For The Dialog
MILLTOWN – A quick start and a tough 1-3-1 zone defense helped propel Concord to a 52-29 win in nonconference girls basketball Friday night at St. Mark’s.
The Raiders forced some early turnovers and jumped out to a 6-0 start not even a minute into the game. Senior Holly Panchak and sophomore Zhan’e Snow were the beneficiaries of those turnovers, scoring fast-break points and prompting a Spartans time out.
St. Mark’s responded with four straight points, but the Raiders ended the quarter on a 13-2 run to lead, 19-6. Panchak had seven in the first, but she was more impressed with the defense.
“Our team defense gives us early leads, and that is important. Defense wins games,” she said.
The Spartans got back into it in the second as a 14-4 run cut the deficit to 23-20. Senior Kaitlyn Wolff had eight of those points, while her sister, freshman Kayla, added four. Panchak then went to work, scoring two baskets in the last minute of the half to give the Raiders a 29-20 advantage.
The second half was all Concord, as they outscored the Spartans, 22-9. Both teams slowed the pace, but a Wynter McLaughlin bucket at the buzzer gave the Raiders a 39-24 lead. Snow scored six of her team-high 15 in the last quarter as Concord closed out the game.
Panchak added 12 points for the 3-0 Raiders, who host Mount Pleasant on Tuesday at 5:15 p.m. The Spartans, who fell to 0-2, got a game-high 16 points from Kaitlyn Wolff. They travel to Brandywine for a 5:15 start on Tuesday evening.
