Cardinals finish 3-0 week
BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — Martin County outgunned Perry County Central 106-83 in the first home game of the season Dec. 13 to set a school record for the most points scored in a single game.
The Cardinals saw four players in double figures as they broke the previous school record of 95 points, which the team set last season against Jenkins.
“I can’t ever remember any team that I have coached putting this many points on the board,” Martin County coach Jason James said.
This would prove to be an eventful night at the Martin County gymnasium as Perry Central head coach Shannon Hoskins was ejected from the game late in the third quarter.
Perry Central got out to a fast start, jumping on the Cardinals to take a 20-15 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Whatever Coach James said to his squad to start the second quarter worked. The Cardinals came out and blew the game wide open.
The Martin County offense was firing on all cylinders and the Cards went off for 31 second-quarter points. The defensive effort also clamped down to hold Perry County to single digit scoring of nine points. The Cardinals took a commanding 46-28 lead to end the half.
Perry County fought back in the third, but the Cardinals were relentless and scored an impressive 29 points.
With the Cardinals leading 64-45 and 2:13 left in the third, Coach Hoskins questioned a referee about a call. The situation became heated, and the coach was hit with two technical fouls and ejected from the game. The dispute continued to escalate and the official assessed two technicals against the Perry County bench.
Coach James sent Luke Hale to the line to shoot the eight technical free throws. The junior knocked down all eight shots, much to the delight of the Cardinal pep section, to stretch the lead to 72-45.
The third quarter ended with the Cardinals up 75-50.
The duo of Hale and Brayden McKenzie was too much for Perry Central. The Cardinals scored 31 points in the final quarter to put the game away.
The Cardinals went 37 of 68 from the field for 54%.
At the 3-point line, Martin County hit 13 of 25 three-pointers for 52%.
Good teams make free throws, and the Cardinals did just that, shooting 19 of 23 for 83%.
“I’m really proud of my kids,” said Coach James. “Perry County is always a good team, and our kids came out ready to play.”
Hale led all scorers with 38 points for Martin County. McKenzie followed with a career-high 30 points. Dray Duff fired in 14 points and recorded eight assists, five boards and five steals. Matt Linville punched in 11 points and four blocks. Peyton Davis contributed seven points and 10 steals. Jacob Sturgell handed out 10 dimes, four points and six boards. Rounding out the scoring, Eli Mills pitched in two points.
Kizer Slone led Perry Central with 36 points, Trayton Woods and Tyler Day netted 15 each, Castle followed with 10 and Dylan Knight added seven.
Cards defeat Ligon Cogo
INEZ — The Martin County Cardinals defeated Ligon Cogo 92-26 Thursday in Inez.
This one was over early as the Cardinals started their JV team against a very young Ligon Cogo team. The Cardinals jumped out to a 39-6 lead at the end of the first quarter and never looked back.
The second quarter was much the same as the Cardinals went up 54-7 at the half.
The Cardinals cleared the bench early and often as a lot of players saw action. After the end of three, the Cardinals were up 80-13.
The fourth quarter saw Zander Lackey, a fan favorite, get into the game and score two points. The final score at the end of the fourth quarter was 92-26.
Fifteen Martin County players broke into the scorebook. Peyton Davis led the Cardinals with 21 points, Ethan Ferrell netted 18, Blake Maynard followed with 14, Eli Mills contributed eight, Bryson Dials and Brayden Estepp each had six, Conner May flipped in three, Jennings, Braxton Maynard, Devan Maynard, Lackey, Chapman, Dials, Mann and Moore all added two points each.
Seth Hall led Ligon with 14 points, Newsome and Howell each netted five, and Tackett and Compton contributed one each.
Cards down Montgomery
ROWAN COUNTY — The Martin County Cardinals downed the Montgomery County Indians 68-58 Saturday in the Stock Yard Challenge at Rowan County High School.
The Cardinals improved to 6-2 on the season.
Montgomery County jumped on the Cardinals in the first quarter going up 20-17.
The Cardinals picked up their defensive effort in the second quarter allowing the Indians just eight points.
Martin County was ahead 31-28 going in at the half.
The Indians struggled offensively coming out in the third quarter.
The Cardinals won the fourth 20-17 to push their lead to 48-40.
Martin County struggled at the free-throw line connecting on 7-for-14, shooting just 50%, but hung on to pull out the win.
The Cardinals had four players in double figures, with Luke Hale leading the way with 15 points. Jacob Sturgell netted 14 points, Dray Duff added 13 and Peyton Davis contributed 12. Brayden McKenzie finished with nine points, Matt Linville flipped in four and Blake Maynard scored one.
Dawson Gentry and Deccan Decker led Montgomery County with 13 points each, Trey Carroll followed with 12, Luke Fawn and Maury Thompson finished with eight each and Hayden Stull chipped in four.
