Polk County Middle undoubtedly would have welcomed a do-over Thursday afternoon.
The Wolverines more than held their own with Lake Lure Classical for the final three quarters of their girls basketball matchup. But that wasn’t the case in the opening quarter, when the Raptors raced to a 16-0 lead and made that margin stand in a 38-23 triumph.
Polk Middle (2-7) played without a couple of injured players, including leading scorer Kenzie Alm. That perhaps helped account for the sluggish start, with Lake Lure taking its 16-point bulge into the second quarter.
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Ryleigh Dill finally broke the ice for Polk with 4:57 left in the second period, and the Wolverines pulled to within 14 by halftime, with Dill scoring just before the buzzer to make it 24-10.
The Raptors pushed the lead back to 17 midway through the third period, but Polk Middle again rallied, closing to within 11 at 32-21 with 2:27 remaining. Lake Lure’s Joanna Chapman hit a pair of baskets, though, to help keep the Raptors’ lead in double digits the rest of the way.
Amiyah Whiteside had 15 of her 16 points in the first half to lead Lake Lure, with Chapman adding 12.
Dill led Polk Middle with 13 points, with Preslie Bradley scoring four, Myrakle Gary adding three, Adalyn Painter tallying two and Emory Dow adding a point.
The two teams are slated to meet again January 6 at Lake Lure Classical.
