FLOWERY BRANCH – The Lady Falcon defense eventually forced Pickens County into submission.
Up 7-4 with 5:44 left in the first quarter, Ashley Woodroffe and Caroline Wysocki’s defensive play sparked a 30-7 run in the first half to pace Flowery Branch (25-3) in a 70-43 win over Pickens County (15-13) Friday night in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs.
Woodroffe poured in a game-high 25 points while Wysocki hit for 24 points. Ashley Scott chipped in 8 points in the win.
MyKenzie Weaver led the Dragonettes with 14 points.
“I thought we locked in well for some parts of the game,” Branch coach Courtney Newton-Gonzalez said. “I thought No. 2 (Torie Williams) got off a little bit and we knew she was a shooter, so disappointed in that. But, after she got on a roll, we did a better job of guarding her.”
Of course, the Dragonettes didn’t go quietly as Newton-Gonzalez said and Williams was a big reason.
Williams led a Pickens County charge in the second quarter from behind the 3-point line, hitting three long balls to close the gap 40-24 by halftime.
She ended the night with 11 points.
“They got a little momentum there in the second,” Newton-Gonzalez said. “ I think we relax a little bit in the second quarter.”
The Lady Falcons struggled on the offensive end in the third quarter, only scoring 12 points, and Pickens County took advantage. The Dragonettes outscored Branch 14-12 in the period, but the Lady Falcons still remained in control up 54-39.
In the fourth, the Falcon defense showed up again. The Lady Falcons' pressure was too much to handle in the final 8 minutes. Branch held Pickens to just five points and shut Williams out.
“I think just locking in the game plans a little bit more,” Newton-Gonzalez said. “Just not relaxing on defense and making sure we playing every single play no matter what the score is because that’s going to prepare us down the stretch.”
Flowery Branch will host St. Piux in the second round of the playoffs. Time and day to be determined.
Brandon Warner contributed to this story.
