Hiland heading back to state for some unfinished business


The-Daily-Record.com

CHILLICOTHE — The Hiland girls are on a mission, and thanks to some big-time perimeter shooting from seniors Kyli Horn, Brynn Mullet and Zoe Miller, the Hawks got a chance to erase the disappointment of missing out on the state tournament last season.

Led by Horn's 16 points and three 3-pointers, Mullet's 11 points and three 3s, and Miller's 13 points, including one from deep, the Hawks rolled over Wheelersburg 57-31 in the Division III Region 11 championship at Southeastern High School in Chillicothe to advance to the state final four Thursday at the University of Dayton.

"It always happens at regionals. Things kind of click for me," Horn said. "I really like playing this time of the year. It really gets me pumped up, especially after what happened last year. To be able to come out and play here in regionals is pretty awesome.

"It's been our goal all year to get back here because of what happened last year," Horn added, referring to the Hawks' qualifying for the state tournament, only to see it canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. "We have such a good chemistry. We've been playing together since we were 10. It will be bittersweet at state, but I'm ready to get back down there."

"Malone won the lottery with Kyli," Hiland coach Dave Schlabach said. "Getting Kyli and Kelsey [Swihart] to commit early, kudos to them. They won the lottery with those two. Kyli is such a baller. She relishes big games and taking the big shot. She believes she is the best player on the floor, and I love that about her."

Zoe Miller gets fouled as she goes up for a shot during first-quarter action against Wheelersburg. Miller scored 13 points, one of three Hawks in double figures. It was Miller who swished the first deep one for the 25-1 Hawks. A Mullet layup off a steal and a Horn 3 had Hiland up 10-3 early on, and the Hawks never looked back. They led 13-4 at the end of the first quarter, and stretched it to 30-11 by halftime.

"I was excited in the first half," Schlabach said. "We usually like to start our pressure soft and then ramp it up throughout the game. We went after it from the start, and I think we surprised them with our depth and speed. They seemed tired in the first few minutes.

"It was good to see some shots go in, and we had the pace where we wanted it."

A Mullet 3 and back-to-back bombs by Horn to open the second half extended Hiland's lead to 39-11, and it was all but over.

"I'm sure they watched that Fort Frye tape and thought they could beat us," Schlabach said. "We got a knockout punch in early. Our pressure for teams that play us for the first time, we hope it matters, and today it did."

Schlabach commended the effort of the seniors, who sustained the pressure of being expected to get here, and going out and doing it.

"That even makes it tougher with that bull's-eye on your back," he said. "Our seniors are relentless, goal-oriented, and they believe in themselves. We got a shot now."

"It feels great. Our hard work is starting to pay off," Miller said. "It feels really good to be going back and getting another chance. We were so prepared last year. [It] made us want it even more this year."