Camden, Delaware's Caesar Rodney advances in girls' tourney

By Andy Walter, Sports editor

CAMDEN - All they wanted was another chance to play Seaford.

The only problem for Caesar Rodney High's girls' basketball players, though, is they were facing Glasgow on Saturday.

But the Riders didn't overlook the Dragons, pulling away to a 68-39 victory in the second round of the state tournament.

The win does indeed earn eighth-seeded CR (16-6) a rematch with Seaford. The Riders will face the top-seeded Blue Jays (19-2) in Monday's 7 p.m. quarterfinals at Sussex Tech.

Seaford beat CR, 63-47, in last year's quarterfinals, also at Sussex Tech.

"We really wanted to play them," said CR coach Bill Victory, whose team split its two meetings with the Jays this winter. "Last year they ended our season down at Sussex Tech. We want to return to the scene of the crime and square it away.

"I'd like to get on the floor with that team. (Seaford coach) Jimmy (Wearden) does a nice job, he's got great kids. It should be a war."

"We had to motivate ourselves because we wanted to play Seaford on Monday," agreed sophomore center Micki Younger. "They (the Dragons) are the appetizer, Seaford's the main course."

Not that the No. 9 Dragons (15-7) didn't give CR some problems for much of the game Saturday.

Despite forcing Glasgow into seven turnovers in the first two minutes - and 41 turnovers for the game - the Dragons tied the contest at 8-8 on two quick baskets at the end of the first quarter.

The score was tied again at 19-19 late in the second quarter with the Riders taking only a 23-20 lead into halftime.

Finally, though, holding a 41-33 advantage entering into the fourth quarter, the Riders put some distance between themselves and the Dragons. CR out-scored Glasgow, 28-6, in the final period to win going away.

The Riders hadn't played a game in over a week and then had the Glasgow game postponed on Friday.

"We'd been practicing and practicing and practicing," said Victory. "The kids wanted to play yesterday and it didn't happen so we were a little frustrated, a little uptight.

"It took us a little while to get going but we finally got going. And we're very young. Young kids will do that to you sometimes."

Three players scored in double figures for the Riders, who have only two seniors. That group was led by freshman Nakia Anderson with 20 points and seven rebounds and Younger with 19 points and six rebounds. Sophomore Sonsecharae Everson added 13.

Senior point guard Katie Miller contributed six rebounds, five assists and three steals.

"I think we were kind of sky-high at first," said Anderson. "We came out too happy. But, after we calmed down, everything kind of went our way."

Like the rest of her teammates, Anderson is just glad to be playing Seaford again.

"I'm ready for them," she said. "I'm ready for them."