HILLSBORO HIGH SCHOOL: Trojans maul Black Bears for win
Sterling no match for Hillsboro boys
in 91-48 trouncing
BY RYAN RICHTER
Sports writer
Add the Sterling Black Bears to the list of teams the Trojans have left in their season's wake of destruction.
Outscoring their last two opponents 171-91, the Trojans aren't just beating teams, they're dunking them.
Since the Trojans' last loss Jan. 3 against Salina-Central, six points has been as close a team has come to knocking off second-ranked Hillsboro.
That came Jan. 25 in the final game of the Trojan Classic against the formidable Inman Teutons with Hillsboro surviving, 37-32.
But Hillsboro quickly laid to rest any concerns about being ready to play Friday against visiting Sterling, a team that shocked ranked Halstead earlier in the season.
The Trojans had little trouble disposing of the Black Bears, trouncing them 91-48 to run the Trojans' current winning streak to 13.
The blow out raises the Trojans to 15-2 on the season and 9-1 in the MCAA.
Now the trick is whether the Trojans can continue their tear.
"We have to keep continuing to do that," said Trojan coach Darrell Knoll of his team's two-game performance. "We're executing really well together and our break is going better than it was earlier in the year. A lot of things are coming together.
"Hopefully another month of this kind of basketball would be good. We've got to continue playing excellent defense."
Hillsboro's defense played relentless, hassling the Black Bears into committing 20 errors which the Trojans turned into 16 points.
The only trouble the Trojans would encounter on the night was with fouls as they dominated the Black Bears everywhere but at the free throw line.
Shawn Hughbanks' career-high 18 points fueled a Trojans' scoring barrage which included all but one who failed to make the scoring column.
Tyler Peachey finished with a double-double of 11 points and a game-high 10 rebounds, Tyler Weinbrenner supplied 15 points, Andy Brubacher 11, and Caleb Marsh with 10.
With three of the Trojan starters saddled with three or more fouls, Knoll got arguably the biggest boost of the season from his bench.
Mainly from the sophomore duo of Daniel Deckert and Eric Weinbrenner, junior Kyle Jilka and senior Alan Yoder.
"Once again I was pleased with the all around game," Knoll said. "We got in a little bit of foul trouble and Deckert came in and played an outstanding ball game. I just thought everybody was ready to play and it was a really nice win for us."
Hillsboro bolted out of the gate and never looked back, jumping on top, 20-12 after the first quarter.
The Trojans played one of their best games of the season handling the offensive rebounds, picking up 21 which they converted to 17 points.
Hillsboro's 47-23 edge in rebounding was nearly identical to the game's scoring margin.
In dire straits at halftime trailing 42-24, Sterling had the roof cave in the third quarter with the Trojans breaking the game open, stampeding out for a 12-0 run.
If that wasn't enough, the Black Bears had a whale of a time trying getting shots, let alone getting them to fall.
They hit a modest eight of 19 from the field and seven of 24 from long range for 35 percent for the night.
And Sterling never could seem to slow down the Trojans' shooting, surrendering 73 shots of which Hillsboro connected on 38.
Through the last four games, the Trojans have developed the tendency of blowing teams out the third quarter, nearly outscoring them by 100 points.
The third quarter against the Black Bears was no different with Hillsboro mailing it in, 27-12.
By the time Dallas Schnurr scored the Black Bears' first points of the second half with just under 4:00 left in the third quarter, Sterling was buried under a 54-24 cave-in.
Hillsboro also had one of its best outing of the year taking care of the basketball, committing a season-low five turnovers.
"We have a big game coming up on Tuesday (at Halstead) and I was just glad we weren't looking past this (Sterling,)" said Knoll. "I don't think we'd ever look past Sterling just because they always have the ability to come up with a good game."
The Trojans enter the final stretch of the regular season Friday when they travel to Wichita for a showdown with the always-dangerous rival Collegiate Spartans.
Hillsboro closes out the regular season Tuesday at home for Parents' Night when it hosts the Haven Wildcats.
Both games are scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
Lyons
The last time the Trojans met up with the Lyons Lions Jan. 10, it was hosting Hillsboro escaping a close call, 57-50.
The February 11 rematch in Lyons didn't keep spectators in suspense nearly as long with the Trojans blowing the lid off in the first quarter, sprinting to a 32-8 lead.
The Lions never recovered, getting hammered 80-43.
The Trojans opened the game red-hot from downtown, draining five of their eight triples during the first quarter-explosion.
Brubacher scored a game-high 20 points with half of them coming in the first frame alone.
Weinbrenner followed with 15 points, including a pair of threes, Dustin Jost added 14 points with two of three from outside and Hughbanks pitched in 12 points with six coming off treys to go along with a team-high four steals.
The best thing that the Lions managed was nearly outscoring the Trojans the second quarter, 16-17.
Trailing 49-24 at halftime, Lyons was never within striking distance.
Halstead
The Trojans faced a close one Tuesday night, narrowly escaping Halstead 57-54.
After staying tight with the Dragons for two quarters, the Trojans were finally able to bust out ahead in the third quarter as they outscored their opponent 20-15 in the quarter.
Tyler Weinbrenner scored 19 points on four of eight three-point shooting.
For the full story, please see next week's issue.
Hillsboro 91, Sterling 48
Total points: E. Weinbrenner 7, Brubacher 11, Bartel 2, T. Weinbrenner 15, Marsh 10, Chisholm 4, Jilka 5, Deckert 4, Hamm 2, Peachey 11, Alan Yoder 2, Hughbanks 18.
Rebounds: E. Weinbrenner 1, Brubacher 7, Bartel 1, T. Weinbrenner 1, Marsh 3, Aaron Yoder 2, Chisholm 5, Deckert 1, Hamm 2, Peachey 10, Alan Yoder 6, Hughbanks 8.
Steals: E. Weinbrenner 1, Brubacher 3, T. Weinbrenner 4, Marsh 2, Chisholm 2, Hamm 2, Peachey 1, Hughbanks 2.
Assists: E. Weinbrenner 3, Brubacher 5, T. Weinbrenner 4, Marsh 2, Aaron Yoder 1, Chisholm 2, Deckert 4, Hughbanks 1.
