Shorthanded Cougars Upset South Rowan in Girls Basketball

Carson High School pulls off surprise victory despite key injuries to top scorers

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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Carson's girls basketball team, missing their leading scorer Rylee Hedrick and starting point guard Brooklyn Johnson due to injuries, pulled off a 43-37 upset win over South Rowan on Friday. Senior Julia Burleson led the way with 16 points, but the surprise hero was junior guard Emily Guiton, who scored a career-high 12 points with three 3-pointers.

Why it matters

The win was an impressive feat for the shorthanded Cougars, who were underdogs against the more experienced South Rowan squad. It keeps Carson in contention for a high seed in the upcoming South Piedmont Conference tournament, where the teams will meet again in the first round.

The details

Despite missing their top two scorers, the Cougars jumped out to an early 17-7 lead and were able to hold on for the victory. In addition to Burleson's 16 points, freshman Audrey Faggart scored 10 and Braylee Johnson added 5. South Rowan was led by Meghan Eagle's 12 points, but the team's top scorers from the first meeting, Day Pharr and Ella Morgan, were held to just 7 points combined.

  • The game was played on Friday, February 14, 2026.
  • The teams will meet again on Monday, February 17, 2026 in the first round of the South Piedmont Conference tournament.

The players

Julia Burleson

Carson High School's only senior, who recently surpassed 500 career points.

Emily Guiton

A junior guard for Carson High School who had a breakout game, scoring a career-high 12 points with three 3-pointers.

Rylee Hedrick

Carson High School's leading scorer, who missed the game due to an ankle sprain.

Brooklyn Johnson

Carson High School's starting point guard, who missed the game due to a concussion.

Meghan Eagle

A senior who led South Rowan with 12 points.

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What they’re saying

“It was Senior Night and we wanted to play well, but I was worried about how we would do. We scored 28 points in our previous game and we still didn't have Rylee or Brooklyn.”

— Chloe Monroe, Carson High School Head Coach (salisburypost.com)

“Julia and Emily came out making shots early, gave us a lead, gave us confidence. Then we hung on and pulled it out. It was a big one for us.”

— Chloe Monroe, Carson High School Head Coach (salisburypost.com)

What’s next

The teams will meet again on Monday, February 17, 2026 in the first round of the South Piedmont Conference tournament. Carson coach Chloe Monroe said Hedrick and Brooklyn Johnson have made some progress and their status for the tournament game will be a game-time decision.

The takeaway

This upset victory by the shorthanded Cougars shows the team's resilience and ability to step up when key players are missing. It also sets up an intriguing rematch in the conference tournament, where both teams will be looking to advance and continue their seasons.