Sports editor
In an April 9 match completed Monday because of inclement weather, Hillsboro High School tennis players Taylor Hagen and Clay Shewey earned a championship on their home court.
The duo played in the number one doubles bracket and knocked off Kolton Talbott and Ryan Yenni of Smoky Valley, 8-5, to start its run.
An 8-3 victory in the semifinals led to a match-up with Conway Springs’ Kayle Barkley and Cole Ebenkamp.
It would be their closest match of the day, but Shewey and Hagen held off Barkley and Ebenkamp, 8-6.
The Trojans finished second as a team with 55 points, one behind champion Hutchinson Trinity.
Baseball
Heading into the week the Hillsboro baseball team had yet to win a game at 0-2.
After taking five of six games from league foes this past week, all of a sudden the 5-3 Trojans look like contenders.
It began April 14 with a doubleheader split at Hoisington.
The bats were on fire in game one as the Trojans banged out 12 hits and scored 13 runs to win by three.
Jacob Fish was 3-4 with three RBI’s and Jacob Edwards picked up the win on the mound.
After an 11-7 loss in game two, the Trojans headed to Marion Thursday for makeup games with the Warriors.
The team led 7-0 a week earlier before rain washed the slate clean.
It did not matter to HHS as they notched two wins, 13-5 and 19-7.
The Trojans lit-up Marion pitching for 30 hits in the two games.
Daniel Jost had the hottest bat for Hillsboro, going 6-9 with a home run and three RBI’s in the two games.
In the 19-7 victory, seven Trojans had at least two hits, led by Edwards, Fish, and Dylan Funk who each had three.
Luke Moore went the distance on the mound to earn the victory.
Isaac Leihy picked-up the victory in game one. He pitched five innings, allowed four hits, three runs, two earned, and struck out seven.
Jost was 4-5 while Tyler Ediger and Ben Bebermeyer each had two hits.
The big week continued with a Friday sweep at Smoky Valley.
Pitching was the key for Hillsboro in the two games as it won 6-3 and 14-4.
Fish allowed just one run in 4.1 innings, earning the win in game one, while Jacob Edwards threw a complete game in the nightcap.
Jost continued his torrid hitting tear going 3-3 with an RBI in game two.
Fish was 3-4 with four RBI’s while at least six Trojans knocked in a run.
Hillsboro will be at home Friday against Lyons.
Softball
The young Hillsboro softball continues to win.
Despite taking the field with mainly freshmen and sophomores, the Lady Trojans won three of four games against Hoisington and Smoky Valley this past week to improve to 5-1.
In an opening game victory April 14 at Hoisington it was five freshmen and a junior who contributed most.
Freshman Courtney Weber threw a complete game, allowing just two runs on six hits while striking out four.
Fellow freshmen Steph Sanders, Franny Gottsch, Krista Reimer, and Samantha Koons went a combined 8-12 with six RBI’s.
Koons had a game-high three hits, while junior Briana Loewen was 2-3 with an RBI.
Another freshman picked-up a complete game victory on the mound in game two when Gottsch allowed just four runs, three earned, while striking out seven.
It was Koons again leading the team at the plate, going 2-4 with three RBI’s.
Weber also had two hits and an RBI.
Weber picked-up another win on the mound Friday against Smoky Valley.
Muddy conditions at Hillsboro moved the games to Lindsborg, but the Lady Trojans were the “home team.”
They dropped their first game of the season, 14-5, but came away with a split by also sneaking out a 9-8 victory.
After jumping ahead 5-1 in the first inning, HHS held on to its three-run lead in the final inning despite giving up two runs.
The Lady Trojans will be at home Friday to take on Lyons.
Track and field
Both Hillsboro squads took third place April 14 at the Haven meet.
Ishmael Morris led the way for the boys’ team as the only first-place medalist.
His time of 11.59 seconds in the 100-meter dash and 23.30 in the 200, were good enough for gold medals.
The girls’ team did not have any first-place finishers, but did take four of the six spots in the 100m dash.
Dakota Kaufman was second with a time of 13.62, and took third in the 200 behind teammate Tiffany Rooker who was second.
Golf
The Trojan golf squad took the course only once this past week, but it was against tough competition at Hidden Lake Golf Club, Wichita.
Andover Central dominated the Wichita Collegiate meet with a 299.
Hillsboro was 11th of 12 with a 360.
The tournament was filled with 4 and 5A schools, but the Trojans did manage to earn one individual medal.
Daniel Kunantaev was one of two golfers to shoot 77 and took 10th place on a scorecard tiebreak.
Jake Kenney and Devin Dick were the next Trojan finishers, after each shot a 93.
The Trojans will be in action Tuesday at the Bennington invitational.
For complete sports coverage, see Page 6