Lady Trojans endure week of heartbreak
Hillsboro drops pair by combined two points to Hesston, Lyons
By RYAN RICHTER
Sports writer
She may only be in her first season at the Hillsboro helm, but already coach Melissa Stenfors has had her fair share of heartbreaks.
Both occurred in the same week with her Trojans tumbling in two games against a good team and one starved for a win by a combined two points.
On Jan. 10 in Hillsboro, the Trojans had victory within their sights against the perennial power Hesston Lady Swathers.
But it was not to be as the Swathers were able to escape with a 47-46 win with the help of the Trojans' shooting an icy eight-for-18 at the free-throw line.
Three days later at winless Lyons on unlucky Friday the 13th, it took overtime, but the Lions also benefited from the Trojans' (4-5, 1-2 MCAA) ragged free-throw shooting in a 45-44 victory.
Clinging to a narrow 12-11 lead after one quarter of play Friday, Hillsboro starting slipping away the second quarter with the Lions outscoring the Trojans 11-5 for a 22-17 lead at the break.
The Trojans were their own worst enemy, turning the ball over nine of their eventual 14 times and going ice-cold from the floor.
Hillsboro ended the game on a 36 percent night from the floor off 20-for-55 with Lyons hitting 37 percent
A game-high 18 points from Hannah Marsh kept the Trojans in Lyons rear-view mirror, though.
Trailing 35-29 heading into the final stretch, Hillsboro rallied furiously, 10-4, with Amanda Faber scoring four of her 11 points to send the game into an extra session.
Marsh fouled out late in the bonus round, leaving the Trojans to look elsewhere for offense.
It came down to free-throw shooting where the Lions made 4-for-6 while the Trojans struggled for 3-for-5 in overtime and just 4-of-7 overall.
Despite JuliAnne Chisholm finishing a point and one rebound shy of a double-double, Lyons beat the Trojans rebounding, 38-32 with Chisholm pulling down five offensive.
The Trojans are in action this week at the Trojan Classic which began Tuesday night against the defending Class 3A champion Riley County. Results were unavailable at the time of publication.
On Thursday, Hillsboro faces Cair-Paravel in Hillsboro at 6 p.m.
Saturday's times are to be determined later this week.
Hesston
Expect to hear the groaning from this one throughout the remainder of the Trojans' season.
For years under the highly-successful Brennan Torgerson, the Swathers always have been a thorn in the Trojans' side.
Hillsboro had a golden opportunity to put an end to the Swather curse, taking a 34-30 lead to start the fourth quarter after rallying from seven points down at intermission.
Five points each from Marsh and Lora Andrews, and four from Amy Neufeld helped give the Trojans new life with a 17-6 third quarter and holding Swather standout Liz Wray scoreless.
The Trojans could only hold Wray scoreless for so long, though, as she broke loose for seven of her game-high 19 points in the fourth quarter.
Much like the Lions, the Swathers, too, won the game at the free-throw line, shooting 70 percent, including 11-of-14 the fourth quarter.
Hillsboro had its chances to win the game at the line, too, but could only manage five-for-11.
Tina Frick scored a team-high 11 points and Chisholm tossed in 10 amidst dishing out a team-high four assists.
