Balanced Attack Leads Hillcrest Boys to Dominant Win, Wildcats Girls Prevail in Hard-Fought Battle

Article credit: Zach Ulin/KCII
Each school scored a victory in an area Southeast Iowa Superconference basketball doubleheader when the Hillcrest Academy Ravens hosted the Columbus Wildcats Friday. In the girls contest, the ‘Cats took a 55-35 win. Columbus controlled things early, putting together a 14-3 run that lasted the entire first quarter. The Wildcats held a 26-17 lead at the break. They pulled away methodically in the second half, winning the third and fourth by a combined 29-18 total. The Wildcats forced 25 turnovers while committing 23. They had 18 steals and 13 assists. Lily Coil had a double double 15 points and 10 boards to lead the ‘Cats, Ariana Vergara scored 16 and Isabel Rendon 14. Columbus head coach Kasey Keltner joined the KCII Radio Coaches Corner to talk about the win.

Keltner said, “I really have been very pleased with our defensive effort (so far this season). It’s led by Ariana Vergara, she’s really turned it up a notch. She’s a catalyst. She gets everybody else going. Frannie Sosa is really locked in defensively and has made life miserable for a lot of girls on the other team. Maddie Howell has come off the bench and done similar things for us. We get after it. We get up and down the floor. We’ve also been able to get Isabel Rendon going, Ellie Sanders, Iris Garza, and Kinlee Brown. Lily Coil and Aracely Garza, they are the ones being the leaders.”

Raven leaders included 12 points for Malia Yoder and 16 rebounds for Niva Helmuth. Columbus remains unbeaten at 4-0, Hillcrest falls to 2-2.

The nightcap was all Hillcrest on their home floor, 80-28. The Ravens led 22-7 after one then exploded for 34 points in the second to take a 56-16 lead into half. They kept their foot on the gas in the third, putting together a 15-4 run that spanned the full eight minutes. Hillcrest shot 58%, including 50% from three. They grabbed 32 rebounds, dished out 20 assists, had eight steals and committed only seven turnovers. Hillcrest head coach Dwight Gingerich joined the KCII Radio Coaches Corner Saturday to talk about the win.

Read more Here!