From staff reports
A.L. Brown’s basketball teams won their first-round games on Wednesday in a Christmas tournament being staged at Cox Mill.
Brown’s girls (5-4) dominated the second and third quarters and whipped Providence 53-37.
Aitana Grant scored 12 points to lead the Wonders. Raven Phifer hit three 3-pointers and scored 11. Megan Shue contributed a career-best 10.
Champagne Brice added eight points, while Sara Tuttle had six.
The Wonders play at 4 p.m. today against the Cox Mill-Covenant Classical winner.
A.L. Brown’s boys (5-4) got a career game from junior guard Derrick Copeland and beat Hough 67-59.
Copeland drilled eight 3-pointers and scored 33 points.
Braxton Waddell added 15 points, and the Wonders got a boost from Damien Washington’s season debut. Reporting after a stint in the Shrine Bowl, Washington’s ballhandling and defense made a difference.
The Wonders snapped a three-game losing skid.
“Damien freed up Derrick to score more because he didn’t have to handle the ball as much,” coach Shelwyn Klutz said. “Hopefully, we’re going to get some people healthy and get things turned around.”
Standout Tevin Stark (deep bone bruise) is expected to be cleared to return to practice in early January.
“He’s moving around a whole lot better,” said Klutz, who notched his 196th victory as Brown’s boys coach.
The Wonders take on Independence today at 5:30 p.m.
Livingstone women win
Freshman Sophie Lepzem scored a career-high 20 points to lead Livingstone’s women to a 68-66 win against Queens on Wednesday.
Lepzem’s 20 points and six rebounds came in 24 minutes. Montiya Harrison added 17 points while, Jasmine Murray contributed 14. Rashida Elbourne had a team-high seven rebounds.
Livingstone (4-6) plays at Belmont Abbey on Friday.
College swimming
Catawba’s Katie Kruglov was named women’s swimmer of the week for the Bluegrass Mountain Conference.
Over the four-day meet she broke school records and made NCAA ‘B’ cuts in the 200 IM (2:09.56), 200 free (1:54.33), 500 free (5:07.06), 100 back (58.21), 200 back (2:04.33) and then set another school record in the 100 free (53.49).
North boosters
On Tuesday, Jan. 3, at 6 p.m., the North Rowan Boosters will hold their monthly meeting. It will be a “Meet Joe Nixon” Night.
Nixon, a long-time assistant to Scott Young at West Rowan, was recently named the new head football coach.
Local golf
Sixty-two GARS members played at Warrior earlier this week.
Low ‘A’ flight player with a net of 65.30 was Lou Manning.
Low ‘B’ flight player with a net of 68.88 was Harry DeVlieger. Low ‘C’ flight player with a net of 65.61 was Lloyd Clodfelter. Low “D flight player with a net of 57.76 was Dave Wilson.
YMCA soccer
Registration for Hurley Y indoor soccer has been extended to Dec. 31.
If you are interested in coaching, contact Phillip Hilliard at 704-636-0111 or philliard@rowanymca.org.