Millbrook guard Karon Blount knows the Wildcats are a different team from a year ago. As a senior though, Blount is surrounded by many of the same teammates. He still has the same point guard in senior Shi’Chee Moore (pictured left) and veteran coach in Scott McInnes.

Yet Blount feels the Wildcats, who host Wakefield (5-0, 1-0 Cap Eight 4-A) tonight at home, are more mature and better prepared to have a successful season from start to finish.

“We are different,” Blount said. “We play much harder on defense.”

On Friday night against Broughton, the Wildcats (6-1, 1-0) looked like a team that learned its lesson from the previous year.

Last season, the Wildcats reached the N.C. High School Athletic Association 4-A state championship game mainly because of their defense. But Millbrook had to mature over the course of that season. After all, the Wildcats started the year with a 2-6 record.

That’s not the case this season.

Game over: Garner 37, Broughton 13

Garner increased its lead on a three-yard run by running back Juwan Moye to start the fourth quarter.

The Caps did force another turnover, a second fumble recovery by linebacker Alex Mikels, but running back Chris Mangus fumbled the ball back to the Trojans deep in their territory. It wasn’t until the fifth turnover by Garner that allowed the Caps to score, this time on a 10-yard run by Mangus.

Garner ended the game with a 74-yard touchdown run by backup running back Samuel Stidwell.

Third Quarter: Garner 23, Broughton 6

The effort by Broughton’s defense might not be enough for the Caps. To start the second half, Broughton recovered a fumbled snap after allowing the Trojans to advance to its 12-yard line. Although the Caps have forced three turnovers, Broughton has yet to move the ball down the field on Garner.

Garner scored on its second drive of the quarter on a one-yard run by quarterback Vincent Jefferies. With a lead, the Trojans have elected to run the football with running backs Juwan Moye and Demetrius Fairley. Late in the quarter, you could tell Broughton’s defense, which has been on the field for most of the game, has started to get fatigued.

Broughton will being the toughest week of its season tonight in hosting Southeast Raleigh after postponing the game Friday due to inclement weather produced from Hurricane Irene.

The decision to move the game created a unique week for the Caps, who were already scheduled to play Garner on Thursday night because of Labor Day weekend.

Now, the Caps will play two of the best teams in the Greater Neuse 4-A conference in just four days.

WASHINGTON — All wins count the same, but it's hard imagining a bigger, better or more hard-earned win for the Carolina Hurricanes than the 3-2 shootout victory Tuesday over the Washington Capitals.

The Caps had won five straight over the Canes this season. They had won five straight at home in the Verizon Center and were 11-2 in March. Captain Alex Ovechkin was back in the lineup after missing three games with an injury, itching to play, and Jason Arnott also had returned.

When Alexander Semin rifled in a tough-angle shot for a second-period goal and Marcus Johansson followed with another score, the Caps led 2-1 after two periods. And Washington had been virtually unbeatable — 27-0-2 -- when holding the lead after two.

RALEIGH -- In the third minute of overtime, Leesville Road forward Kelsey Weiss put in an easy rebound past Broughton goalkeeper Caroline Duncan for the match-winning goal in a 2-1 victory.

The initial shot came from Caroline Gentry, who attracted two Broughton defenders her way. That created enough space for Weiss, who was in front of the net, to score uncontested.

“[Weiss] was in the right place at the right time,” coach Paul Dinkenor said. “Caroline did a lot of approach work [for the goal], and Weiss got the rebound and knocked it in.”

RALEIGH – The reasons behind Broughton’s 46-41 victory over Millbrook in the semifinals of the Cap Eight 4-A Tournament on Thursday night were obvious to Caps coach Jeff Ferrell.

The Caps didn’t hesitate, nor did they get pushed around by the Wildcats. Ferrell’s team did the exact opposite.

In a game that was tied at 37-37 with two minutes remaining, the Caps forced Millbrook into mistakes that led to points in transition. Then when Millbrook needed to foul late, Broughton made its free throws to close the game. The Caps will now play top-seeded Wakefield at 7 p.m. Friday in the championship game.  

“Millbrook just pressures you every time,” Ferrell said. “We didn’t give up and we trusted ourselves.”

RALEIGH – Here’s our rapid reaction after Wakefield defeated Broughton 72-60 Thursday night in a Cap Eight 4-A conference game:

HOW THE GAME WAS WON

Wakefield was able to stay calm and collected in the final four minutes, which is something Broughton wasn’t able to do. The Wolverines stayed within their offense and was able to get to the free throw line by driving to the basket. The Wolverines also made their free throws while the Caps settled for quick shots that led to easy transition points for Wakefield. Guard Xavier Saddler-Mee (pictured right) had 22 points and forward Jason Lee had 16 that all came in the second half.

TURNING POINT

Lee was a big factor in Wakefield’s 12-0 run late in the fourth quarter. Lee scored eight points during the stretch when Broughton went to a full-court press to induce turnovers. Lee didn’t play well in the first half, but he really made his presence felt by grabbing rebounds and scoring over smaller defenders.

STAT OF THE GAME

In a short time this year Broughton as become a team that relies too much on the three-point shot. That was their biggest downfall against Wakefield. Although Broughton had a lead early in the first quarter, they Caps shot just 1-for-14 from behind the arc in the second half.

RALEIGH – Here’s our rapid reaction after Millbrook defeated Broughton 70-60 Friday night in a Cap Eight 4-A conference game:

HOW THE GAME WAS WON

The Wildcats were more physical and better conditioned than the Caps in this game. Millbrook coach Scott McInnes used 10 players to execute a style of basketball that forces mistakes based on turnovers. The Wildcats created plenty of turnovers and took advantage by scoring easy baskets in transition.

TURNING POINT

The Wildcats were able to break the Caps mentally with its pressure throughout the game, but the third quarter was Millbrook’s most effective as they used a 10-0 run to extend its lead to double-digits.

STATS OF THE GAME

The key stat with any Millbrook game is turnovers. The Wildcats play a full-court press that is similar to the Missouri Tigers – they want to turn you over on every possession. That almost occurred in the first quarter when Broughton struggled to find any rhythm on offense. The Wildcats forced 20 turnovers in the game.

RALEIGH -- The Broughton Capitals gained a huge advantage with their special teams play as they cruised to a 51-20 win over 4-A CAP 7 foe Sanderson (1-10, 1-5).

From their first possession to their last, the Capitals scored at will as they finished the season at .500 in conference play and 6-5 overall.

Game over: Wakefield 45, Broughton 42

This was easily the best football game in the Cap Eight this season. The Wolverines survived – literally – in a 45-42 win Thursday night. Broughton tried to tied the game, but a blocked with 1.1 seconds left gave sixth-ranked Wakefield the win.

And although the Caps had their chance for overtime, they could have won the game. Before the field goal attempt, quarterback Will Cooper threw for receiver Thomas Brown in the end zone. Initially, it appeared Brown made the catch, but later it was ruled he didn’t control the ball.

Before the late plays in the final seconds, the Wolverines could have run the clock out. But Wakefield quarterback Connor Mitch threw an interception that gave the Caps life with less than two minutes remaining.

The Wolverines keep their slim hopes of sharing the Cap Eight regular season title alive with the win.