BY BRITTNI MCCOY
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — The Eden Wildcats are county champions after mounting a comeback and edging Warfield 28-27 in a thrilling A-team title game Monday night.
Warfield roared out to an 11-1 lead in the opening quarter, but Eden refused to fold. Aubrey Wilson sparked the comeback with eight first-quarter points to cut the deficit to 14-10 by the end of the period.
The pace slowed in the second quarter as both teams managed only a single free throw, sending Warfield into halftime with a narrow 15-11 advantage.
Eden came alive after the break. Harper Howell caught fire in the third, pouring in eight points including a shot from the top of the key. Charlie Mollett added two baskets to pull the Wildcats even at 25-25 heading into the final frame. Warfield’s Payton Harmon countered with six points to keep the Red Devils in contention.
With under a minute remaining, Howell came up clutch once again. She stole the ball and drove to the basket for the go-ahead bucket that sealed the game’s momentum.
Warfield drew a foul with less than three seconds on the clock and had a chance to win it at the line, but both free throws narrowly missed to seal the victory for the Wildcats.
Eden Head Coach BJ Endicott said the game shifted when he made a key strategic adjustment.
“We were playing on a bigger floor than the girls are used to,” Endicott said. “I decided to take off the full-court press and pull them back into a half-court set. That slowed the game down and let us get buckets in transition.”
Endicott added that the title means more than just a win on the scoreboard.
“It means a lot for the school and for these girls to bring home a championship trophy,” he said. “They’ve worked hard all year, and it’s paid off.”
Howell led all scorers with 12 points for Eden. Wilson followed with eight, Mollett added six, and Kyleigh Horn chipped in two.
Harmon paced Warfield with seven points. Elizabeth Dials scored six, Brooklyn Nichols and Rylie Parks each had four. Jessie Jude and McKenna Fletcher finished with three apiece.
Warfield advanced to the championship after defeating Inez 31-19 in the semifinals Oct. 16.
Nichols led that effort with a red-hot 12 points, followed by Dials with eight, Jude with five, Dalton with four and Fletcher with two.
Layla Cline led the Inez Indians with nine points. Hope Dials added four, and Paisley Mooney, Emily Mollette and Abby Marcum each scored two.
