Hiland hangs on to top Lutheran East in OT

By JONATHAN SCHOLLES
The Budget Sports Editor

It wasn't the start or the middle that people will remember. It was the ending that will resonate with Hiland fans for a long, long time.

"That was an amazing finish," Hiland coach Dave Schlabach said shaking his head.

Noelle Yoder hit a 3-pointer to force overtime last Thursday, and Hilary Weaver took it from there, hitting 8 of 9 foul shots in the extra session as No. 2 Hiland rallied to beat postseason nemesis No. 9 Lutheran East 57-52 in the Division IV regional semifinal at Perry High at Massillon.

"It was a battle. I was impressed with Lutheran East tonight," said Schlabach, coach of this year's McDonald's All American girls' basketball game.

With five seconds to go in the fourth quarter, Jessica Stutzman heaved a full-court inbounds to Weaver, who quickly dished crosscourt to Yoder on the left wing for a 3-pointer to give Hiland its first tie at 44-all, forcing overtime.

Yoder pumped her fists, then was mobbed by teammates.

"That play we ran twice this summer, and both times she hit game-winning shots," Schlabach said of Yoder's shot. "She's just that kind of kid. She wants the ball so bad in that situation.

"But it took a phenomenal pass from Jess and a great catch and push in the middle from Hil. It did not surprise me when that thing went in."

Stutzman hit a pair of foul shots to open the extra session and give Hiland its first lead at 46-44. Weaver took control from there, making eight of her nine tries from the line and giving the Lady Hawks their largest lead at six (56-50) with 22 seconds to play.

All the juice and swagger that the Falcons owned throughout the game was sunk with Yoder's 3. Overtime belonged to the Lady Hawks.

"I did feel we were a little deflated after that [shot]," Lutheran East coach Melvin Burke said. "It was a shock in five seconds to be up and in control of the game. But, like I told the kids, it comes down to being disciplined... When the game got away they weren't disciplined, and in life, you have to be disciplined."

While Yoder gave the secondranked Lady Hawks the chance to win, Weaver pushed them over the edge, Schlabach said.

"When we left the huddle, I heard [Weaver] tell the kids, ‘Guys we're winning this game,'" the Hiland coach said. "She refuses to think she can get beat."

Hiland improved to 23-2 and faced Cuyahoga Heights in the Division IV regional finale

Weaver had a game-high 22 points with seven rebounds and five assists. The Lehigh University recruit surpassed Launa Hochstetler as the program's all-time assists leader with 589. Hochstetler, currently playing pro ball in Europe, sits at 587.

Yoder, a Bowling Green signee, added 21 points with six rebounds for Hiland, which struggled to get its offense going in the first half against a bigger, stronger Lutheran East team, shooting 33 percent (8 of 24) and trailing 23-19 at halftime.

Last summer, Schlabach earmarked Lutheran East (20-5) as the team to beat, not only in the region, but perhaps in the state.

"We told our kids the first day of summer, ‘You want to go to Columbus, you're going to have to go through Lutheran East,'" the Hiland coach said. "We felt they were - if not the best team in the state - one of the top two."

Yoder scored on a drive, and then a big 3-pointer off a McKenzie Miller dish with a minute left in the third, capping a 7-0 spurt and pulling Hiland to 35-34.

Mercedes Hudson hit a layup and Weaver responded with a pair of foul shots to keep it a one-point game (37-36) after three quarters.

Amber Bogard and Kiarra Jones hit back-to-back 3's for the Falcons to commence the fourth and open a seven point (43-36) swing. Yoder came back with a 3-pointer with 4:24 remaining, and Katelyn Stuckey added a layup to pull the Lady Hawks to 43-41.

Hudson blocked Stutzman on the drive and was fouled on the play. Hudson, however, only managed to convert one shot, and the Falcons held a 44-41 edge with five seconds left.

The Lady Hawks ran their signature "home run play" and Yoder hit it out of the park.

Hiland rebounded from a rocky first half to shoot 42 percent (10 of 24) in the second and outscore Lutheran East 38-29, including overtime.

"I don't remember getting a good shot [in the first half]. We had a tough time getting a good look," Schlabach said. "Their zone defense really gave us trouble. We couldn't go inside... Honestly, I thought the only way we were going to win that game was the way we won it. Something special had to happen."

The Lady Hawks shot 39 percent (18 of 46) overall from the floor and 70 percent (14 of 20) from the line.

The Falcons made 36 percent of their field goals and a woeful 42 percent (5 of 12) of their foul shots.

Both teams hit a mirror 39 percent (7 of 18) from 3-point range. Yoder hit five of Hiland's seven 3's.

Bogard had 16 points and six rebounds and Latisha Walker added 10 and seven for Lutheran East, which lost to Hiland for the second straight year in the regional tournament.

The taller Falcons handled the Lady Hawks on the boards, outrebounding Hiland 36-28.