Carrington Closes Out Career With 36 Points, But Lady Owls Fall

Dundalk’s Tracey Carrington, as she has each game for the past four years, left everything she had on the floor Tuesday night in her final high school contest.

After pouring in 33 points in the Lady Owls' playoff opening win over Douglas, Carrington dropped 36 on City College. In addition, she blocked a half-dozen shots in the first half alone and finished in double digits in rebounds.

It just wasn’t quite enough against the taller, more-balanced Lady Knights, who held off a furious Dundalk rally for a 53-46 win.

Carrington kept the Lady Owls in the contest early, scoring all eight of the team’s first quarter points. Dundalk trailed 12-8 after the first period before City College broke the game over the next two periods with a combination of pressure defense, offensive rebounding and three-point shooting.

By the 1:24 mark of the third quarter, City College had built a 19-point lead.

“Our turnovers hurt us,” said Dundalk coach Cindy Vetri. “We dug too big of a hole for ourselves.”

However, the Lady Owls, dressing just six players, never quit. With Carrington exploding for 15 points in a 4:35 stretch down the wire, including a spectacular 360-degree spin and shot off the glass, Dundalk suddenly cut the score to 51-46 with 1:27 to play.

But the Lady Owls and Carrington, who nearly came up with another quick turnover at mid-court, were unable to create enough defense pressure to force City College into any more mistakes as the clock ran down.

City College closed out the scoring with a pass from point guard Dyzhaney Burton to Precious Palmer cutting to the basket. Burton scored 13 to lead the Knights, followed by Koraan Sydnor with 11.

City College coach George Petrides said afterward he was happy to get win, but not with they way the Lady Knights played with their big lead. Although, he didn’t take away thing away from Dundalk’s efforts.

“They earned it,” Petrides said.

Petrides also said he figured the game would be close.

“They’ve beaten some good teams,” Petrides said. “I expected Carrington would score 30.”

Junior forward Asia Brittingham, who scored eight points in the win over Douglas, chipped in with seven points against City College. Breona Moore added three points.

Dundalk graduates three other starters besides Carrington, guards Chelsea Wageley and Meaghan Williams, and Moore.

Carrington, a second-team All-Metro selection last year, said after the game she’s planning to play next year for either Morgan State University or South Carolina State University.

At 5-feet-9, Carrington, who often played inside for Dundalk, will have to make a transition outside at college, but she said she’s ready for a new challenge.

“I’ve really worked hard here, done everything I could to make myself a better player and make the team better, too,” Carrington said. “I’ll miss it. I know I will. But I’m ready to take it to the next level at the same time—I’m looking forward to it.”