Lady Trojans fall to Hesston
After falling behind early, Lady Trojans rally late but can't overcome deficit in heartbreaking 60-45 loss
By JENNIFER WILSON
News editor
They say that history repeats itself.
Tuesday night, they were wrong.
Going into Tuesday night's sub-state final against Hesston, Lady Trojan fans may have been hoping for a scenario identical to that of last season. After losing to rival Hesston in the regular season, the team goes on to the Swathers at sub-state.
But it wasn't meant to be this year. The Hillsboro's girls' basketball team fell behind early in Tuesday's contest and could never fully recover. They suffered a crushing 60-45 defeat to Hesston, losing a chance to advance to state.
Things didn't look good for the Trojans from the very beginning. Hesston struck early, jumping out to a 7-0 lead while Hillsboro stayed stone-cold on the offensive end. The Trojans didn't get their first point on the board until 4:13 in the first quarter, when a Shannon Kroeker two made the score 7-2. A nice three-point shot by Jill Hein kept the Trojans within reach as Hesston took a 13-8 lead at the end of the first quarter.
But in the second, the floodgates opened for the Swathers. By the 6:02 mark, Hesston had added nine more points to their total, making their lead 22-8. And with less than two minutes remaining in the half, they commanded a 29-10 lead. They took a 29-12 lead into intermission.
As the second half began, Hillsboro began to game in some momentum, finding their offensive rhythm and the layups that followed. A clean shot by Amber Hefley brought the Trojans to within 13, 37-24, to cause Hesston to take a time out with 3:37 left in the third.
Their momentum seemed short-lived, however, as Hesston continued to find the open man downcourt and draw fouls. They held a 45-28 lead going into the fourth quarter.
But the Trojan team wasn't going down easily. Continuing their tenacious defense, the team crept back into the game, and by the 4:31 mark Hesston lead by just nine, 50-41. A long-range two by Kroeker brought them to within seven, 50-43.
But Hesston soon answered with a three, and add a couple of field goals to that and their lead was back to 56-43. Hesston won 60-45 to earn the sub-state crown.
The first few possessions set the tone for the rest of the game said Head Coach Becky Carlson.
"That first quarter was kind of how the whole game went," Carlson said. "We didn't get back on defense right away, and we had to battle back the whole game."
"I thought in the fourth quarter we had a chance. We couldn't get any breaks.
"No matter what the score, there's no doubt that the game brought out the best in the team's character.
"I felt like they played with a lot of pride. They didn't quit until I took them out," Carlson said.
"That's just how these girls are. I'm proud of them. It just wasn't meant to be tonight, but they played their hearts out."
