Staff report

CHINA GROVE — West Rowan’s girls defeated East Rowan, 65-46, in a North Piedmont Conference Tournament semifinal played at Carson on Wednesday night.

It was the first game this season that Abigail Wilson hasn’t led the Falcons in scoring. She had 17 points.

Taylor Poole matched her career high with 18 points and led the Falcons. Poole made three 3-pointers.

Cindy Connolly had one of her biggest games of the season with 13 points.

East had won at West and had lost to the Falcons in overtime at home, so a much closer game was expected, but the Falcons (20-4) owned this one.

“We were only in it for a quarter,” East coach Kevin Holland said. “It was disappointing because we had some of the same issues Tuesday night (a surprisingly close win against North Iredell) and we couldn’t make the correction.”

West held East to 24 points the first three quarters and built a 49-24 lead.

Mary Spry scored 13 for the Mustangs. Adalie Harrison got seven of her 11 in the fourth quarter. Grace Eagle had 10.

East (20-6) will be in the state playoffs as an at-large team, but is certain to be on the road in the first round.

West secured the league’s second berth for the state playoffs (the NPC gets two automatic berths) and figures to have a first-round home game. West and East tied for second in the regular-season standings.

The NPC tournament championship game is scheduled for Friday at Carson at 6 p.m. Top-seeded Carson handled fifth-seeded Statesville 64-47 in the other semifinal.

West has won two out of three against Carson this season, including the Christmas tournament championship game.

NOTES: The game had been scheduled for 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, was the schedule was changed earlier in the day. … Seeds and pairings for the playoffs will be released by the NCHSAA on Sunday.

E. ROWAN (46) — Spry 13, Harrison 11, Eagle 10, Hinceman 5, Houpe 3, Dalton 2, Nwafor 2, Miller, Ali, Honeycutt.

W. ROWAN (65) — Poole 18, Wilson 17, Connolly 13, Blabon 8, Cuthbertson 4, Arnott 3, Mason 2, Spicer, Durham.

East Rowan      7      9     8   22 — 46

West Rowan   12   17   20   16 — 65