Seats were hard to come by tonight but whistles… not so much. The Midway GreenWave traveled to West Knoxville to face the Lions of Concord Christian. The seating capacity was maxed out, as the Midway faithful always travel strong. Though the games started an hour earlier than normal, it was still a late night of high school basketball, with both the girls’ and boys’ teams in double bonus for much of the game. Fortunately, both Midway teams secured wins tonight, making the late night more enjoyable. The Lady Wave won 59-51, and the GreenWave won 71-54.
Lady Wave Victory:
The girls’ game was competitive, with the Lady Wave holding a slight edge over Concord in the opening quarter, 19-15. Abbie Parks led the way for Midway with 7 first-quarter points, followed by Daylee Edwards with 5. Balanced scoring, with five Lady Waves contributing, helped the team to a 35-27 halftime lead. Concord, a good shooting team, kept the game close, narrowing the deficit to just 4 points in the third quarter. However, in the final stanza, Addie Armes knocked down a crucial 3-pointer and connected on 3 of 4 free throws to hold off Concord, securing the win for the Lady Wave, 59-51.
Kyleigh Cawood led Midway with 21 points and 8 steals. Abbie Parks added 10 points and 9 rebounds. Kiersten Ruffner also contributed 10 points. Addie Armes had an all-around game with 9 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 blocks.
GreenWave Boys Dominate:
It was a quick turnaround for the Midway boys, having played a physical game against Clarkrange just 20 hours earlier before they had to slip on the travel darks and head up I-40 to West Knoxville: home to stand-still traffic, 7 dog treat bakeries and the Concord Christian School Lions. Despite the short rest, the GreenWave showed no signs of fatigue. Midway started aggressively, which caused several players to be in foul trouble early, but they held Concord to only 8 first-quarter points. Midway led 12-8 after one quarter. Brady Arndts continued his hot shooting from the previous night, knocking down a pair of 3s in the second quarter, helping Midway to a 32-22 halftime lead.
Midway built on their lead in the third quarter. Cooper Queener sank two 3s, and Dalton Cowell, the team’s machine, added 6 points, hitting 4 of 5 free throws. Midway led 50-37 at the end of the third. The tidal wave continued in the fourth quarter. Queener knocked down another 3, and collectively, the GreenWave hit 10 of 13 free throws to close out the game. Midway’s relentless defensive pressure tamed the Lions, securing a 71-54 victory.
Five GreenWave players scored in double digits. Dalton Cowell fittingly led the scoring with 18 points on his 18th birthday. Brennan Reed had 16, followed by Cooper Queener with 12. Wyatt McClure added 11, and Brady Arndts completed the balanced scoring with 10.
Next Game:
Midway basketball will host Sweetwater on Tuesday, November 26.