<%@LANGUAGE="JAVASCRIPT" CODEPAGE="1252"%> hawkhoops.com | Media Coverage

 
 


Hawks' streak comes to a close

By ELLIOTT SCHREINER
Daily Record Sports Writer

BERLIN - The Hiland girls basketball team's good thing finally came to an end Thursday night.

The Hawks dropped their first game since the 2004 state tournament in a 46-32 loss to River View, putting an end to the team's incredible 33-game win streak.

By the end of the game, it seemed less like an upset and more like a thorough beating.

"They had confidence," Hiland coach Dave Schlabach said. "They had leadership, they had strength, they dug down deep.

"A number of those things were the difference for us but the other way around."

The loss was their first defeat since March 19, 2004, when they fell in the state semi-finals 48-43 to Minster at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus.

The Hawks were back at state last season and cut down the nets.

Schlabach sees a lot of differences between last season's team and the 2005-06 Hawks.

"We had four seniors last year that challenged the kids," he said. "With this group there are one or two competitive kids and a bunch of nice kids.

"Until they change their personalities they're not going to reach their goals."

One of the team's goals for this game was to control River View post Kristin Daugherty.

But it was apparent from the start that would be a problem.

The junior started the game out by putting her team on top with the game's first basket 29 seconds in.

Her team took an early 8-6 lead and never looked back, closing out the first quarter with an 11-7 advantage.

After scoring five and boarding two in the first quarter, Daugherty continued to consistently do damage to the Hawks.

Within the first 1:50 of the second quarter, she'd scored on a drive and set up younger sister and fellow post Kari Daugherty with a basket to give the Bears an 8-point lead.

The Hawks were able to cut their deficit to six late in the half, but a 3-pointer from Bears guard Kasey Bowman with seven seconds left took the momentum back for River View.

It was apparent the Bears were on a mission.

"Kristin was pumped, she was ready to play," River View coach Caroline Daugherty said. "All the kids were.

"Hiland has a great tradition. I don't know how many games it's been since they were beat but I'm happy we were the ones to beat them."

For the Hawks, the Bears posed one problem after another.

"We tried a number of things early to see what would work," Schlabach said. "We searched all game long. We searched for personnel and for a way to defend them but we couldn't find either."

River View extended their lead to 13 by the end of the third quarter but Hiland wasn't about to lay down.

Guard Lydia Miller drove for a basket with 6:57 left. Just over 40 seconds later, Miller found Jena Stutzman for another basket. Miller then hit a pair of free throws to bring the game to seven.

After a River View bucket, the Hawks responded with one of their own to give themselves a 9-2 run to build on.

This was the run coach Daugherty was worried her team would face from Hiland. They saw the same kind of spurt last season when the Hawks beat them 46-31.

"I kept waiting for it," she said. "I thought if only we could weather the storm. But I think that's when Brittany (Bailey) came back and had the loopty one that went in."

After getting a dish from Kristin Daugherty, Bailey made a move to the basket and threw a shot up that bounced off the back of the rim, went five feet straight up in the air and right through the rim.

The shot was enough to break the Hawks' spirit as it started a 7-0 run that closed out the game for River View.

In the end, the Bears were able to control the tempo of the game.

They were forced into just 12 turnovers and allowed the Hawks to hit just 12-of-41 from the floor.

No Hawks were able to get into double figures on the night while Kristin Daugherty (18 points, nine boards) and Bailey (14 points) each hit double digits.

The Hawks were outscored in every quarter and beaten in every conceivable way.

"I'm glad," said Schlabach of the loss. "We found out what we're made of."

"Our goal is to get the kids to play to their potential and they're not even close."

Courtesy The Daily Record, Wooster, Ohio

 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
 
hawkhoops.com. All rights reserved.