By Mike London
mike.london@salisburypost.com

MOUNT ULLA — High school basketball is often about making memories, and Central Cabarrus senior Kyra Lewis made a positive and permanent one on Tuesday.

Lewis, a 5-foot-7 competitor who never gives up, never will forget scoring her 1,000th point on the road at West Rowan, against the defending 3A state champs, one of the state’s best teams.

Lewis wasn’t blessed with a 6-foot-frame and she doesn’t run like a gazelle, but she’s as tough as a barb-wire fence. She’s made a lot of clutch shots over the years in her battles with South Rowan, East Rowan, Carson and West. Even on the road, fans can appreciate her maximum effort.

But five Kyra Lewises might not have been enough to beat the Falcons. West Rowan’s girls basketball team won big again — 84-34.

Lewis scored 11 to lead the fourth-place Vikings (12-9, 8-5) in the South Piedmont Conference contest, but West has better balance than Gabby Douglas. Seven Falcons scored eight or more points and five were in double figures.

West, a female version of Central Cabarrus’ dominant boys team, defends, runs and passes exceptionally well. West has won 50 of its last 51 games.

The Falcon with the most points was Emma Clarke, who had 17. She’s making her own late run at 1,000, a milestone that looked like a long shot in December, but she’s sprinting, not jogging, at the end of her marathon. She’s been pouring in points since Christmas.

Clarke had “Fro 2/5” with a heart, written neatly on her Tennessee orange shoes. Her uncle Jeffrey “Fro” Clarke died unexpectedly on Monday at 62.

“The hardest game I’ve had to play yet,” Clarke commented on social media. “I will forever play to make you proud. Love you forever Fro.”

Lauren Arnold, who reached the 1,000-point milestone last season, scored 16. Bookends for four years, Mya Edwards and Makaylah Tenor had 12 each. Aubrey Martin scored 10. De’Mya Phifer, another 1,000-point scorer, had nine points, while Tiara Thompson, a sophomore who is on track to score 1,000, had eight.

West (19-1, 13-0) settled it quickly, with a 27-4 first quarter that included eight points each by Clarke and Arnold.

It was 47-16 at halftime.

Tenor made two 3-pointers in the third quarter, while Martin made long ones in the third and fourth quarters.

Central Cabarrus      4     12    12    6    —  34

West Rowan             27    20 19     16   — 84

CENTRAL — Lewis 11, Duncan 9, Cruz 6, Blanchard 3, Johnson 2, Hill 2, Burton 1.

WEST — Clarke 17, Arnold 16, Edwards 12, Tenor 12, Martin 10, Phifer 9, Thompson 8.