Highlands Improves to 2-0 with Home Win

Bluebirds Win 9th Region Opener

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands junior Chloe Jansen goes to her left for a score against St. Henry on Thursday.

Things started off well for the hosts.

The Highlands Bluebird girls basketball team (2-0 overall) scored the game's first 10 points and did not allow the St. Henry Lady Crusaders (0-1) a field goal until five seconds remained in the first quarter. But Highlands learned it needs to finish better in a 55-39 9th Region home win Tuesday.

"I thought we came out and knocked them down pretty good, but then we settled," said Jaime Walz-Richey, Highlands Head Coach. "We have to learn not to settle. We have to keep competing, pushing and not look at the scoreboard when we're up so much. We got into a little foul trouble early on again that hurt us. I had to sub some people in and out. When I go to the bench, we have to be able to continue where we left off."

Highlands junior Zoie Barth again did her thing scoring 18 points on 5-of-12 shooting to lead the way and recorded six assists. But senior Brooke Dill scored her career-high 17 points taking advantage of solid screens down low and recorded eight rebounds.

The Bluebirds pressured the Lady Crusaders all over the court to a tune of 32 turnovers including 16 steals. Junior Chloe Jansen had seven steals to lead Highlands and Barth had four. On the other side, Highlands had just 13 turnovers and St. Henry had six steals.

Barth, Jansen, Dill and junior Hanna Buecker return with a lot of varsity experience from last year. The fifth starter in freshman Rory O'Hara dressed for varsity at the end of last season. Juniors Ashley Hayes and Olivia Gessner dressed for varsity all last year, but did not see as much playing time at that level they may see this year. Sophomore Maggie Hinegardner got out there against St. Henry as did freshmen Kenzie Nehus and Emma Riccobene.

Highlands made 14-of-51 shots for 28 percent including 7-of-23 from three-point range for 30 percent. St. Henry hit 15-of-53 shots for 28 percent including just 3-of-15 from three-point range for 20 percent.

"We struggled to keep our intensity up," Buecker said. "We lost six seniors last year so it's about everyone stepping up together."

Solid free-throw shooting also helped the Bluebirds. They made 20-of-25 for 80 percent compared to 6-of-16 for 38 percent for the Lady Crusaders. St. Henry had 24 fouls ad saw one player foul out and Highlands finished with 18.

One area of improvement for the Bluebirds is rebounding the basketball. St. Henry won that battle, 49-31. Chisom Illoegbunar had eight to lead the Lady Crusaders. Ashley Ives led the Lady Crusaders with nine points.

Highlands also won the junior varsity contest, 57-24. Sophomore Piper Macke led the Bluebirds with 10 points. Macke and her older brother Spencer, a junior on the boys basketball team, transferred from Covington Holy Cross to Highlands in the off-season. The Kentucky High School Athletic Association has not yet cleared them to play varsity sports.

Highlands plays Kokomo Northwestern (Indiana) on Saturday in the Hoops for Harvest Classic at Dixie Heights. Game time is 2:20 p.m.