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AHOSKIE – Gates County’s girls took another step here last night (Friday) on its road to redemption at the annual News-Herald Holiday Classic.

The Lady Barons raced out to an 8-0 lead and kept their foot on the gas en route to a 57-36 win over host Hertford County. The win earned Gates County (9-0 overall) another chance to capture the first place hardware at this popular event as they will face three-time defending champion Northeastern High School in Monday’s title game (6 pm tipoff at the HCHS gym.

Northeastern defeated Gates County 59-41 in the 2023 championship game.

As has been typical for GCHS so far this season, the Lady Barons used a balanced offense and a smothering defense in their win over Hertford County. Zoey Nowell, Semayia Cross, London Barber and Kamryn Riddick all scored in the 8-0 run to open the game. Nowell would score twice more later in the period, part of her team-high 16 points, that helped the Lady Barons take a 14-3 lead by the end of the first quarter.

A 10-0 run over the first 57 seconds of the second quarter – with four of those baskets set-up by steals – pretty much sealed the game. Zariah Rogers, Barber, Riddick, Cross, and Zebriya Woodley each had a basket during that offensive spurt, which allowed the Lady Barons to stretch their lead to 24-3.

Hertford County’s Jameilya Lewis had Hertford County’s first basket at the 6:11 mark of the quarter, but then the Barons, led by a pair of buckets from Nowell, reeled off 11 of the game’s next 13 points en route to a commanding 35-7 lead.

Gates County led 37-11 at halftime.

Hertford County’s Brooklynn White kept the game from being a complete blowout as she scored eight of her game-high 17 points in the third quarter, including a pair of three-pointers (one from 30 feet at the buzzer) that got the Lady Bears to within 45-27.

But any hopes of a miraculous comeback were dashed when Gates County opened the fourth quarter with a 9-0 run and a 54-27 lead. Cross, Rogers, Barber, and Nowell each had a basket during that offensive flurry.

Lady Barons (57)

Zoey Nowell (16), Semayia Cross (13), London Barber (10), Kamryn Riddick (5), Zariah Rogers (4), Kyndall Banks (3), Claire Jones (2), Ny’Ashia Perry (2), Zebriya Woodley (2).

Lady Bears (36)

Brooklynn White (17), Jameilya Lewis (4), Janiah Everette (3), Allenah Fleet (3), Kimayiah Johnson (3), Belle Wadsworth (3), Terry Hunt (2), Karae’ Alfred (1).