FROM STAFF REPORTS

sports@newstopic.net

West Caldwell's varsity girls basketball team got off to a slow start in its Catawba Valley 2A game against East Burke, and went downhill from there, falling to the visiting Cavaliers 61-41 on Thursday afternoon in Gamewell.

Stephanie Honeycutt scored 20 points for the Warriors (9-11, 6-5), who trailed 10-3 after the first quarter and 24-12 at the half.

"We just didn't play well tonight, didn't play well at all," said West Caldwell head coach Stephen McMasters.

East (12-8, 8-3) pulled away from there, outscoring the Warriors 38-29 over the final two quarters.

Alicia Byrd scored a game-high 23 points and Emily Greene added 17 for the Cavaliers.

VARSITY BOYS West Caldwell 66 East Burke 47

West Caldwell's varsity boys basketball team won its 10th consecutive game Thursday afternoon, breaking away from visiting East Burke for a 66-47 victory in Gamewell.

Kendall Jones scored 16 points to lead two other players in double figures for the Warriors (16-2, 11-0 Catawba Valley 2A), who outscored the Cavaliers 40-26 over the second and third quarters to take command of the game.

The win keeps West Caldwell atop the league standings, 2 1/2 games ahead of Newton-Conover.

Chris Michaux added 15 points and D.J. Dula 12 for West, which broke a 17-17 tie after the first quarter by outscoring East 11-7 in the second quarter to go up 28-24 at the half, then 29-19 in the third quarter to push the Warriors' lead into double digits.

Jordan Huff scored a game-high 22 points and Justin Lail added 18 for East Burke (8-12, 3-8), which had just four players score points against West.

JV GIRLS South Caldwell 2 Wilkes Central 0 (forfeit)

South Caldwell's junior varsity girls basketball team picked up a victory over Wilkes Central on Thursday afternoon in Sawmills when the Eagles walked off the court and forfeited late in the third quarter.

The Spartans (16-1) were leading 27-11 with 2:05 remaining in the third period when Wilkes Central coach Davina Benge pulled her players off the court, giving up the win to South.

According to Spartans coach Karen Isbell, Benge told game officials she was forfeiting because "the game was getting out of hand, and she didn't want her players getting hurt."

Toni Younce had scored a game-high 11 points before the forfeit for South, which jumped to a 17-8 lead after the first quarter and was up 24-11 at the half.

JV BOYS Wilkes Central 49 South Caldwell 44

South Caldwell's junior varsity boys basketball team fell to visiting Wilkes Central 49-44 in a nonconference game Thursday afternoon in Sawmills.

Cody Hallyburton scored 13 points for the Spartans (6-10), who trailed by 10 points after three quarters before staging a fourth-period rally.