Middle School Raiders' season ends in District
7:28 p.m. Jan. 29, 2026
DUANE CROSS
MCO Publisher•Editor
The Moore County Middle School Raiders’ season came to a close Thursday, Jan. 29, as South Lincoln pulled away early and cruised to a 52-26 win in the Region 4-District 15 tournament at LCHS.
South Lincoln set the tone from the opening tip, jumping out to a 21-6 lead after the first quarter and never looking back. The Falcons continued to apply pressure in the second period, extending the margin to 41-12 by halftime. Moore County struggled to find an offensive rhythm against South Lincoln’s defense.
The gap widened further in the third quarter, with South Lincoln carrying a commanding 47-17 advantage into the fourth. Moore County (12-6) continued to battle until the final horn, but the early deficit proved too much to overcome.
Six of the Raiders' 14 second-half points came from the free-throw line (6 of 9).
Laken Wade led Moore County with eight points, while Whit Sumner added five. Clay Moses finished with three points.
Finn Carney, Brantly Chapin, Grayson Hill, Sully Townes, and Kurt Smith each contributed two points in the loss.
Trent Dixon paced South Lincoln with a game-high 15 points.
