By Jeff Devine
OZARK — The Carroll High School Lady Eagles continued to build momentum last week, earning two quality victories to improve to 8-3 on the season with wins over Rehobeth and Opelika.
Carroll opened the week with a strong road performance on December 11, defeating Rehobeth 58-46, before returning home Friday night to edge Opelika 61-56.
Head coach Johnson said the wins are encouraging as the Lady Eagles continue working to establish a winning culture within the program.
“We still have a lot of work to do and have been continuing to try to change the culture here at Carroll,” Johnson said. “I’m excited for the week ahead. We finally get to go up against some top-quality opponents in Auburn High School’s ‘Reindeer Tournament.’”
Victory Against Rehobeth Showcases CHS Lady Eagles’ Inside Dominance
Against Rehobeth, Carroll relied on a strong inside presence and an aggressive defensive effort. Johnson said the post play was key to controlling the game.
“Zy had her a night, and my post players dominated the boards,” Johnson said.
Zymirria “Zy” Glanton led the way with a standout performance, pouring in 24 points while also collecting eight steals and four assists. Frankasia Glover anchored the defense with six points and an impressive 20 rebounds, while freshman Zuri Steele added five points and 10 rebounds to help Carroll control the glass.
Freshman Steps Up Against Opelika
In Friday’s home win over Opelika, Carroll again leaned on balanced scoring and rebounding, with several players delivering big performances.
Freshman Zuri Steele recorded the first double-double of her career, finishing with 14 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, and three steals.
“Freshman Zuri Steele stepped up big for us against Opelika and really showcased the type of energy and aggressiveness I want all my players to play with,” Johnson said. “Some will say she plays too aggressively or too hard, but there is no such thing. She is doing exactly what I ask her to do, and it’s paying off.”
Frankasia Glover also posted a double-double, scoring 14 points and pulling down a powerful 16 rebounds. Makynzye Bonner made her impact felt on the defensive end, adding six points and an eye-opening nine steals.
Johnson noted that while Glanton currently leads the team statistically in scoring, the Lady Eagles’ success depends on getting multiple players involved.
CHS held a ceremony last week celebrating Glanton, who recently achieved a major career milestone when she surpassed her 1,000th point in the matchup against Providence Christian a couple of weeks ago.
“Some may say I depend on her to do everything, but that is not true,” Johnson said. “I am all about getting my post players involved, and in this game, our team did just that. Frankasia Glover and Zuri Steele are two talented young ladies who I think in our area no one can compete with on a good night.”
Opelika fell to 4-10 after the defeat.
The Lady Eagles now turn their attention to a challenging stretch of games, beginning with a matchup against Barbour County before traveling to New Brockton as they look to secure their 10th win of the season. Carroll will then compete in Auburn High School’s “Reindeer Tournament,” where they are set to face St. James and Auburn High School.
“There will be two tests for us, but we need to go up against some good competition before we start area play in January,” Johnson said. “I asked the coach to put us against the best teams in the tournament, and that’s exactly what we got.”
With confidence growing and depth emerging, the Lady Eagles appear poised for a strong push as they prepare for area play coming up.
Images below are from the CHS Lady Eagles game against Opelika
Zy Glanton scores a shot in the game against Opelika on Dec. 12.
