By By BRIAN HAINES, Sports Writer
WILLIAMSTON — A tepid first quarter percolated into a sizzling second, as Wiliamston broke down Northampton-West with a stifling press to capture a 69-47 win in the opening round of the NCHSAA 1-A playoffs Tuesday.
The win upped the Tigers record to 22-1 and extended their winning streak to 16, as they storm into the second round of the playoffs where they will host the winner of the Creswell-Northampton-East game on Thursday.
Katie Paschal, the state’s leading scorer, erupted for a game-high 35 points, and scored 11 unanswered in the first quarter to take an early 16-4 lead.
The Lady Hurricanes (7-15), a wild card entry from the Tar Roanoke Conference, responded with a late run led by Shantilla Evans, and cut Williamston’s lead to 18-12 at the end of the first quarter.
Evans played a solid overall game and paced Northampton-West with 17 points.
The Tigers roared ahead in the second thanks to a tremendous defensive effort by Paschal, Cassie Harrell, Zakia Morris and Jessica Clemmons.
Williamston’s defense was tenacious, and attacked the Hurricanes’ ball-handlers, forcing turnover after turnover which led to a 25-6 second quarter run to break the game open.
Elks was pleased with the team’s second quarter effort, but said he would have like to have seen his crew play with more fire from the start.
Aside from playing stellar defense, the Tigers did a nice job of distributing the ball and had seven players put up points.
Harrell was second on the team in scoring with 12, while Morris had nine.
Williamston punched holes in the Northampton zone by running a lot of back door cuts zone and several give-and-goes early in the first half to build up its lead.
Williamston went into halftime up 43-18, and coasted over the next two quarters to a fairly easy playoff win.
Northampton West 12 6 10 19 — 47
Williamston 18 25 11 15 — 69
Hurricanes (47)
Fabbs 6, Shantilla Evans 17, Human 9, Lashley 3, Tanisha Crossen 11, A. Lashley 2.
Tigers (69)
Morris 9, Katie Paschal 35, Cassie Harrell 12, Clemmons 5, Butch 2, Armstrong 2, McCoy 2.