Daily Record Sports Writer
DOYLESTOWN—When Hiland girls basketball coach Dave Schlabach fills out his non-conference slate, he schedules six teams that on paper should beat his Div. IV squad. So far this season, the Hawks had knocked off the defending Div. II state champions as well as a pair of Div. I teams.
The team that was finally up to the task? An emerging Div. III power right up the road.
Tickets were sold out at noon, fans started to file in at 4:30 p.m., and at times both Hiland and Chippewa looked like the top-ranked teams in the state. In arguably the most highly anticipated regular season game in area history, the Hawks had no answer for the Chipps' length on the perimeter or size inside as Chippewa edged Hiland 49-38 in front a standing room-only crowd estimated around 1,000.
"This was the biggest game in my high school career," said senior Izzy Farmwald, who finished with two points but had a game-high eight rebounds, including five on the offensive end. "It was a once in-a-lifetime chance."
That was true for players on both sides. That is, of course, unless they get the opportunity to play in the state semifinals in Columbus in March.
There was enough hype surrounding Monday's contest to fill an episode of 60 Minutes. Both teams were undefeated and ranked No. 1 in their respective divisions with Chippewa (17-0) in Div. III and Hiland (15-1) in Div. IV. Moreover, both teams were led by coaches with over 500 career wins, with Chippewa's Denny Schrock standing at 548 and Schlabach at 521.
Even as the top-ranked team in the state, the Chipps elevated their status with a win over a squad that has one of the most decorated pedigrees in the state.
"Dave and his program speak for themselves," Schrock said. "They run a solid program — ballhandling, 3-point shooting, offense and defense. To win here tonight helps us prepare down the road. We can play against top-quality teams and still come out on top."
Schrock almost didn't make it to the biggest win his Chipps have enjoyed since he returned to Doylestown four years ago. The veteran coach battled flu-like symptoms all afternoon and didn't even make it to the pregame shootaround.
"Before the game, I didn't even know if I'd be able to coach," he said. "I told my players to grind so I had to grind.
"I'm gonna go home — with a W," he added with a smile.
Chippewa's length, with Ashley Richardson (6-foot-1) along with Carly Koncz (6-0) and Taylor Richards (6-0) gave the Hawks fits from the start. Hiland missed its first 10 field goals and led only twice during the game, once at the outset after two opening free throws by Megan Beachy and midway through the second quarter after a pair of 3-pointers from Kennedy Schlabach, along with another from Brittany Miller. Throughout the game, Hiland was unable to get any offense inside, settling for outside jumpers and shooting just 12 for 49 (24 percent) from the field.
"Their size hurt us in our ability to get to the rim," coach Schlabach said.
Chippewa went into the half with a four-point advantage (25-21), then expanded its lead late in the third stanza with an 11-2 run that proved to be the turning point of the night. After an old-fashioned three-point play by Alex Troyer, who had a team-high 10 points, cut the lead to 29-24, the Chipps went inside to Richardson on two consecutive possessions and the junior delivered with two straight layups. Troyer later answered with another bucket, only to have Richardson answer right back with another layup. Hiland then missed its next four shots and Chippewa extended its lead with two freebies from Richards and a trey from Koncz, her only 3-pointer of the night.
Hiland has faced big post players all year. Even in last week's Classic in the Country, it held in check Pickerington's Jalynda Salley (6-3) and Tecumseh's Lindsey Nartker (6-1). What makes Richardson even more difficult to defend, though, is the supporting cast around her. Teams that sell out on Richardson down low leave shooters Koncz, Richards and Maegan Storad open on the perimeter.
"It's pick your poison," said Richardson, who had a game-high 20 points and added six boards. "If you guard our 3-point shooters, we'll dump it down low. If you guard inside, we'll kick it outside."
Hiland looked as if it might make one more run after a 3-pointer from Troyer to end the third quarter and then another trey to open the final frame from Angela Troyer. From there, though, the Hawks hit only 2 of 9 to close the contest.
"I thought it'd go down to the wire," Schrock said. "Then we just pulled away. We got Ashley some easy hoops and our defense took away their drives."
Without overpowering size or a doiminant scorer, the Hawks have thrived all year on executing the little things — rebounding, forcing turnovers and balanced scoring. They weren't able to do those things against a team that Schlabach feels is the most complete squad they've seen all year.
"Our kids got put in a situation and they didn't handle it really well," he said. "We have kids that are good contributors for us and they didn't contribute tonight.
"We schedule six non-league teams to beat us and they got us," he said. "If we play a better team all year I'll be surprised. They gave us a problem with their length, their guards and they have just enough depth that you can't wear them down."
Meanwhile, after rolling Hathaway Brown 58-32, Chippewa won another game over a quality opponent despite the fact that it didn't shoot well. Overall, Chippewa shot a respectable 40 percent, but only 5 for 21 (24 percent) from long range. Nonetheless the Chipps again won anyway, with the inside game of Richardson along with gritty team defense led by Farmwald, who ran all over the floor and covered more hardwood than a coat of polyurethane.
"I guess that's why we're growing up as a team," Schrock said. "We know we can score in different ways."
Neither the Chipps nor Hawks will likely see a better crowd all year until the postseason — and that was the point of Monday's contest. With more than 1,000 pairs of eyes on them, the Chipps passed their first test, but, if all goes according to plan, there will be plenty more during an extended tournament run in early March.
"Our fans will come," Schrock said. "We sold this gym out in two and a half hours. There were people waiting in line at 4 and that's the atmosphere my young ladies are generating with their style of play."
With Hiland's 13 Final Four appearances under Schlabach, during the third weekend in March there's routinely a caravan that runs from Berlin to Columbus on US 62. The bus may need to make a side trip up to Doylestown in less than two months.
