Raiders drop second in a row

9:21 p.m. Dec. 2, 2025

DUANE CROSS
MCO Publisher•Editor

Moore County dropped to 0-2 after a 67-40 loss to Cascade in Tuesday's home opener, struggling to match the Champions' pace from start to finish.

Cascade jumped out to a 13-6 lead after the first quarter and built a 31-19 halftime advantage, extending it to 47-28 before the fourth. The Raiders couldn't close the gap as the visitors dominated late.

Anderson Sharpe topped MCHS with 11 points, including three 3-pointers. Colton Morey and Deacon Liles each added 6 points. Tristyn Gray scored 5, while Avery Rogers and Drew Hardison had 4 apiece. Cooper Dickey and Braylynn Hill chipped in 2 points each.

MCHS went 9 of 16 from the free-throw line, while Cascade converted 12 of 16.

Kaleb Kelson paced Cascade with a game-high 26 points, including three treys. Cooper McElroy added 17.

• Raiderettes sprint to 2-0 start

Santa Fe 40, MCHS 37

Moore County opened its basketball season Monday night with a hard-fought 40-37 loss on the road at Santa Fe.

Santa Fe held an 8-7 lead after the first quarter, but Moore County rallied to take a slim 15-14 advantage into halftime. The back-and-forth contest remained tight through the third frame, ending in a 24-24 tie before the host Wildcats pulled ahead for the win.

Junior Colton Morey led the Raiders with 18 points, including a pair of 3-pointers. Tristyn Gray finished with 7 points and a trey, while Anderson Sharpe contributed 6 points – on two shots from beyond the arc. Deacon Liles added 5 points, including a 3-pointer, and Knox Hall chipped in 1.

Free throws proved costly for Moore County, which went 3 of 8 from the line. Santa Fe made 9 of its 19 attempts.

Carson Adkinson posted a game-high 18 points for Sante Fe. Jax Slaughter chipped in 14.