Text sizer: Large | Small   

Lady Chargers gain momentum

Standout Middlesex High center Megan Payne has returned to the court after being sidelined with an ankle injury. Above, Payne shoots in the Lady Chargers’ Tidewater District win over West Point on January 19, when she recorded a team-high 21 points and 11 rebounds. (Photo by Tom Chillemi)

by Tom Chillemi

The Middlesex High varsity girls basketball team posted a 60-38 Tidewater District win over West Point on January 19.

The Lady Chargers are 3-1 in district play and 4-10 overall with four district games left in the regular season.

MHS took command in the second quarter against West Point and held a 31-22 lead at the half. 

The Lady Chargers came out fast in the third quarter and opened up a 20-point lead. “We were very pleased with the effort tonight,” said MHS head coach Neil Wake. “Coach (Sarah) Hunt gave a speech to the girls and they came out the way we had been hoping for all year. I hope this will be the springboard for the rest of the season. 

“The upside of the team is very good,” Wake added. “They have to believe in themselves as we believe in them.” 

Megan Payne led Middlesex with 21 points and 11 rebounds, while Bridgette Self had 9 points.

Grace Rutkowski, Brittin Payne, and Joey Stinchcomb had 8 points apiece, and Heather Blankenship, Lara Lucas and Jessica Dixon scored 2 points each. 

The Lady Chargers suffered a 55-37 non-district loss to visiting Northumberland on January 18. It was the second of three games in three days for the Lady Chargers, who played well but a third quarter letdown proved to be to much to overcome, said Coach Wake. “We have to get better focus coming out in the second half. We coaches preach how necessary it is to start the second half with great intensity and poise, but we don’t always get it. We still have time but we need to start today.”

M. Payne led MHS with 13 points and 8 rebounds; Self had 11 points and 5 assists; Joey Stinchcomb added 6 points and 5 rebounds; Nila Robinson was good for 3 points; while Grace Rutkowski and Brittin Payne added 2 points apiece.

Weak rebounding helped doom the Lady Chargers in a 48-29 loss at Lancaster on January 17. “We played a good game defensively on their first shots but did not secure the rebounds,” said Wake. “Second shots and our inability to handle the pressure that we faced lead to our demise. 

“We also need to attack the basket more because we only shot 8 free throws to their 21.” 

Middlesex can’t seem to get over the injury bug also, Wake continued. “We got Megan Payne back and since then we had 3 guards out for this game and had 4 players out for the Northumberland game. We are in the next man up mode to fill spots as they become open.”  

Self 12 led with points, M. Payne had 8 points and Rutkowski added 4 points.

Heather Blankenship and Joey Stinchcomb had 2 points each, and Nila Robinson had 1.

The Middlesex girls are at King William on Friday, January 27.

Senior Night is Monday, January 30, when Middlesex hosts King and Queen in its final home game of the regular season.

Middlesex is at Mathews on Thursday, February 2, and at West Point on Monday, February 6.

The JV team plays at 6 p.m. and varsity games follow at 7:30 p.m.

posted 01.25.2012

By commenting, you agree to our policy on comments.