news-record.com

Second of three parts.

Girls basketball at William Penn High School was still a powerful force among black high schools in the surrounding area between 1937 and 1941.

Penn always seemed to have two outstanding forwards and a sharp-shooting guard who demanded respect on anyone’s court.

On Jan. 14, 1937, 350 people turned out to see the Pennities run all over the visiting girls of John Mercer Langston High School of Danville, Va., 32-5.

Thelma Harris, Mozelle Moffitt and Hazel McCollum brought their “A” game that night. Moffitt and McCollum scored 12 points each — 24 of their team’s 32 points. Marcella Steele was the only substitute needed that night. To this point, the Penn girls have been referred to as the Tigresses and now the Pennities, so I am not sure what they should be called. Let’s just call them good.

In February 1937, big, bad Atkins High School of Winston-Salem came to High Point, and the Penn girls ran all over the visitors, 27-17, a development Atkins wasn’t accustomed to.

Harris scored 11 points, and Moffitt and McCollum contributed eight points each. The Penn girls beat Atkins again five days later in Winston-Salem, 22-11.

Because of bad weather, only a small crowd of fans showed up at the William Penn auditorium Feb. 23, 1938, to watch the Penn girls play Douglass High School of Leaksville. Moffitt, McCollum and Sarah Colson led the Penn girls to a lopsided 53-4 victory. What a performance by this outstanding group of young ladies.

In February 1939, led by forwards Moffitt and Colson, the Penn girls defeated the Booker T. Washington High School girls of Reidsville, 28-14. Moffitt scored 16 points, and Colson scored eight.
In January 1940, in the second game of the season, the Penn girls racked up their second straight win, 18-11, over Kannapolis High School. Penn forward Colson scored 11 of Penn’s points.

Guards Eula Dunlap, Georgia Hairston and Mable Steed slowed down Dunbar High School of East Spencer to help the Penn girls claim their third-straight victory. With Colson contributing 12 points and Earlene Davis 11 points, Penn walked away with a 28-10 win in the Penn gym.

Six days after defeating Dunbar, the Penn girls traveled to East Spencer and beat Dunbar, 17-7. Thanks to the brilliant play of guards Dunlap, Hairston and Steed, the Dunbar girls were held to just one field goal during the entire game. Now, that’s what you call playing defense.

A reporter wrote, “If the boys team could develop its guards like the girls, William Penn would have a championship team this season.” Case closed.

J.C. Price High School in Salisbury played a good game on Jan. 10, but forwards Colson, Margaret Watkins and Davis stepped up their play and led the Penn girls to a 26-17 victory on Price’s home court. Colson led the Penn girls in scoring with eight points.

On Feb. 5, 1940, the Penn girls played Madison High to a 25-25 tie in the William Penn gym. Watkins scored 14 points, and Davis scored 10 for Penn. I wonder who scored one point for Penn?

The girls of George Washington Carver High School in Winston-Salem came to High Point on Feb. 21 and got crushed, 13-4. Once again, it was Penn’s defense-minded guards Dunlap, Hairston and Harrell who were responsible for this victory. Davis scored nine of Penn’s 13 points.

In 1938, the girls of Douglass High in Leaksville had the unpleasant experience of getting beaten 53-4 by the Penn girls. On that team was an outstanding forward by the name of Mozelle Moffitt.

Well, three years later, they came to play in the Penn gym, but this time the score wasn’t as bad — 20-18. What hurt Douglass’ team this time was Mozelle’s sister, Annice Moffitt, who scored all 20 of Penn’s points and never muffed a free-throw. Those Moffitt girls were born with a basketball gene.

Through the years, Penn always had a problem beating Dudley in football and basketball. However, on Jan. 29, 1941, both the girls and boys were triumphant. The Penn girls won their game 19-11 on their home court. Sharp-shooting forward Annice Moffitt scored 14 of Penn’s 19 points.

On Feb. 10, 1941, the Penn girls defeated Immanuel Lutheran of Greensboro, 17-5.

Four days later, the Penn girls held the girls of Jordan-Sellars to fewer than 10 points with a game-ending score of 14-7.

Glenn Chavis researches and writes about High Point’s black history. Contact him at Storytime40@aol.com.