The Hiland Lady Hawks had Reedsville Eastern right where they wanted them during their Div. IV State semifinal game at the Schottenstein Center March 15.

Ahead of them.

And the Fourth Quarter Finishers did it again.

Hiland has made a habit of coming from behind, especially in this tournament run to the State finals, and the Lady Hawks didn't disappoint this time either, churning out a gut-wrenching 54-51 victory that wasn't over until the final horn sounded.

Not surprisingly, Hiland pulled out a game it appeared as though they were on the verge of losing.

"The game ended up being very similar to our District final (Zanesville Rosecrans) and our Regional semifinal (Lake Ridge Academy) where we had to kind of claw our way back and really show a lot of toughness."

Hiland needed every ounce of toughness to fend off a spirited effort by Reedsville Eastern, a team that was humiliated by Orrville at Classic in the Country earlier this season.

It was Eastern that came out firing on all cylinders, getting 3-pointers from Savannah Rigsby, Jordan Parker and Jenna Burdette to rush to a 9-2 lead.

Hiland overcame that deficit, and would have to do that a number of times as they fought valiantly to keep their dreams alive.

A trey by Kendra Schlabach and two free throws by Regina Hochstetler would draw Hiland to within one at 9-8, and the fight for the lead would wage throughout the remainder of the first half, Hochstetler's driving lay-up making it 19-17 in favor of the Eagles.

Hiland would find itself down 25-17 early in the third, and at that point Unsung Hero Number One, Jenica Schrock, stepped up to the plate and delivered a picture perfect triple to draw the Lady Hawks to within five.

"Jenica played a really gutsy game," said Hiland coach Dave Schlabach. "Usually she goes in about two minutes into the game, and I turned around and she was nowhere to be found. I think she threw up about six times before the game. She really gutted it out and gave us a huge spark in the third quarter. She's a fireplug for us."

That shot sparked Hiland to a 12-2 run that gave them a momentary 29-27 lead, a lead that would not last long, with the Eagles scoring the final four points of the third quarter to lead 37-35 heading into the fourth quarter.

It was almost as though Hiland knew if it could just get behind, they would have the Eagles right where they wanted them.

But while the other fourth quarter comebacks consisted of huge Hiland runs, this one did not and the game was tight throughout the final four minutes.

Hiland again fell behind 46-43 when Maddie Rigsby connected, but the Lady Hawks roared right back to take a 47-46 lead on a jumper by Schlabach and two free throws by Jasmine Goings.

Hochstetler's two free throws pushed the lead to 49-46, and it ballooned to 51-46 when Goings scored again.

But over the next minute, the Eagles went on a 5-0 run to tie things up.

"I felt like we had a chance to put the game away there, and we didn't," said Schlabach.

However Hiland has been in about a dozen huge games this season against top competition, and they weren't going to let something as trivial as a State title game get them down.

Hochstetler forced her way in and made a winding lay-up with 56 seconds to play.

Moments later Emily Yoder made a steal but missed the ensuing lay-up, the Eagles firing a long pass down court to Parker, who also missed an uncontested lay-up with 27 seconds to play which would have tied the score.

Hochstetler then split a pair for a 54-51 lead, and Burdette missed a three, but Hiland's Jasmine Goings missed both free throws with 13 seconds to play, either of which would have iced the game.

With eight seconds left to play, up stepped Unsung Hero Number 2, Sasha Goings, who played a key role after Schrock had fouled out early in the fourth quarter.

Figuring Burdette would get the call for the game-tying shot, Goings stuck to the high-scoring Eagle like glue as she swooped to the right corner. Burdette had hoped for a shot, but with Goings draped all over her, all she could do was try to fire a pass into the paint, but it sailed high and out of bounds, the Lady Hawks surviving to play again.

"I was expecting a flair screen to come, but Coach always has us switch out on it, so that gave me confidence and I trust my teammates to help out," said Goings of the play.

She made the play, the Lady Hawks again exemplified the Fourth Quarter Finishers and Hiland will again play for the State title.

"We've been through so many games like that this year, and now three in the tournament trail," said coach Schlabach. "The kids are just so determined and not willing to give up."

Especially when they have their opponent right where they want them… in the lead.