LASKER – Ridgecroft School swept all four games against bitter Tarheel Independent Conference rival Northeast Academy here Friday night. Both the girls and boys junior varsity squads remained undefeated while the varsity girls maintained their half-game lead over Pungo Christian in the standings, and the Rams boys evened their record at 5-5.

Behind the play of McKenzie Slaughter, the Ridgecroft jayvee girls jumped to a 17-6 first quarter lead en route to a 23-9 lead at halftime. While neither team could muster much offense in the third quarter, Gracie Baker and Emalee Jones helped salvage the fourth frame for the Lady Eagles (12-11), but it was not enough when needed and The Lady Rams triumphed 41-22. Slaughter led all scorers with a dozen points while Baker and Jones combined to score 20 for NEA, hitting 11 and nine, respectively. Hannah Storey also had two points for Northeast.

The Eagles jayvee boys were consistent throughout their contest. While Northeast scored two points in each period, Ridgecroft’s little Rams outscored them in the first quarter alone (18-to-2), as Ridgecroft rolled to a 49-8 victory. Garrett Brown and Justin Peterson had nine points each for Ridgecroft, while Dalton Vann scored three for Northeast, with two for Nathan Trevino and Trent Wheeler, and one for Heath Hobbs.

In the varsity girl’s game, Northeast tried to erase the taste of an earlier tournament loss to the Lady Rams, and though they fared much better, the outcome was still in Ridgecroft’s favor, 48-37. The Lady Eagles were only down four at the mid-break (23-19) and stayed close in the third quarter, but the hot Rams start doomed the home team, despite 16 points from Jessie Martin. Brooke Rose led Ridgecroft with 13 points while Kierstyn Polson and Olivia Wheeler tallied six each for Northeast. Allie Liverman had five, with four for Carly Stephenson. Ridgecroft raised its overall record to 9-1, and 4-0 in the conference, a half game ahead of Pungo at 3-0.

Ridgecroft’s varsity boys escaped with a 56-49 tournament win last month, in a game closer than the final score indicates. This time, Keyshawn Taylor hit for 22 points and nine more for Blake Birdsong in another Ram victory, this one by a final of 64-50. The Eagles stayed within striking distance all night, before free throws in the fourth quarter made the difference. Justin Jones had 16 for NEA, with 13 for J.T. Simmons and eight for Dylan Edwards. Both teams head into the holiday break with even records: Ridgecroft is 5-5, while Northeast is 4-4. The Rams are 2-2 in league play, while the Eagles are a half-game back at 1-2.

Play for both schools will resume in January, with Northeast at Hobgood on the 2^nd, and Ridgecroft in a non-conference home tilt against Bethel Assembly on the 3^rd.