Hot-shooting Belleville West rolls past Highland in non-conference basketball contest
On Monday, Dec. 6, the Highland girls basketball team returned home looking to change their fortunes and snap a recent three-game losing slump.
The Lady Bulldogs had a welcome chance to make that happen against an also-struggling Belleville West club. It was West, however, that came out with a greater sense of urgency and turned in a strong effort.
Buoyed by big nights from junior guards Maliah Sparks and Jaylynn Rook, the Maroons jumped out to a 16-0 lead in the first 5 minutes, 48 seconds and never look back as they rolled to an easy 61-28 non-conference win over Highland.
The victory broke a four-game losing streak for Belleville West, which had struggled recently against the likes of O’Fallon and Mater Dei.
“If we shoot well, we’re good and if we don’t shoot it well we’re bad. And tonight, we shot nine or 10 threes in the first half and I thought our defense was the key. We kept them from getting to the basket, contesting everything, so I was happy with our defense,” Belleville West coach Clayton Fisher said.
West came out firing on offense from the outset as Rook drilled a 3-pointer and drained a pair for free throws for a quick 7-0 lead. A pair of Sparks treys and a Keyara Baerga-Plumey 3-pointer pushed the Maroons margin to 16-0. Sparks and Rook were lethal from the 3-point arc in the first half as the Maroons led by 23 by the end of the first quarter.
Sparks had a game-high 20 points while Rook pumped in 18 points on the night.
“Maliah Sparks had a great game. That’s two in a row for her, so we want to keep building on this to where our guards are not getting into foul trouble and just basically playing like they should because my guards are very talented,” Fisher said.
After a flat first quarter, the Lady Bulldogs began to click as Larissa Taylor and Grace Wilke knocked down shots but HHS still trailed 43-14 at halftime.
Highland coach Clint Hamilton lamented the slow start due to turnovers and lack of ball control.
“It’s not even shooting right now,” Hamilton said. “It’s just getting (shot) attempts and we just turn the ball over too much. We’re just not comfortable with the ball in our hands and that leads into fast break points for their team ... and it’s just trying to find ways to get them confident with the ball in their hands right now.”
Highland coach challenges team
HHS tightened down the defense in the second half and held West to less than 20 points. However, the Lady Bulldogs continued having trouble getting shots to fall after intermission.
“We’ve been battling this all year and not just tonight,” Hamilton said. “Every night, any team that has any kind of pressure, we really struggle to just get into an offense consistently.”
Belleville West coach encouraged
Fisher hopes the win will help his club right their ship.
“Our early season schedule is brutal. We play Mater Dei and O’Fallon and we play everybody because it’s just who we are. But we’re talented enough and I thought we could have won a couple of our earlier games ... but I’m happy with I saw tonight on the floor,” Fisher said.
Wilke paced the Lady Bulldogs with 10 points.
HHS regroups with 2 wins
Two days after knocking off MVC foe Jerseyville 42-26 on the road, Highland rolled past Chatham Glenwood 46-33 on Saturday, Dec. 11.
Abby Huelsmann paced HHS with 13 points while Abby Schultz pumped in 11 points and Wilke added 10 points.
Highland Bowling
The Highland boys and girls bowling teams enjoyed a productive outing Saturday, Dec. 4, at the Abe Lincoln Tournament at King Pin Lane in Springfield.
The Bulldog boys team finished in fifth place as Hunter Hediger won the tournament’s individual title, shooting a 1,455 series.
In the girls division, the Lady Bulldogs fared even better with a third-place finish. Tiffany Hediger rolled the third-highest game of the tournament, shooting a 255.
On Wednesday, Dec. 8, the boys and girls bowling teams competed against Waterloo at West Park Bowl in Columbia. The Lady Bulldogs defeated Waterloo in their match as Carissa Merkle shot a high game of 257.
The HHS boys lost to Waterloo but Logan Oestringer had a big night, rolling a 629 high series.
Highland hockey
The start of the second week of December brought a road game Tuesday, Dec. 6, for the Highland hockey team as the Bulldogs traveled to the McKendree Rec Plex in O’Fallon to face off against the O’Fallon hockey club.
A slow start put HHS in a tough spot and the Bulldogs ultimately fell to O’Fallon 8-4.
Highland slipped to 3-5-1 with the loss.
Highland Wrestling
The Highland wrestling team trekked to Bethalto on Saturday, Dec. 4, and competed in the 42nd Annual Civic Memorial Tournament at Civic Memorial High School.
HHS had two wrestlers advance to the consolation round of the tournament.
At 122 pounds, Gavin Markle lost to Samuel Leach of Maplewood (Richmond Heights) in a second-round consolation bout. At 182 pounds the Bulldogs Aiden Conrad dropped his match by fall in the second round of the consolation bracket to Anthony Braasch of Maplewood (Richmond Heights).
Neither wrestler placed in the 21-team tournament.
This story was originally published December 7, 2021 at 9:00 AM.