Janada Carson made certain Polk County’s Senior Night would be one to remember.
Carson put together a season-best performance Friday, finishing one steal short of a triple double in leading the Wolverines to a 62-32 win over Owen in Western Highlands Conference play at Polk.
Had this been a one-on-five affair, at one point late in the second quarter, the score would have read Owen 14, Carson 14. The senior forward finished the night with 16 points, 11 rebounds and nine steals as Polk County (10-9, 4-6) posted its second straight conference blowout win.
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“The seniors stepped it up on Senior Night,” said Polk County head coach Craig Culbreth. “We came out with a little spark in this one.”
Polk County’s other senior, Lyric Flood, finished with four points, eight rebounds and four assists.
Carson scored the first six points of the game in giving the Wolverines a lead they would never lose. Polk County led 10-6 at the end of the first period, but then began to pull away in the second behind Carson and Hayley Kropp, each scoring eight points in the quarter as the Wolverines built a 30-18 halftime lead.
Able to counter Owen’s height advantage with aggressive defense leading to transition baskets, Polk County turned the game into a rout in the third quarter. Ashley Kropp and Sarah Phipps sparked a 22-5 run over the final two-thirds of the quarter, with Phipps scoring seven points and Kropp adding six on a variety of jumpers. The surge carried Polk County to a 52-25 lead at quarter’s end.
Culbreth also gave credit to his defense, which held Owen’s leading scorer, Whitney Montgomery, to just 11 points, many of those after the outcome had been decided. Phittisa Groce led Owen (8-14, 3-8) with 12 points.
“We tried to keep it out of (Montgomery’s) hands,” Culbreth said. “We did a good job. She didn’t score in the first quarter.”
Hayley Kropp had 19 points to lead Polk County, which also got 11 points and nine rebounds from Phipps.
Polk County finished the game with 20 steals and just eight turnovers.
Polk County Scoring
Hayley Kropp 19, Janada Carson 16, Sarah Phipps 11, Ashley Kropp 8, Lyric Flood 4, India Godlock 2, Ashley Love 2
