From staff reports

CONCORD — McKenzie Gadson’s 3-pointer got Carson’s girls basketball team into overtime, and the Cougars won once they got there.

Carson’s 51-46 win at Cox Mill  on Friday became an uphill climb after Carson scored only three points in the second quarter and fell behind by 10 points at halftime.

“We had a lot of poor decisions and we didn’t defend in the first half,” Carson coach Brooke Misenheimer said. “Fortunately, even on a night when we played poorly,  we found a way to win. We had to do a lot of clawing to get back into it at a tough place to play.”

Olivia Gabriel scored 19 points for the Cougars, including 9-for-12 from the foul line.

Gadson had 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Taylor Wiggins and Kailie Ketchie scored seven points each.

Alijuandra Street took two charges that helped Carson’s comeback.

Maddy Rinkus scored 13 for Cox Mill (9-14, 8-10).

Carson (19-5, 14-4) finished third in the conference, losing twice to undefeated Hickory Ridge, twice to second-place Central Cabarrus and once to CCC champ Salisbury in the Christmas tournament championship game.

It’s the third-highest win total in program history.

Carson will be at home in the first round of the SPC tournament next week and will take on the No. 6 seed, either West Rowan or Cox Mill.

CARSON (51) — Gabriel 19, Gadson 11,  Ketchie 7, Wiggins 7, Shumaker 4, Jackson 3, Taylor, Turney, Cooper, Street, Jolly.

COX MILL (46) — Rinkus 13, Tillery 10, Coley 7, Barker 6, Holmes 5, Riddle 3, Sandrini 2.

Carson          9       3     13     15  11 — 51

Cox Mill        9     13     10     8    6   — 46

Carson boys fall

CONCORD —  Wendell Moore Jr. poured in 38 points as Cox Mill topped  Carson’s boys, 87-74, on Cox Mill’s Senior Night.

“Moore was really tough tonight,” Carson coach Brian Perry said. “He made four 3-pointers, some deep ones, and that made him very difficult to defend.”

Moore is one of the nation’s top sophomores.

Francis Sio added 20 points for the SPC champion Chargers (18-6, 16-2), who held off a spirited effort by fifth-place Carson.

Carson got  23 points from Jamarius Hairston, 18 from Jailen Williams and 15 from Owen White.

Carson was down 10 at halftime. The Cougars cut the lead to single digits in  the third quarter, but the Chargers held them off.

“We made a little run at the start of the second half,” Perry said. “It’s not like we played bad. They were just really good tonight and we couldn’t stop them.”

CARSON (74) — Hairston 23, Williams 18, White 15, Prugh 7, Perry 7, Westbrook 4, Sifford, Daniels.

COX MILL (87) — Moore 38, Sio 20, Johnson 8, Stone-Carrawell 7, Cline 5, Hall 5, Noone 4.

Carson          18     14     16     26 — 74

Cox Mill        23     19     20     25  — 87

West girls  lose

HARRISBURG — Hickory Ridge completed a perfect regular season in girls basketball here Friday night, routing West Rowan, 84-55.

The Bulls (23-0, 18-0 SPC) claimed their first conference championship in the school’s 10-year history.

The Falcons are 13-11 and 8-10.

Hickory Ridge was led by Nia Daniel with 18 points, 10 rebounds and four steals. Gabby Smith added 17 points and 14 rebounds.

Egypt Alexander paced West with 14 points and Abigail Wilson added 10.

WEST ROWAN (55) — Alexander 14, Wilson 10, Poole 9, Hillie 6, Robinson 4, Connelly 4, Sobatka 4, Vaughters 4.

HICKORY RIDGE (84) — Daniel 18, Smith 17, Jones 12, D. Neal 10, Ji. Shears 7, Dorsey 7, Wagner 6, Ruggerio 3, R. Neal 2, Ja. Shears 2.

West Rowan          11       8     22     14 — 55

Hickory Ridge      19     27     19     19 — 84

Loss for West boys

CONCORD —  Caleb Mauldin’s 26 points weren’t enough for West Rowan in a 62-58 loss at Hickory Ridge in Friday’s SPC action. Paris Hillie added 11 for the Falcons (16-8, 12-6), while Darius Kure had eight.

Jarren Cottingham, who took a bad fall at Carson on Tuesday, was the hero for the Ragin’ Bulls (17-6, 14-4).

He scored 22 points.

WEST ROWAN (58) — Mauldin 26, Hillie 11, Kure 8, Weeks 6, Love 4, Hogue 3, Rankin, Delgado.

HICKORY RIDGE (62) — Cottingham 22, Wimbish 10, Carlton 9, Ruggerio 6, Garner 6, Cupples 5, Bell 4.

West Rowan          6       14     18     20 — 58

Hickory Ridge      14     14     19     15 — 62

Catawba lacrosse

SALISBURY — Tenth-ranked Belmont Abbey cruised to a 17-5 win over host Catawba in men’s lacrosse action on Friday afternoon at Shuford Stadium. The win was the opener for the Crusaders, while the Indians fall to 1-1.

Cole Fanzo had two of the Catawba goals. Dalton Cook had a goal and two assists. Goalie Ryan Applegate stopped nine shots.

Kyle McGinley finished with four goals and an assist for the Crusaders. Goalie Harley Whitham posted 13 saves.

Catawba is home against Mount Olive for its next game a week from Saturday at 2 p.m.

Catawba swimming

CHARLOTTE — No school records fell for Catawba on day three of the Bluegrass Mountain Conference Swimming Championships, but the Indian men’s team posted several finals swims on Friday at the Mecklenburg Aquatic Center. Both teams moved up to sixth in the overall standings with the men garnering 349 points and the women 249.

Joao Barreto had the best finish for the Indians as he went fourth in the 100 fly. His time of 48.51 was a NCAA ‘B’ cut time. Ali Hegazi swam to fifth in the 200 free (1:40.53) with a B cut and Federico Higareda touched seventh in the 100 breast (55.72) which was the fifth best time in school history.

Dominic Brus won the B final of the 100 back (50.62). Cassie Shear had the best finish for the women with her 12th in the 100 breast (1:07.05).

Jayvee girls

Carson’s girls won against Cox Mill, 27-17.

Malia Hughley scored 10 points. Zoie Lee had six.

Defensive leaders were Victoria Post and Katie Jewell and Nancy Gamewell.