WEST POINT – Holly Pond completed a near perfect regular season Friday night; The Broncos, ranked second in Class 3A, won 68-46 over the West Point Warriors at Jim Boyd Gymnasium.
Holly Pond finished the regular schedule at 27-1 and will go into the playoffs with an 11-game winning streak.
The Broncos compiled 25 victories against teams from the Alabama High School Athletic Association and finished 14-0 vs. opponents from the Cullman County school system.
This is the best regular season coach Mitch Morris has enjoyed at his alma mater, with high expectations waiting for his team when they start the playoffs, hosting the 3A, Area 11 Tournament Tuesday in a first round game vs. Susan Moore.
Never doubting they would close out the regular schedule victorious, the Broncos got control of the contest late in the first period after West Point closed to 14-10 on consecutive 3-point plays by senior forward Alex Hernandez.
Guard Jake Harris stepped off the bench and scored a 3-pointer and a field goal to push the margin to 19-10 when the period ended.
Holly Pond won the second quarter scoring by an 18-9 margin to lead 37-18 at the half, but Morris was concerned by how his team was playing at times, turning the ball over and having some shots that didn't fall.
The Broncos looked focused following a halftime talk in the locker room. Matt Cahoon anchored the scoring in the third with four field goals, one from downtown, and led a unit with seven others joining him in the scoring column in the third period alone.
Holly Pond led 61-32 when the final stanza began.
West Point ended the final period by a 14-7 margin as Hernandez scored twice in the paint and led his team on senior night with 10 points.
But the Holly Pond offense was basically a two-man game, as Cahoon and Drew Jones both tossed in 16 points. Jones was hot early for the Broncos, having 14 by the break.
The third quarter from Cahoon was his break-out period, and the Broncos remain undefeated during 2017. Their third win against West Point came a week after the Broncos won 73-48 in the semifinals of the Cullman County Tournament at Wallace State.
Griffin Morris supported the scoring for the Broncos with nine, Bailey Smith had seven, Jake Harris five, Caleb Jones four, Zach Shaw, Dawson Foust and Mckinley Garrett three each and Tanner Duke two.
Eleven Warriors got into the scoring column. Following the 10 from Hernandez were Brandon Farley with eight, Rylan Jones six, Hunter Persall five, Kolton Sapp and Kolby Sullins three each, Cameron Moore, Toby Cunningham, Austin Dubberly, Dave Doss and Matt McDonald two each and Dalton White one.
West Point 69, Holly Pond 57 (Girls)
Getting their 21st win of the season was a challenge for the Lady Warriors. Holly Pond was lights out early with 3-pointers flying from Taylor Tankersley, who hit three, and Ruth Horton, sending them to an 18-9 advantage following the first quarter.
Holly Pond was ahead 26-14 midway in the second when West Point finished on a 15-4 run as Miriam Oldacre scored nine in the period to get the Lady Warriors in striking distance at the break at 30-29.
Oldacre took over the third period, leading the West Point scoring as she knocked down five shots, two from long range, and the Lady Warriors led 52-43 with one quarter remaining on senior night.
The Lady Warriors put six in the scoring tally in the final period as seniors Bailee Yearwood, Lillie Burdette, Madison Roberts and Jessica King said goodbye to the best season they have enjoyed under third-year coach John Welborn, who took over when Regina Jones retired.
Oldacre produced 24 points for the Lady Warriors, Lexi Shadix scored 14, Olivia Ball had 12, Yearwood seven, Micah Oldacre five, Burdette four, Mackenzie Carter two and Roberts one.
Tankersley netted 18 for the Lady Broncos with Molly Gambrill scoring 10, Horton nine, Haley Higginbotham eight, Presley Marks and Tess Duke four each, Kolby Holcombe three and Elizabeth Miller one.
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