I was really, really proud of our effort to just fight back. They had beaten us twice this year by 18 or 19 points. Coming in at halftime with a one-point lead, we felt really good about what he had done to take the lead.”

Lady Rocket coach Hal Murrell

UNIONVILLE — In two previous meetings this season against No. 1 Community, the Forrest Lady Rockets (12-14) struggled to compete against the Viqueens (22-7) and both games went down as double-digit losses.
While Forrest limited the effectiveness of the Viqueens in the first half and held a slim halftime lead, Community connected on a handful of timely shots in the second half to down the Lady Rockets, 53-43, for the District 7-AA title.
Early on, it looked like the Viqueens might run away with the district title.
Community scored five-straight points to open the game before Ryann Lewis hit a pair of free throws with 6:14 left in the first quarter to put the Lady Rockets on the board.
But the Viqueens answered with back-to-back baskets and led 9-2 before Macyn Kirby connected on the first field goal of the game for Forrest.
With shots struggling to fall, things got even worse for the Lady Rockets as Lewis was whistled for her second foul with 4:21 left in the first quarter.
After trailing 18-11 after the first quarter, Forrest opened the second quarter with a 3-pointer by Megan Mealer and the Lady Rockets took off on a 11-2 run and held a 22-20 lead with just over three minutes left in the half.
Community managed a single field goal through the first six minutes, a basket by Shelby Cawthon, as shots for the Viqueens that fell in the first quarter just wouldn’t fall in the second frame.
After a pair of baskets by Community’s M.J. Simmons put Community up 24-22 with 1:38 left, it was a second 3-pointer by Mealer that gave the Lady Rockets a 25-24 lead at the half.
“We started out down 9-2. Ryann Lewis got in foul trouble. I was really, really proud of our effort to just fight back. They had beaten us twice this year by 18 or 19 points. Coming in at halftime with a one-point lead, we felt really good about what he had done to take the lead,” Forrest coach Hal Murrell said.
Having outscored the Viqueens 14-6, the momentum appeared to shift in favor of the No. 2 seed Lady Rockets.
Community opened the third quarter with a missed 3-pointer and after corralling the rebound, Addison Bunty knocked down a trey with 7:25 left in the third to give Forrest a four-point lead.
But on the following Community possession, Lewis picked up her third foul and was forced to the bench.
Community took advantage of the foul trouble and rattled off seven points and led 31-30 following a drive to the rim by Simmons with 2:26 to go in the period.
Playing through foul trouble, Lewis gave the Forrest faithful a jolt of energy when she powered her way to the rim, knocked down the layup and drew the foul.
She completed the three-point play and gave the Lady Rockets a 33-31 lead with 55 seconds left, seemingly turning the tide in favor of Forrest.
But the following two Community possessions proved to be the most important for Community as Zoey Dixon connected a 3-pointer to end the third quarter and another to open the fourth.
Community didn’t trail again.
“There was just that little spurt there in the third and fourth quarter where some of their guards got going and buried some big threes for them,” Murrell said.
Community was able to maintain the lead throughout the fourth quarter and closed the game out with a perfect, 6-of-6 effort at the free throw line to claim the district title.
“We had some costly turnovers down there. That’s all it takes against a team of their caliber. We knew coming in what we felt like we needed to do. I’m really proud of our effort. With how far we’ve come, I know it doesn’t necessarily show in the win-loss column, they have come so far,” Murrell said.
Kirby was the lone Lady Rocket to reach double figures as she led all scorers with 16 points.
Community was led by four in double figures, Haley Mitchell and Breanna Whitaker scoring 14 apiece, while Simmons and Dixon each added 10.
While Forrest came up short, one thing the Lady Rockets were not short on was effort and intensity and no player personified that in the 7-AA title game than Bunty, who was a defensive force.
Bunty gave the Viqueens fits with a disruptive transition defense and spark of energy the Lady Rockets needed.
“That’s her M.O. She’s been that way all year. She’s full of energy. She’s the cheerleader on the side. We put her on people that dig down on their post. She’s just a super, super kid,” Murrell said.
“I’ve got a team full of them. They all believe in each other. They have each other’s backs. I love them to death and wouldn’t trade this team for anyone.”
While Friday night’s game went down as a loss, the Lady Rockets still locked up No. 2 in the upcoming Region 4-AA tournament and will host the quarterfinal round on Friday night in Chapel Hill.
“We get to host a region game next week. Very few teams in the state are still alive and even less get to host a region game. So I’m very proud of what we’ve done what we’ve accomplished,” Murrell said.
Forrest will host the 4-AA quarterfinal at 7 p.m. in Chapel Hill on Friday evening.

Forrest 11 14 8 10 — 43
Community 18 6 10 19 — 53

Forrest: Macyn Kirby 16, Addison Bunty 8, Meagan Mealer 6, Cadence Chapman 6, Ryann Lewis 5, Carli Warner 2.
Community: Haley Mitchell 14, Breanna Whitaker 14, M.J. Simmons 10, Zoey Dixon 10, Addison Brothers 3, Shelby Cawthon 2.
3-Point goals: Community (7): Dixon 2, Mitchell 2, Whitaker 2, Brothers; Forrest (4): Mealer 2, Bunty 2.
Halftime score: Forrest 25, Community 24.