ADVANCING TO FINALS … Molly Dickinson dribbles up the court during Hilltop’s 50-19 win over Fayette to advance to the district finals.
(PHOTOS BY BREANA RELIFORD / THEVILLAGE REPORTER)
BBC RIVALS … Fayette’s Kennedy Kunkle handles the ball in front of a Cadet defender in the fourth quarter of Thursday night’s district semifinal game at Bryan High School.
By: Joe Blystone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
BRYAN (February 20, 2025) – There was a two week period in mid to late season that Hilltop struggled shooting the basketball. No more..
The Cadets laced a trio of first quarter triples to race out to a 15-2 lead, on their way to a 50-19 romp over Fayette in a Division VII district semifinal at Bryan.
Hilltop advances to the district final Saturday with a record of 19-3. The Eagles, sectional title winners over North Central the previous Saturday, bows out of the tournament at 11-12.
“We hit a little slump in the regular season, a lot of that attributed to the Stryker, the Montpelier and the Edgerton girls,” Hilltop coach Troy Grime explained.
“We got kind of back in the groove a little bit, the girls never lost their confidence, and they wanted to come out and play well tonight, and I think they played pretty well.” “You hit a couple threes, and the confidence goes through the roof.”
Hilltop got a fast start, shooting 50 percent from the floor in the first quarter. Sophia Crossgrove got a second chance hoop to get the Cadets started, then Libbie Baker bagged two from outside the arc and Molly Dickinson hit another from the corner to forge Hilltop into a 13-point lead.
Fayette was guilty of 10 first quarter turnovers and could only manage a pair of Addison Schang free throws in the first eight minutes.
“That’s what keeps us in games.” Grime said of his team’s defensive effort. “If you play defensively and get after it, that will keep you in games when you aren’t shooting the ball well.”
Hilltop put the game away in the second quarter with a 12-0 start in the first four minutes. Baker forced her way inside for one bucket and got another on an inbounds play.
Crossgrove’s scoop at the rim and Dickinson’s back cut basket made it 23-2, before Dickinson capped the burst with a pair of steal-and-scores.
Schang’s triple and score off a steal only kept the Eagles within 32-9 at the half, but another 10-0 salvo in the third put the game on ice.
Baker’s score in the key and Dickinson’s reverse layup pushed the Cadets ahead 36-11. Then Eleana VanArsdalen and Baker each canned three-pointers to make it 42-11 with 3:29 left.
Baker’s post and reverse spin with 1:59 to go bumped the gap to 48-13, initiating the running clock rule.
Baker ended up with 25 on the night while Dickinson had 11. The Cadets shot 21/40 for the night, including five triples. Meanwhile the Eagles were 6/30 with 25 turnovers.
FAYETTE (19) – Schang 7; Simon 0; Mitchell 2; Storrs 7; Gorsuch 0; Fetterman 3; Brown 0; Kunkle 0; Williams 0; Adkins 0; Alkadri 0; Totals: 4-2-5 – 19
HILLTOP (50) – Dickinson 11; Routt 2; Baker 25; Higgins 0; Smith 0; VanArsdalen 3; Bailey 0; Connolly 0; Crossgrove 9; Totals: 16-5-3 – 50
FHS 2 7 7 3 – 19
HHS 15 17 16 2 – 50
