Big first half leads to Hillsboro win over Lady Lions

HILLSBORO — A 20-point first quarter, added with 16 points in the second frame, was more than enough for the Hillsboro Lady Indians to fend off a motivated Fairfield Lady Lions in the second half, as HHS won by a 64-47 score Monday in their non-conference Highland County showdown. 

Hillsboro’s home non-conference win saw them score 20 points in the first quarter, but their defense held Fairfield to just nine points in the opening frame, and it all began with HHS scoring the first four points of the game with a basket by Peighton Bledsoe, followed by a bucket from Kobie Miles.

Fairfield made it a one-point lead for the away team, as Faith Donley sank a 3-pointer and Meri Jackson connected with a basket for a 5-4 Fairfield advantage. 

Rylie Scott put Hillsboro back in front with a layup as HHS scored 10 straight points, as next to score points was Bledsoe with a 3-pointer, followed by a three-point play from Tylee Davis and another layup by Bledsoe as Hillsboro built a 14-5 lead with 2:44 left in the first frame. 

Donley broke the scoring run with two made free throws, and after Hillsboro had a point scored by Kyra Boyd, Fairfield’s Quickle made two free throws of her own, leaving Hillsboro ahead 15-9 with 1:22 on the clock. 

HHS ended the first with five consecutive points off a 3-pointer by Boyd, and a layup by Addyson Miles — with the assist from Bledsoe — leaving Hillsboro ahead by 11 points with a 20-9 score to end the opening frame. 

HHS scored the first 14 points of the second quarter with the first points of the frame coming at the 7:45 mark of the second with a basket by Davis, followed by Bledsoe sinking a shot at the 6:40 mark. 

Boyd followed with a basket, and next to score was Bledsoe on a fast break — after an FHS turnover — for a 28-9 lead with 4:59 left in the second. 

The quarter continued with a basket by Kobie Miles, and after a full timeout was taken, the Lady Indians continued their onslaught of scoring with a 3-pointer from Scott and a free throw made by Addyson Miles for a 25-point lead at 34-9 with 58.9 left in the first half. 

Fairfield put two points on the board for the quarter with two free throws made by Alyssa Bales, but HHS scored the final points of the second frame with a put-back basket at the buzzer by Addyson Miles, giving the Lady Indians a 36-11 halftime lead. 

Hillsboro and Fairfield battled closer in the second half, with HHS winning the third at 18-16.

Hillsboro held their largest lead of the game in the third with a 29-point advantage for the first of two occasions in the second half. 

The Lady Indians had nine points in the third quarter from Blake Herdman, making a 3-pointer, two two-point baskets and two free throws on two attempts.

Also in the third for Hillsboro, Davis scored five points (including a 3-pointer), and two points each were scored by Scott and Boyd. 

The third frame for Fairfield included 11 points by Donley, three points by Quickle, and Jackson scored two points. 

HHS held their second 29-point lead with 7:01 left in the fourth quarter, but FHS chipped away at the lead, getting it down to 15 points, and ultimately HHS won by 17 points. 

Hillsboro scored 10 points in the fourth quarter, as they were outscored by Fairfield, who tallied 20 points in the fourth frame. 

Donley had nine points in the fourth quarter, followed by three points each by Isabelle Hale and Kassi Miller (both making a 3-pointer), plus scoring two points each for FHS were Kelsey Clark and Jackson. 

The Lady Indians’ 10 points in the fourth quarter came with four points scored by Scott, four points scored by Boyd and two points from Addyson Miles. 

Hillsboro was led by Boyd with 12 points, followed by Bledsoe and Scott, who each scored 11 points. Davis scored 10 points to give the Lady Indians four players in double figures.

Other final scoring for HHS included Herdman with nine points, Addyson Miles with seven points and Kobie Miles with four points.

Donley led Fairfield with a game-high 25 points, as she made five two-point baskets, two 3-pointers, and she went 9-of-12 from the free-throw line. 

Jackson was next in the scoring column for the Lady Lions in the game with six total points, and finishing with five points was Quickle. 

The remainder of final scoring for Fairfield included Hale (three), Miller (three), Clark (two), Alyssa Bales (two) and Vivian Henninger (one). 

The loss moves Fairfield to 4-9 overall this season. 

Hillsboro’s win now sends HHS to an overall record of 7-8 this season. 

HHS (3-4, 7-8) is scheduled to play again Wednesday, Jan. 17 on the road at Miami Trace (2-5, 5-9) in FAC action. 

Fairfield (3-5, 4-9) is scheduled to play next Thursday, Jan. 18 at home vs. Whiteoak (6-2, 11-5) in SHAC action. 

BOX SCORE 
FHS    09 02 16 20 — 47
HHS    20 16 18 10 — 64

HILLSBORO (64) — P.Bledsoe 4 (1) 0-1 11, K.Miles 2 (0) 0-0 4, R.Scott 3 (1) 2-2 11, T.Davis 3 (1) 1-1 10, A.Miles 3 (0) 1-2 7, K.Boyd 4 (1) 1-2 12, B.Herdman 2 (1) 2-2 9. TOTALS: 21 (5) 7-10 64. 

FAIRFIELD (47) — I.Hale 0 (1) 0-0 3, R.Quickle 0 (1) 2-2 5, K.Miller 0 (1) 0-0 3, F.Donley 5 (2) 9-12 25, V.Henninger 0 (0) 1-2 1, K.Clark 1 (0) 0-0 2, A.Bales 0 (0) 2-2 2, M.Jackson 3 (0) 0-0 6. TOTALS: 9 (5) 14-18 47.