It’s a rivalry on the court tonight in Riverside when the Hillcrest Academy Ravens visit the Highland Huskies for a Southeast Iowa Superconference doubleheader. The Raven girls are 2-0 on the season after blowout wins, over Cedar Valley Christian and Moravia, by a combined 56 points. Hillcrest is scoring 64 points per game and giving up 36, with 38% shooting from the floor, 33% from three and 53% at the line, with 35 rebounds, 18 assists, 24 steals and 22 turnovers per game. Individually, Claire Withrow is scoring 23 points per night, Delaney Shaw has 10 boards per game and Malia Yoder seven steals and six assists per night. Highland is also unbeaten at 3-0 on the year including wins over Keota, Iowa Valley and top ten Lone Tree. The Huskies score 57 per night and give up 47, shooting it 37% from the floor, 26% from three and 54% at the line with 47 rebounds, 17 assists, 11 steals and 21 turnovers per night. Individually, this week’s Jessica Yoder & Sarah Bigley with Kalona Realty Athlete of the Week, Kamryn Fink leads the way, averaging a double double with 23 points and 17 rebounds per night. She and Katie Herrig each have four assists per game and Hailey Brun has three steals. The Huskies have won 26 of the last 28 games in this series, including the last eight, sweeping both meetings last season.

This is the season opener for both boys squads. Hillcrest was 15-8 last year, 10-5, third in the Southeast Iowa Superconference North Division. They averaged 55 points, giving up 45, shooting 45% from the floor, 37% from three and 62% at the line, with 25 rebounds, 16 assists, nine steals and 13 turnovers per game. Their full roster is back, including leading scorers Seth Ours and Mason Bender at 16 and 10 points respectively. Bender averaged five boards per game. Rowan Miller’s five assists and two steals per night are also back. The Ravens have had a pair of tune-up this year, falling to Sigourney in an Achieve Challenge scrimmage, 59-51, despite 15 points from Ours and 11 each for Bryce and Kale Bailey. In their jamboree against New London, the Ravens rolled 38-20, with Bender scoring 12 and Lincoln Miller seven. Highland was 3-19 a year ago, winless in the Superconference. They scored 35 points per game, giving up 67, shooting 33% from the floor, 24% from deep and 47% at the line, with 27 boards, three assists, five steals and 26 turnovers per game. The Huskies lost their top scorer and rebounder, Nicolas Oriano to graduation. Leading returners are Logan McFarland at six points and Louis Horak at five boards per game. McFarland also led last year with an assist and steal per night. Hillcrest has won 29 of the last 36 in this series, including eight straight, and a sweep of both contests last year. Action starts tonight with the girls at 6p.m. In Riverside.