Highland girls basketball team pulls away early in home opener against MVC rival Triad

Four days after starting slowly and finishing fast in beating Breese Mater Dei, the Highland Lady Bulldogs got back to playing their game Wednesday, Feb. 17: Starting fast and finishing fast.

Highland, which did not get to practice due to a snow day Tuesday, Feb. 16, was locked in early as it unleashed its ferocious pressure defense on rival Triad, jumping out to a 9-0 lead and pulling away for a 61-31 victory in its home opener at Highland High School.

The change was a welcome sight for Highland coach Clint Hamilton.

“I think our defensive pressure was the biggest key and they (the girls) did a good job of speeding them (Triad) up and forcing turnovers early, and it really helps when you’re making shots,” Hamilton said.

HHS held a 25-point lead going into the second quarter. A 7-2 surge keyed by a pair of Kirsten Taylor baskets and a couple of Bella LaPorta buckets pushed the lead to 31-4 3:53 before halftime.

“I think we settled down (tonight) and got used to the game of basketball,” Taylor said. “It’s nice to get ahead and sometimes teams shut down when you get ahead — it’s a good thing to do.”

Taylor led all scorers with a game-high 16 points while LaPorta added 12 points. Senior forward Taylor Kesner also was solid again with 10 points down in the paint.

When LaPorta and Taylor were not doing damage down low, Highland guards Abby Huelsmann and Grace Wilke were harassing Triad’s Avery Bohnenstiehl and Sidney Hartoin with their defense and knocking down shots from outside.

Huelsmann and Wilke each clicked for 9 points drilling three triples each. Taylor also hit a pair of 3-pointers.

“Shots were falling (for us), which really helps because we were already playing intense on defense, so it’s nice to have shots fall when we need them (to),” Taylor said.

Hamilton agreed, “It always helps when your hitting shots and we made quite a few threes tonight.”

Highland continued to roll in the second half, leading by as much as 30 in the closing seconds of play.

Alyssa Powell scored 12 points to lead Triad (2-1).

Highland falls to Civic Memorial

A day after blasting rival Triad by 30 points, the Highland Lady Bulldogs had few answers for the Civic Memorial Eagles high-energy pressure defense.

Highland struggled offensively and could not get its fast break going as the Lady Bulldogs dropped their first game of the season at home to Civic Memorial 41-27.

“CM’s pressure got to us,” Hamilton said. “They did a great job of speeding the game up and we didn’t handle the pressure well.”

Live Wilke led HHS with 8 points and Kirsten Taylor had 7 points.

Highland slipped to 2-1 on the season.

This story was originally published February 18, 2021 at 9:00 AM.