MATT TYSON

Staff Writer

Westwood Middle School basketball opened the week with a home matchup against Cascade Monday evening.

The Lady Rockets began the doubleheader with a 44-18 loss, while the Rockets followed this with a 50-34 victory to secure the split.

Westwood returns to action with a road trip to Cascade Friday night. The girls’ game is set to tip off at 6 p.m.

Rockets take off early in win

Westwood came out of the gate hot to start off the boys’ game, with seven 3-pointers in the first quarter alone to build an early 21-6 lead. Five of these treys came courtesy of Kawl Saine, with one each for Malachi Duke and Caleb Johnson as well.

The Rockets continued to push ahead as the first half continued, with Saine adding two more 3-point shots over the course of the second quarter. Duke added another pair of baskets as well to send Westwood into the break ahead 31-14.

Leading 42-22 by the end of the third quarter, the Rockets continued to remain firmly in control through the game’s remainder and went on to finish the game up by 16.

Saine led the way with 21 points on seven 3-pointers over the first and second quarters. Johnson and Hunter Pierce followed with eight points each. Up next was Duke with seven points. Berott Clem added four points. Walker Lovelace had one field goal for two points.

Lady Rockets fall behind early

Trailing 15-6 at the end of the first quarter, Westwood was held to three more points over the course of the second to go into halftime down 29-9.

Cascade continued to push ahead throughout the second half, holding the Lady Rockets to four points in the third quarter and five points in the fourth on the way to finishing the game ahead by 26.

Adley Selvog and Lyza Cashion led the Westwood offensive effort with six points each. Paisley Prater, Ashlyn Allen and Norah Grant each had two points.

Westwood community gives back

During halftime of the girls’ game, Westwood representatives presented the Multi-County Cancer Support Network with a check for $3,468.

The money was raised during last week’s Pink Out game against Siegel to support the organization’s efforts to aid local individuals and families facing a cancer diagnosis.

“It’s pretty awesome that they do this for an organization like ours,” organization representative Tracy Sparks said. “Our money only comes from donations, fundraisers. We have no government assistance, so any help we get from the community to help people in their community with cancer is a plus.”

The MCCSN assists with the everyday needs of area residents impacted by cancer in Coffee County, as well as seven other counties including Franklin, Moore, Lincoln, Grundy, Marion, Warren and Bedford. This everyday assistance includes help with travel, utility and food expenses.

In the last 12 months, the organization has helped pay for the needs of 36 patients in Coffee County alone, including 15 Manchester residents. The amount spent in this span came out to $16,946 for Coffee County overall, with $6,500 of this going to Manchester cancer patients specifically.

“Being a cancer survivor myself, it means a lot. I personally know the people that we help, I’m the one that takes the needs in,” Sparks said of the community’s generosity. “It means a lot.”