Daily Record Sports Writer
CAMBRIDGE — The dictionary definition of juggernaut — a massive, inexorable force that crushes everything in its path — should be accompanied by a picture of the Hiland girls basketball team.
The Hawks, the state's third-ranked team, ran over Fort Frye 48-25 Wednesday night in a Div. IV District semifinal at Cambridge High School.
Kennedy Schlabach scored a game-high 22 points, connecting on six 3-pointers — including four consecutive during a 13-2 third quarter run in leading Hiland (22-3) to its ninth straight victory.
Top seeded Hiland will face No. 2 seed Hannibal River at 4 p.m. at a site yet to be determined for the district championship.
In Hiland's first two tournament victories, the Hawks lit their opponents up by combining for 188 points. On Wednesday, the Hawks did it with defense.
Hiland raced to an 11-6 lead after the opening quarter, then led by as many as 12 (18-6) with 4:11 left in the second period when Morgan McMillen banked in a triple from the top of the key. The Hawks limited the Cadets (18-7) to 5 of 18 shooting in the opening half while forcing the Washington County school in to 12 first-half turnovers.
"We struggled a little offensively, we were out of sync and committed some uncharacteristic bad turnovers, but we were still getting after it on the defensive end," Hiland coach Dave Schlabach said. "We knew Fort Frye wanted to control the tempo and keep it a low scoring game, because that's what they do well, and did a great job of in the games we scouted. We were able to get some turnovers and push the ball up the floor, but we just didn't execute very well.
"In the second half, I thought we were much better offensively. We just a needed a spark to get us going."
Kennedy Schlabach exploded in the game's third quarter.
With either team unable to score in the quarter's opening seven possessions, Schlabach delivered the knockout punches — one by one — as the Hawks turned a 26-14 advantage into a 36-16 lead in the span of less than two minutes.
Schlabach connected on four straight 3s, and Tiffany Miller's free throw completed a 13-2 run to put the Cadets out of commission.
In Fort Frye's first two postseason games, the Cadets held both of their opponents to less than 20 points in wins over Shenandoah (52-19) and Tuscarawus Central Catholic (44-16).
"We knew the third quarter was going to be huge, (Hiland) is too good of a team to not go on a spurt," Fort Frye coach Dan Liedtke said. "But, unfortunately, we didn't capitalize on the chances we had in the first half. We broke their press and created some opportunities, but we just couldn't make a shot. Hiland's defense has a lot to do with that, but that was frustrating to not be able to close the gap when we had chances."
McMillen scored six of her 12 points in the fourth quarter as the Hawks built a 46-25 lead with 3:31 remaining.
"After outscoring our first two opponents the way we did, we needed a game like tonight," Schlabach said. "We weren't sharp early on, but our kids had to play. Fort Frye is a very good team that's very disciplined and well-coached. It's not going to get any easier, either, especially on Saturday against River."
Fort Frye outrebounded Hiland 26-22, with McMillen leading the Hawks with five. Jessica Troyer handed out five of Hiland's 13 assists.
Hiland finished the night 17 of 40 shooting (42 percent) and 7 of 17 from beyond the arc, while the Cadets converted 10 of 36 shots (27 percent), and made just 2 of 17 3-pointers.
