "Regardless of the outcome tonight, we made history. We'll be remembered forever."

Mercer agreed.

The sophomore characterized playing in the regional final -- a first for Rosewood since 1983 -- as a "major experience" for those who will return to the hardwoods for the school next year.

"We're hoping that next year we can keep on pushing," she said. "Hopefully we can use that experience to our advantage."

But for now, she will take bask in all she and her teammates accomplished during a season that will live on in the Wayne County history books.

"It's crazy to even think about. This is what we've wanted since we started and we finally reached our goal," Mercer said. "So we may have fallen short, but we still made history and our legacy will be remembered forever."

Grantham will never forget this team.

So when he was asked Saturday how he would leave them at the end of the night, just what his final message of 2014 would be, he answered quickly as a smile crept across his face.

"I love 'em," he said. "I love 'em."