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Piorkowski sparks NW
The returning starters who helped lead Northwest Whitfield to the Class 4A state quarterfinals last season are already well-known to most girls basketball teams in the area.
Southeast Whitfield can testify that even when the Lady Bruins go to their bench, they don’t become much less of a challenge.
Junior post Quaneisha McCurty, one of those returning starters, scored 12 points as the Lady Bruins won 64-18 on Friday at Southeast, but Kayla Piorkowski played super substitute against the Lady Raiders with 12 points of her own.
“Honestly, Kayla is the one that hurt us worse than anybody,” said Lady Raiders coach Elizabeth Crane, whose team lost for just the second time in five games to start the season. “She was able to get open and shoot the ball.”
Neither team enjoyed an overall good shooting night, but the Lady Bruins (2-2) countered their early sluggishness — halfway through the first quarter, they held a 4-2 lead — by driving to the basket for high-percentage shots.
The other boost came from the energetic substitutes who give Northwest coach Margaret Stockburger options in her offensive and defensive attacks. Northwest’s pace seemed to pick up automatically in the first quarter when junior Tori Clemmons entered and, fed by senior starting point guard Baleigh Coley, scored in transition moments later.
That was just the earliest example of what the bench would do against Southeast.
“When we were in (Parkview High’s Thanksgiving tournament), we were only able to play seven or eight people,” said Stockburger, who lost one of her top bench players in the Nov. 21 opener when senior Kelsey Kirk suffered a season-ending knee injury.
“The way we run and the way we try to do things, we want to play more people, so we’ve got to get them some experience. From top to bottom, all 13 did a wonderful job tonight.”
When Piorkowski exited for the last time in the fourth quarter, the senior guard smiled but swung her arm good-naturedly at the thought of having a seat.
“I just wanted to keep playing,” she said after the game, laughing.
Southeast’s Briana Sosebee matched the game-best scoring efforts of McCurty and Piorkowski, but the Lady Raiders struggled to generate offense as Northwest led from start to finish — the Lady Bruins were up 15-7 at the end of the first period, 34-11 at halftime and 52-13 entering the fourth — in the first of two non-region matchups scheduled for this year between the two intracounty rivals.
“We played timid, to be very honest, I think, offensively and defensively,” said Crane, whose Lady Raiders get a second opportunity vs. Northwest on Dec. 18. “We didn’t play to the ability I think we’re capable of playing.”
Northwest’s Sydney Roberts added nine points, while Christy Robinson had seven points and seven rebounds. Coley had five steals and four assists.
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A keen work ethic
Misty Watson/ The Daily Citizen
This is Kolby Keener’s school year — athletically speaking — at Murray County High School: It’s softball in August, but before that season is barely cold in the books, it’s time for basketball. After the hardwood season concludes, it’s off to travel softball, which ends for her in late May.
Continued ...
Then, it’s time for a summer break.
Oh, wait. There’s no time for relaxation.
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