UNIONVILLE – The Community Viqueens saw a 13-point lead evaporate into a 2-point deficit in the third quarter, but the Viqueens regained control with an 11-0 run and never looked back as Community defeated the Richland Lady Raiders 68-51 in a basketball contest Tuesday night.
Community (6-3) won for the fourth straight time and avenged a loss to the Lady Raiders earlier in the season.
The Viqueen offense was clicking from the outside and inside in the first quarter. Haley Mitchell opened the game with two three-pointers and M.J. Simmons added eight points as the Viqueens withstood an 8-0 Lady Raider run and took a 16-13 lead to the second quarter.
Richland tied the game at 18-18 in the quarter before the Viqueens went on an 8-0 run of their own. Simmons scored six points as Community took a 29-21 lead into the intermission.
With Shelby Cawthon scoring seven points and Simmons adding six in the third quarter, the Viqueens appeared to be in cruise control as Community took a 37-24 lead with 5:54 to play before Richland got hot from three-point land.
The Lady Raiders finished the quarter with five three-pointers and came up with a rare 6-point play to take their first lead at 45-43 with 50 seconds remaining.
The Viqueens started their run with the final four points and took a 47-45 lead to the fourth quarter.
With the well running dry for the Lady Raiders from 3-point territory, the Viqueens started to pull away. Simmons scored six points as seven Community players scored in the quarter.
The Viqueens scored the first seven points to finish its run and took a 54-45 lead with 6:33 left.
After a Lady Raider free throw, the Viqueens scored the next seven points to take a commanding 61-46 advantage and increased their lead to 66-48 as the Lady Raiders could only manage six points in the quarter.
"We did have a good inside-out game and that's how we play and we'll always be that way," Coach Cody Pierce of the Viqueens said.
"It's big when everybody's knocking down shots," Pierce added.
Simmons scored 26 points to lead three Viqueens in double figures. Mitchell netted 17 points while Cawthon added 13.
Shelby Higgins lead the Lady Raiders with 18 points.
The Viqueens were 14-of-19 from the free throw line while Richland was 5-of-7.
"Richland definitely likes shooting the three and they can hit them, too," Pierce said. "We had to trust our offense and trust our rebounding."
"We had just enough defense to put them away late," Pierce added.

Richland 13 8 24 6 — 51
Community 16 13 18 21— 68

Richland: Shelby Higgins 18, Kristen Garner 10, Katie Garner 9, Katelyn Bass 3, Gracie Braden, Bailey Blair 9, Danica Bridgers 2, Kylee Hall, Mary Katherine Butler, A. C. Hewitt, Sissy Randolph.
Community: M. J. Simmons 26, Haley Mitchell 17, Shelby Cawthon 13, Addison Brothers 4, Zoey Dixon 4, Jacey Collier 2, Stevie Dickenson 2, Anna Haskins, Jayla Mangrum, Izzy Martinez, Raegan Haley, Kathryn Sego.
3-Point goals: Richland (10): Higgins 3, Katie Garner 3, Blair 2, Kristen Garner, Bass; Community (6): Mitchell 5, Simmons.
Halftime score: Community 29, Richland 21.