ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Friday, December 27, 1996              TAG: 9612270066
SECTION: SPORTS                   PAGE: B-2  EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
                                             TYPE: ROUNDUP
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT 

FRANKLIN CO. DEFEATS GRETNA

Henry Eggleston scored 25 points Thursday as Franklin County defeated Gretna 80-65 in boys' basketball in the Altavista Christmas Tournament.

Franklin County (2-5) led 14-11 after the first quarter but outscored Gretna 25-13 in the second to take a 39-24 halftime lead. Gretna rallied in the second half and cut the lead to 60-56 in the fourth quarter, but an Eggleston dunk gave the Eagles momentum again with four minutes to go.

Jay Patrick led Gretna with 16 points.

Franklin County will play William Campbell at 7 p.m. today in a semifinal game.

Rustburg 58, Staunton River 49: Joey Abrams had 24 points, 16 in the second quarter alone, to lead the Red Devils to victory over the Golden Eagles in the Altavista Christmas Tournament.

Abrams led the way as Rustburg (5-1) took a 31-20 halftime lead and held off Staunton River (3-3) in the second half.

Matt Roberts led the Golden Eagles with 20 points and made four 3-point goals.

Person County (N.C.) 66, Laurel Park 44: Tate Allen scored 19 points and Nathaniel Goodson added 17 as the Rockets downed the Lancers in the first round of the Halifax County Christmas Classic in South Boston.

Laurel Park led 24-23 at halftime, but Person County pulled away in the second half for the victory.

Eric Jones and Jeff Slade each scored 11 points for Laurel Park (5-1). The Lancers will face Northern Durham (N.C.), a 66-64 loser to Halifax County, in a consolation game at 6:30 p.m. today.

Girls

Pulaski County 71, Lake Braddock 58: The Cougars overcame a slow start to shut down the Bruins in the first round of the Bookjammin' Tournament in Fairfax.

Lake Braddock (4-3) used a zone defense to slow down Pulaski County in the first period and take a 15-10 lead. After lots of turnovers, the Cougars roared back in the second quarter to lead 29-25 at halftime. Pulaski County (6-0) made good use of its press, and particularly the defensive efforts of Mandy Sexton, Robyn Bower and Sarah Donald, to pull away in the second half.

Helen Mortlock led Lake Braddock with 28 points.

Pulaski County will face Hayfield in a semifinal game at 6 p.m. today.

NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.

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