Elizabethton and Happy Valley renewed the rivalry on Warrior Hill Friday night, and each school came away with a win.
The Lady Warriors pulled away in the fourth quarter to take a 55-43 victory over Elizabethton in the girls game, while the Cyclones methodically pulled away for a 74-50 win over the Warriors.
In the varsity opener, it was a battle from the opening tip.
Happy Valley’s Adrienne Henegar and Elizabethton’s Kaylen Shell had five points each in the opening eight minutes as EHS held a 12-11 lead going to the second quarter. Shay Whitson got the inside going for HV in the second stanza as she tallied eight points, but an even Lady Cyclone attack tied the game at 23-23 at the break.
In the third quarter, neither team was able to get any real separation from the other as the quarter ended in a 31-31 stalemate. The fourth quarter, however, saw the Lady Warriors take control. Henegar went 7-of-8 from the free throw line as part of her nine fourth-quarter points, and Whitson added seven more to her total as HV doubled up EHS in the final quarter to secure the win.
Whitson led the way with 21 points, while Henger added 18 points. Olivia Absher and Tianna Long had nine and seven points, respectively.
In the boys game, the opening quarter was an even battle as the frame ended with the teams knotted up at 11-11.
Elizabethton seized the lead in the second quarter as the Cyclones combined for five 3-pointers in the stanza. That allowed EHS to take a 33-21 advantage into the second half.
The Cyclones’ Parker Highes and Eric Wilson had five points apiece in the third to get a little breathing room, but HV’s Bryce Carter and Noah Stevens countered with four points apiece.
The Warriors got things going in the final quarter, but EHS held onto the advantage to take the win.
Wilson had 21 points to lead Elizabethton, while Evan Perkins added 11 points. Hughes finished with 10 points.
Carter led the way for HV with 16 points. Dakota Cochran added 10 points to the Warrior cause.
