If Madison County and William Monroe played in cornhole or bocce, it would be a battle.
In the latest installment of one of the area’s most fierce rivalries, William Monroe held on for a 51-46 victory over the Mountaineers, surviving a battle that forced both teams to earn every point they got.
Monroe took a slight lead in the first quarter, leading 9-8 after that frame, and by halftime they’d extended it to 23-18. Madison got the better of the matchup in the third, but Monroe took care of business at the free throw line in the fourth to keep the Mountaineers at arm’s length. Going 9-for-13 there down the stretch as a team.
Alex Kinsey led the Dragons with 18 on the night while Logan Barbour finished with 17. Barbour went 8-for-12 at the free throw line while Kinsey went 10-for-15 at the charity stripe. Calvin Turner gave the Dragons a huge boost underneath with 13 rebounds while Parker Woolford had nine boards to go with six points.
Gaines Swink led Madison with 15 points, including a trio of 3-pointers while Tyrone Banks had 14 points with three 3-pointers of his own.
The Mountaineers host Orange County Friday while the Dragons will take the week off before playing in a holiday tournament in Richmond.
