AHOSKIE – Soaring.

The Bertie Lady Falcon girls’ basketball team continued their ascent in the Northeastern Coastal Conference standings as they knocked off bitter rival, Hertford County, 53-30, spoiling Senior Night for the home team Lady Bears.

Shaunquisha Leary led all scorers in tallying 15 points for Bertie.  Teammate De’najah Porter added 12. Vanessa Mitchell was leading scorer for Hertford County with six.

Bertie roared out of the gate as Porter scored six of Bertie’s first ten points en route to the Lady Falcons staking them to a 10-2 lead. A Destiny Dudley lay-up and a free-throw by Kyara Rodgers were the only points the Lady Bears could muster in the first quarter which Bertie led, 16-3, following the first eight minutes of play.

The Falcons continued their blitz thanks to their relentless full-court press, forcing turnovers that the visiting ladies turned into fast-break points.

Bertie scored seven of the first nine points of the second quarter before HCHS coach Sha-Teisa Sharpe called a time out for her team to re-group.  The Bears strung together a mini-run of five points in a row, but it still left them trailing, 23-9. Bertie closed out the first half at the free throw line and carried a 26-9 lead into the locker-room at halftime.

The teams matched baskets opening the second half, but that did not benefit the home team because Hertford County needed stops.  Instead, Bertie continues to rally on, getting their lead up to 19 points, 34-15, at one point in the quarter before settling in and taking a 41-17 lead into the final frame.

Comfortably ahead, Bertie coach Alice Lyons began to clear her bench, letting all the Lady Falcons that were dressed out for the night get some playing time. Leary, who had played so brilliantly in the first half, had foul trouble in the second, but despite sitting out some time, still finished with scoring honors.  Bertie’s biggest lead of the fourth quarter – 29 points – was achieved again when the Falcons got it as high as 53-24 before Hertford County closed out the game with seven of the last nine points for a 23 point victory.

Hertford County fell to 4-14, 3-7 in conference play as their bitter rivals spoiled Senior Night.  Bertie won its 10^th game in Northeastern Coastal Conference play and stood one win away from 20 at 19-1 overall.

Hertford County played First Flight on the road before ending the season at home Monday night against Currituck.   Bertie’s final game was Senior Night on Monday against Northeastern.