This might be the last time Toronto shows up late for a Sectional Drawing. The Red Knights’ head coach showed up to the drawing in Cambridge a few minutes late, and their reward for tardiness was a date with the smoking hot Hiland Lady Hawks, the state’s top team in Div. IV.

On Thursday, Feb. 19 at Indian Valley, the Red Knights found out exactly how big that tardiness could be when the Lady Hawks handed them a 79-13 loss that wasn’t really even that close.

Hiland jumped on top from the start, courtesy of spot starter Angela Troyer, who was filling in for ailing senior Alex Troyer. Angela Troyer hit a lay-up and a 3-pointer to begin the game, igniting an early 12-0 run that set the table for a win that was about as sure of a thing as the past countless opening Sectional games Dave Schlabach’s teams have piled up over the years.

From that point on Hiland simply imposed its will on the Red Knights, eventually leaping to a 25-3 lead after one quarter. In the second quarter, a very bad situation only got worse for Toronto. Seniors Megan Beachy and Rachel Horn took over, and a 23 point deficit became a 47 point canyon that even Evel Knievel would not have dared try to jump.

When Hiland ripped the first eight points of the third quarter, the Red Knights could only imagine what life might have been like had they not been a bit late to the tournament drawing.

The large win allowed Schlabach to run his entire line-up in and out of the game with wild abandon. Every single active player saw plenty of opportunities, and has been the case over the past years in the Sectional opener, the biggest gains came from what did not take place.

Hiland got through the game with no injuries, the only real threat to making this frigid Sectional opening night a downer for the Lady Hawks.

With a host of players getting in the game and the starters playing very limited minutes, Hiland got balanced scoring. The Lady Hawks were paced by Troyer who poured in 19 points, while Beachy added 16.