ORIGINALLY WRITTEN DR
In terms of drama, the Hillsboro girls’ and boys’ teams swapped roles Tuesday night at Halstead. Contrary to the way things have gone the last few games, it was the girls who found themselves in a blowout while the boys were scrapping to the end.
The best news: Both teams won.
The girls led 16-0 before Halstead finally put some points on the board with 29 seconds left in the first quarter. By halftime, the score was 27-10, and then 40-14 after three quarters before the Trojans finally settled on a 46-22 final tally.
April Funk scored 18 for the Trojans, who broke a three-game losing streak and now stand at 8-10.
The boys, meanwhile, had their hands full against a talented and determined Dragon squad. The Trojans jumped to a 15-6 lead midway through the first quarter, but by the first break, Halstead had crawled back into it, and trailed by a single point, 18-17.
By halftime, Halstead had taken the lead by a point, 28-27, but Hillsboro came back to take a four-point lead after three quarters, 47-43.
In a physical battle where both teams had players go down with injuries, Trojan coach Darrel Knoll was whistled for a technical foul, his first in nine years, after a questionable call against his team. At the time, the score was tied at 52 and only 2:57 remained in the game.
Jordan Regehr made both charities for Halstead, but after they played the ball in on the possession, Regehr traveled to turn the ball over to HHS Steven Chisholm then hit a big 10-footer along the baseline to tie the game with 2:28 to play. Seconds later, Weinbrenner stole the ball and fed off to Dustin Jost who scored the layup for a 56-54 Trojan lead.
After a charging foul was whistled against Halstead’s Seth Stahlheber with 1:32 to play, Hillsboro ran the clock down to 20 seconds, when Weinbrenner was fouled. He made one of two free throws to make the lead three points. The Trojans then played great defense, and didn’t allow Halstead an open look as the clock wound down. Jacob Farmer finally threw up an off-balanced prayer that bounced harmlessly off the glass as the buzzer sounded.
Weinbrenner paced the Trojans with 19 points.
With the win, Hillsboro stands at 16-2 and finishes its Mid Division schedule with a perfect 8-0 mark.
Hillsboro sweeps Halstead (Feb. 18)
