Raiders rally late to stun Huntland
8:25 p.m. Jan. 23, 2026
DUANE CROSS
MCO Publisher•Editor
A strong fourth-quarter surge lifted the Moore County High School Raiders to a 53-49 district win over Huntland on Friday night, Jan. 23, as MCHS erased a late deficit with timely shooting and steady free-throw execution.
Moore County jumped out to an early 16-12 lead after the first quarter, but Huntland responded with a strong second period to take a 28-22 advantage into halftime. The Hornets continued to press the pace in the third quarter, extending their lead to 41-36 heading into the final frame.
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The Raiders saved their best basketball for the closing minutes.
MCHS poured in 17 fourth-quarter points, led by Colton Morey, who scored 10 of his team-high points in the period, including a critical 3-pointer. Moore County also went 4-for-5 at the free-throw line in the final stanza, sealing the win at the stripe.
Anderson Sharpe finished with 13 points, knocking down three 3-pointers, two of which came in the third quarter as the Raiders began to claw back from the deficit.
Cooper Dickey added seven points with a 3-pointer, while Braylynn Hill scored six, including two clutch fourth-quarter free throws. Tristyn Gray finished with five points, Drew Hardison had two, and Deacon Liles chipped in two.
For the game, Moore County went 6-for-9 from the free-throw line.
Ellis Stewart led all scorers with 21 points for Huntland, while Caleb Maxwell added 10.
With the win, the Raiders improve to 4-14 overall and even their District 9A record at 2-2. Moore County returns to the hardwood Tuesday night, playing host to Fayetteville in a key district matchup.
