Hillsboro teams sweep Nickerson to open the season

Hillsboro opened the new basketball season with a pair of double-digit wins at Nickerson Friday night. The Trojan girls led the home team by as many as 24 points in the fourth quarter before finishing with a 53-34 victory. The Trojan boys outlasted the Panthers 76-62 in a hard-fought, fast-paced battle.

GIRLS –The Trojans got off to a bumpy start, committing as many turnovers as points scored (5) through the first four minutes before settling for a 9-5 lead — despite eight turn?overs — as the first quarter ended.

Alex Ratzlaff, the team?s dominant scorer a year ago, started slowly but warmed up in the second quarter with eight points to fuel the Trojans to a 25-19 halftime lead.

The third quarter started with a basket by Hillsboro?s Callie Linnens, but neither team scored again until Sienna Kaufman made a free throw with 4:30 left in the quarter for a 27-19 lead. When Ratzlaff hit a three at the 3:50 mark, the Trojans finished the quarter with a 14-6 run for a 41-25 margin at the break.

The Trojans never were seriously threatened down the stretch, establishing its largest lead at 53-29 with 1:51 remaining on a basket by Kaufman.

Ratzlaff led the Trojans with 23 points; senior transfer Tas Sanchez added eight points in her Trojan debut.

BOYS — Hillsboro came out smoking at the start, building a 13-4 lead in the first 4:13 of the game with five players contributing points. The Trojans then fell into a funk, combining 0-for-4 shooting with five turnovers to enable the Panthers to pull within 13-12 as the quarter ended.

Despite a 10-point contribution from senior Austin Cross, the team?s 6-foot-6 post, the two teams played to a near standoff in the second period. The halftime score was 34-28 as Hillsboro scored the last five points during the final minute of the quarter.

The Trojans took charge in the third period when Elias Werth hit two three-pointers and Braden Vogt added a third three in the first 1:22 to take a 43-30 lead. By the end of the period, Hillsboro had drained six three-pointers, expanding its lead to 57-44.

The fourth quarter turned into a free-throw shooting contest down the stretch. Hillsboro canned nine of 10 attempts in the final 2:07 to keep the Panthers at bay. For the game Hillsboro made 17 of 23 free throws while Nickerson made 20 of 28.

Sophomore Elias Werth led Hillsboro with 22 points, including five three-point baskets. Cross was right behind with a career-best 20 points. Vogt finished in double figures with 11 points.

With the wins, both Hills?boro teams are 1-0 for the season and in the Central Kansas League. Next week, Hillsboro girls and boys will participate in the Mound?ridge Preseason Tournament, playing Inman on Tuesday, Moundridge on Thursday and Lyons on Friday.

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