[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 59 (Thursday, May 8, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E889-E890]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     WOMEN'S HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. HOWARD COBLE

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 8, 1997

  Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, next year, women's high school basketball in 
the Sixth District of North Carolina should be extremely interesting. 
The reason being that two of the State champions from this year will 
play in the same conference. Ledford High School, located just outside 
Thomasville, NC, and High Point Central High School in High Point, NC, 
secured the championships in the 2-A and 3-A divisions of the State 
playoffs respectively.
  The end of March brought the State 2-A season to a close. Ledford 
High School, in an impressive victory over St. Pauls, captured the 
State 2-A championship. This is only the second championship victory in 
the school's history.
  After an impressive 29-2 season, the Ledford Panthers faced the Saint 
Pauls Bulldogs (28-2) in the season finale. Both teams were anxious to 
take home the victory and the game proved to be a challenge for all 
those involved. Head coach John Ralls, with the assistance of Joe Davis 
and Allen Patterson led the Panthers to a 59-57 come-from-behind

[[Page E890]]

victory on March 22. Principal Max Cole and Athletic Director Gary 
Hinkle also provided the team with support and encouragement in their 
impressive victory.
  Junior Stacey Hinkle, second-time MVP, proved to be an integral part 
of the team with 22 points. Leslie Thomas also helped the Panthers by 
scoring 8 of the 13 bench points scored during the game. Two players, 
Laurie Smith and Amanda Reece, braved recent surgery worries in order 
to play in the championship game. Stephanie Sharp, Lauren Craven, Misty 
Sharp, Brooke Embler, Kristin Berrier, Whitney Patterson, Amy Wells, 
Amanda Besaw, and Julie Reece all aided in Ledford's successful season 
and victory against Saint Pauls.
  A championship is a great accomplishment but, for High Point Central 
High School, this 3-A basketball State title means so much more. During 
the season, the women's basketball team lost more games than the 
previous 3 years combined. However, the team pulled together to win the 
one game that meant the very most. Coach Kenny Carter was quoted in the 
High Point Enterprise explaining the journey that his team has faced, 
``Early in the year I didn't know if they believed everything that I 
said could happen.'' The team succeeded in allowing all 13 members of 
the team to make a basket during the course of the game. The most 
memorable shot was made in the closing 3.4 seconds of the game by 
Tameika McRae which clinched the 66-64 victory.
  The score was close for the entire game with the half time score 
being tied at 21. Supreme efforts were made by all of the players of 
the team, the Most Valuable Player, Mandy Hall, Katie Copeland, Lee 
Culp, Sherelle Gladney, Ashley Hedgecock, Brendle Howard, Staci Murray, 
Kaneica Obie, Elizabeth Redpath, Jenni Tinsley, Mandi Tinsley, and 
Katie Yoemans, to secure the victory of the Bisons. The coaches of this 
championship team are Kenny Carter, Jetanna McClain, Scotti Carter, and 
Steve Martin who have help from the managers Michelle McCallum and 
Charita Clark and the trainers Brandy Owen and Steven Goodrich. 
Overseeing this group are athletic director Gary Whitman, statistician 
Kim Liptrap, and principal Bill Collins.
  These two supreme teams will have a difficult year ahead of them as 
they are forced to play each other in the same conference. On behalf of 
the citizens of the Sixth District of North Carolina, we congratulate 
these teams for winning the women's State 2-A and 3-A basketball 
championships.

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