Photo Courtesy of Hillcrest Academy
The Hillcrest Academy Raven boys and girls basketball teams hosted Wapello in a Southeast Iowa Superconference doubleheader Friday night at Hillcrest Union in Kalona. The Raven girls fell to the visiting Arrows 44-28. In a set of games heard on KCII, Hillcrest started fast, leading 11-4 midway through the first quarter, but Wapello erased that deficit with a 14-2 run in the second and would take an 18-13 lead into the half. The Arrows would grow that lead to nine in the third before the Ravens made a push to get within 29-27, only to see Wapello answer with an 11-0 burst as Hillcrest suffered through a nine minute scoring drought. After the game, head coach Mitchell Drey talked about the keys. “My big message was for us to come out and be the aggressor. We did a great job early. Then we dipped. We gave up second chance points. That really gave Wapello momentum. Coming into tonight we had a lot of young girls who weren’t confidently shooting yet. I tell them all the time in practice and in games to shoot and they are starting to. This is a fun team to be around with a lot of capable scorers. Tonight showed that work.”
Lindsy Massner had a game high 19 points and 16 rebounds for Wapello. Hillcrest was led by Malia Yoder and Esther Hughes with seven points each. Wapello won the turnover battle 22-12 and outrebounded the Ravens by 14. With the loss, Hillcrest is 0-4, Wapello 2-2.
In the boys contest, the Ravens held off a second half charge from the Indians to win 51-43. Hillcrest started the game on a 7-0 run and led 9-7 after the first. In the second frame, the Ravens got hot from outside, knocking down four straight three point goals, including a three for three run for freshman Seth Ours while Grant Bender continued to dominate inside as the Ravens outscored the Indians 24-11 to hold a 33-18 advantage at the half. Out of the locker room, Wapello would climb back into the game, down just six going to the fourth and would get within two at 43-41 in the final period. Hillcrest didn’t wilt under pressure, they finished with a 10-2 run including going of seven of nine at the line to ice the contest. After the game, head coach Dwight Gingerich talked about the key players and moments. “During that second quarter run we moved the ball well. That pass for Josiah Beachy to Seth Ours for the three was a great example. Ours hit three threes and gave us a nice spark off the bench tonight. Jace Rempel knocked down a couple, the ball was really moving. When they made their run in the third quarter, I thought our guys hung in there. We hit free throws down the stretch. Grant Bender had a big night. He was active, he finished at the rim well. Aiden Krabill drew a couple of big charges and made cerebral plays. Noah Miller and Luke Schrock managed the game well and were poised. We had five guys on the floor at important moments that were all playing together.”
Bender led the Ravens with 25 points, Ours had nine and Noah Miller eight. Hillcrest won the turnover battle by forcing 13 and giving it away just nine times and the Ravens were plus five on the glass. The win is the first of the season for Hillcrest to move their record to 1-1, it’s the 697th in the career of head coach Dwight Gingerich. The Raven boys and girls will be back on the court Tuesday when they travel to Louisa-Muscatine.