Icard- This year’s East Burke girls’ basketball team has developed the power to keep going even when one or two players hit a stumbling block.

Leading scorers Braelyn Stilwell and Kara Brinkley were dealt with foul trouble but senior starting power forward Kamiah Lawing emerged for the Lady Cavaliers scoring 16 first-half points to finish with a new season-high mark of 20.

With senior guard Ally Moore adding a pair of three-pointers and reserve players Journi McDowell, Macy McNeil, and Anna Coble playing critical minutes off the bench, the Lady Cavaliers powered on to the third round of the NCHSAA 2A Playoffs by defeating SW Randolph 72-39.

“We knew that SW Randolph was going to play hard; our girls did a good job holding on to the lead,” said East Burke coach Crystal Bartlett. “We just got to execute and not rush our shots and not give up easy shots on defense.”

Lawing scored eight points in the opening quarter of play to pace East Burke, with a couple assisted passes from Stilwell.

Stilwell was limited to seven points and Brinkley three at the halftime break, but each scored ten in the second half of play.

Stilwell is now 40 points away from reaching 1500 for her three-year varsity career.

McDowell and McNeil each scored six points in the fourth quarter of play to pace the Lady Cavaliers and keep them ahead.

Coble was a pressuring defender as East Burke forced 11 turnovers in the game off steals by Stilwell, Brinkley, and Kassie Turner.

A rematch awaits the Lady Cavaliers with Salisbury next Tuesday at home as the Lady Hornets ended EB’s season with a 43-37 loss in last year’s 2A western regional championship game.