SIGOURNEY RECAPS

The Highland Girls and Boys Basketball teams had not taken the court since January 11th, but that all changed last Monday night in Sigourney, as the Huskies hit the road west on Highway 92. 

Weather cancellations and delays can make it hard on any basketball team, and that seemed to be the case for the Huskies, as things got off to a slow start in the girls game. 

Facing a 14-point halftime deficit that grew to 17 points heading into the fourth quarter, Highland was forced to make a late rally. 

Even though Highland’s 16-point fourth quarter was the most points all night in a quarter from either team, the comeback fell short, and the Sigourney Savages held on to win by a final score of 46-39. 

Senior Sarah Burton had 14 points and 16 rebounds, both team-highs. Freshman Katelyn Thomann had four assists, a team high. Future UNI Panther Carly Goodwin had 16 points for the Savages.

In the boys game, the success from the girls game was kept up by the Sigourney boys team, as they hammered Highland 64-29. 

As the theme has gone this year, the Huskies found themselves in an early hole, down 19-5 after one quarter, which swelled to 37-13 at halftime. 

Leading the Huskies was Junior Guard Logan McFarland with 10 points. Senior Nicolas Oriano had six rebounds. The Savages were led by the trio of Isaac Bruns, Solon Yates, and John Berg with 19, 13, and 10 points respectively.

WACO Recaps

As of late, whenever the Highland Girls Basketball team has played at home, the contest is usually a thriller that comes down to the very last shot. Last Tuesday night in Riverside was no exception. 

With a two-point contest heading into the fourth quarter, many fans took a breath before the crucial final frame began. With four minutes remaining, Highland’s lead was cut to one single point after the lead swayed back-and-forth between two and three points in the direction of the home Huskies. 

But then, with 2:08 left on the clock, Junior Katie Herrig launched a massive three-point missile that hit its target, giving the Huskies a 50-46 advantage. The Warriors could not erase the gap, and the Highland Girls Basketball team came away with another tight victory by a final score of 52-49. 

The aforementioned Katie Herrig splashed in six three-pointers on her way to a standout 20-point night that was far-and-away a team-high. Sarah Burton fouled out of the contest late in the fourth quarter, but still managed to pile up eight points.

However, the good vibes in Riverside did not stick around for the boys game. In an absolute mauling, the WACO boys beat the Huskies by a final of 65-23. 

WACO led by as much as 48 points in the fourth quarter and led by 40 at halftime. Nicolas Oriano led Highland with seven points, and Logan McFarland had six points. 

WACO Senior Hunter Hughes scored 16 points on his way to completing a milestone achievement of scoring 1,000 career points. Hughes’s 16 was a team high.

Louisa-Muscatine Recaps

For the second time this season, the Highland Girls and Boys Basketball teams met up with the Falcons of Louisa-Muscatine, this time in Riverside.

Fueled by a 22-1 run 12 minutes into the game, the Highland girls provided themselves plenty of cushion en route to a 49-36 home victory that pushed them to 12-4 on the season. 

Highland held Louisa-Muscatine scoreless until almost two minutes into the second quarter. 

Individually, it was Sarah Burton with a team-high 17 points. Senior Stella Slaymaker had six points, with fellow Senior Kylie Allen, Sophomore Mackenzie Davis, and Katie Herrig each having five apiece. 

Nine Huskies cracked the scoresheet in a quality team performance. Morgan Stecher led the Falcons with 16 points.

The theme of the 2023-24 season for the Highland Boys Basketball team was unchanged as the Huskies fell to Louisa-Muscatine once more by a final of 64-36. 

The Huskies came out of the gate well in the first two minutes with a bucket down low from Nicolas Oriano, followed by a three-point-play by Junior Louis Horak to open a 5-2 lead. 

Unfortunately, it went the way of the Falcons from that point on. Nicolas Oriano led Highland with 12 points, Louis Horak had nine, and newcomer Jared Diaz, a junior, provided seven points in the fourth quarter. Star Senior Guard Ty Northup paced Louisa-Muscatine with 22 points.

Wapello Recaps

For the second time in a week, the Highland Girls and Boys Basketball teams traveled away from home to take on the Arrows and Indians of Wapello. 

It was a steady first half of the girls portion of the doubleheader for the Huskies that saw them take a 10-7 lead after one quarter to only push ahead further by halftime 20-13. 

The matchup was still well within reach, but Jody Fink’s team came blazing out of the locker rooms in the third quarter. Highland blossomed their seven-point lead into a 23-point advantage heading into the fourth quarter. The strong quarter was all the Huskies needed to beat the Arrows for the second time this season by a final of 54-22. 

Sarah Burton had an 18-point outing to lead her squad. Burton also had 14 rebounds. 

Off the bench, Mackenzie Davis provided nine points and six rebounds. Stella Slaymaker, Senior Kerra Longbine, and Freshman Hailey Brun each had two assists. Senior Jacie Hoeg led the Arrows with eight points.

The law firm of Wapello Seniors Jackson Lanz and Carson Belzer was at work and lethal in the boys game, combining for 59 total points, as Wapello scored a 73-27 victory over a Highland team that has still not found a way to win a conference game in almost two seasons. 

The shots fell like rain from a summer thunderstorm all night for both Lanz and Belzer. Lanz had 19 of his 24 shots fall, while eight of Belzer’s 13 shots dropped in. Lanz nearly completed a triple-double, collecting eight boards and dishing out 10 assists to go with his 42 points. Belzer had 17 points and four assists.

The Huskies were led by Nicolas Oriano with 12 points, followed by Louis Horak with nine points. Horak led the team in rebounds with eight, followed by Junior Ayden Havel with six. Junior Colten Sypherd had three assists.

Lone Tree Recaps

Conference implications were on the line in Lone Tree late last Saturday afternoon as the Highland girls clashed with the rival Lady Lions in a game that was postponed twice due to wintry weather earlier in the month. 

The Huskies would have to win to keep their hopes of a SEISC North crown alive. For the Lions, it was simple; just win. Win, the Lady Lions did. 

Outscoring Highland in all but the fourth quarter, Lone Tree held firm under the pressure, and took down their rivals by a final score of 54-39. 

Sarah Burton scored 14 points to lead the team. Highland also saw contributions from Katie Herrig with nine points, and Stella Slaymaker with six, all from the free throw line. 

Sophomore standout Finley Jacque led the Lady Lions with 16 points.

Without the stakes of winning the SEISC North, the Highland boys took the court hoping to steal a win over a struggling Lone Tree team that had lost its last seven games. 

The Lions were able to scoot out to a comfortable halftime advantage of 16 points. Bill Zywiec’s team did not go away quietly, though, as the Huskies responded in the third quarter to chip away the Lion lead by seven going into the fourth quarter. 

Lone Tree was able to manage the Highland run, and even added on 10 more points to complete a 61-42 rivalry win. 

Logan McFarland dropped 13 points, including one from beyond-the-arc to lead Highland. Nicolas Oriano finished with 10 rebounds and nine points, one shy of a double-double. Sophomore Bryce Hazelett had eight points. Sophomore Reece Holbrook splashed in 19 points for Lone Tree, a career high.

What’s Next?

Both the Highland Girls (13-5) and Boys (1-14) have completed their toughest stretch of the season to date, but more action awaits. The Highland boys traveled to Thornburg and took on the Trojans of Tri-County on Monday, January 29th. Then, action returned to Riverside on Tuesday, January 30th in a conference doubleheader with the Winfield-Mt Union Wolves. 

Tuesday was also Senior Night for both Highland teams. The Highland girls will welcome their opponent from the SEISC South Division to Riverside in the annual SEISC Conference Shootout game on Thursday, February 1st, while the Highland boys will be in Columbus in a game rescheduled from January 18th. 

To complete another loaded week, the Highland girls play in Columbus on Friday, February 2nd.