North County Knights Get Revenge on Senior Night, Beat Old Mill Patriots

As the old saying goes, you cannot have too much of a good thing. Something ’s Ayonché Clash proved to Knights fans Friday night.

simply had no answer for Clash, who stole the show with a game-high 29 points and nine steals, as the Knights rolled over the Patriots, 73-31.

“I was just as pleasantly surprised as mostly everybody else in the gym,” said North County head coach Al Pindell after the game. “That was the best we played all year.”

Old Mill got off to a slow start Friday, failing to score a single point for the first 3:35 of the game as the Knights opened up a quick 8-0 lead behind the play of their three starting seniors-Clash, Denver Clyde, and Chrissy Shives.

Clyde scored 22 points on the night, while Shives finished the game with seven.

The Knights suffocated Old Mill defensively, forcing six first-quarter steals, which led to eight transition points.

North County had the Patriots on their heals.

The Knights led by 11 points after one quarter, 16-5.

Even with the lead, North County refused to slow down.

The Knights started the second quarter on a 10-0 run that included five straight points from junior guard Kate Helmick. Old Mill finally got on the board with just 2:18 remaining in the second when senior guard Chantel Johnson hit a 3-pointer to stop the bleeding.

But North County answered right back, finishing the quarter on a 12-2 run to extend their lead to 28 points.

The Knights led 38-10 at the half.

“We didn’t play very well,” said Old Mill head coach Craig White. “We have a lot of things we need to fix quickly if we want to stay around in the playoffs.”

Things did not go any better for the Patriots in the second half.

Just like they had the previous two quarters, the Knights began the third on a run. This time North County rattled off seven straight points, beginning with mid-range jumper from Devyn Glidden and ending with a 3-pointer from Clash.

“Clash was unconscious,” said Pindell. “She played effortlessly.”

The Knights led by 41 points, 58-17, after outscoring the Patriots 20-7 in the third quarter.

Old Mill’s offense would finally come alive in the fourth quarter, scoring 14 points in the game’s final eight minutes, but by that time it was too late.

North County won easily, 73-31.

“It’s a confidence builder,” Pindell said. “It says we belong on the court with some of the better teams.”

With the loss the Patriots fell to 9-13 on the season, while the Knights, who appear to be peaking at the right time, improved to 14-6.

“Team’s just can’t dismiss us anymore,” Pindell said. “They have to prepare to play us.”