Lady Highlanders get the ‘W’ on Senior Night

It was a historic night as the Highlands School varsity basketball teams split on Senior Night against Hiwassee Dam, Tuesday night.

Girls game:

Highlands - 64

Hiwassee Dam - 36

Undefeated in conference play, the Lady Highlanders tacked on another ‘W’ to clinch the regular season conference championship against Hiwassee Dam 64-36.

Julia Schmitt got things going for HHS with a free throw and a layup to go up 3-0.

Hiwassee responded with a free throw to cut the lead 3-1, but Bella Branham answered with a layup to make it 5-1.

Hiwassee answered with a three pointer, but Reese Schmitt hit an and one with 6:02 left in the first quarter to go up 7-4.

Branham hit a layup after Reese Schmitt, but Hiwassee answered to make it 9-6.

Two free throws and a layup from Julia Schmitt increased the Lady Highlander lead to 13-6.

Branham hit another shot, followed by Hayley Borino to make it 17-6 with 3:09 left in the first period.

Hiwassee hit another shot with 2:34 left, but Borino answered with a three point to get the Lady Highlanders to 20-8.

With 1:05 left in the first period, Reese Schmitt had a steal and layup to increase the lead 22-8, before the Eagles scored a free throw at the end of the first period to make it 22-9.

Hiwassee opened the second period with a layup, cutting the lead to 22-11, before Bella Wilson scored a free throw, making it 23-11.

With 5:31 left in the half, Hiwassee had another layup to cut the lead 23-13.

HIstory was made with 4:08 left in the second quarter, when senior Hayley Borino stepped up to the free throw line. As the second free throw went in the basket, the crowd erupted, and her teammates flooded the floor to congratulate her on her 1,000th career point.

The game continued with free throw after free throw until the half ended with Borino hitting a three pointer at the buzzer, making it 34-18.

Reese Schmitt opened the second half with a layup, followed by a steal and layup from Julia Schmitt to go up 38-18.

With 5:50 left in the third, Julia Schmitt was fouled and hit a layup to increase the lead 42-18.

Borino followed right after with a layup, as well as a shot by Lily Kate Bryson to make it 46-18.

A free throw from Hiwassee Dam kept them on the board, but Branham answered right away with a three pointer, making it 49-19.

A layup and a jump shot from Hiwassee cut the Lady Highlander lead to 49-23, but with four seconds left in the third period, Borino hit another three pointer to end the period up 52-23.

Hiwassee opened the third period with two layups, trying to stay in the game, but Julia Schmitt was right behind them with a layup of her own to make it 54-27.

Ava Schmitt hit a free throw, followed by a Hiwassee free throw and an and one from Reese Schmitt to go up 58-28.

The Eagles tried to stay in it, scoring a free throw and a layup, but free throws from Bella Wilson and Aislynn Wyatt Luck kept the Lady Highlanders ahead with 1:54 left in the game, 62-31.

With 40 seconds left, Mackenzie Woods had a steal and a layup, which ended the scoring effort for the Lady Highlanders.

“There is always a lot going on during Senior Night,” HHS head coach Brett Lamb said. “Kids have family coming and all that stuff, so there is a lot of pressure that the kids put on themselves. I thought we came out pretty decent in the first quarter, then in the second quarter we got in a little foul trouble. We knew Hayley was going to get her 1,000th point tonight so we were trying to leave her in to get it and I think the girls were a little amped up. In the third quarter, we came out and were able to take charge of the game. Our defense and our rebounding was key. They adjusted well from what we told them at halftime. All in all, it was a good night. For us to win the conference championship and Hayley hit 1,000 points, it’s a win-win.”

Lamb has had this senior group of girls for the past two years as a head coach and he said the past two years the group has learned a lot of life lessons.

“Life lessons for them have been tough over the last two years,” Lamb said. “They had a shortened season, things were taken away from them, they had to wear masks, and quarantines and all that. I told them that they could do anything they wanted to in this world. You go out, and remember these trials and tribulations just in basketball and relate it to life. They have developed so well and meshed so well. They all accepted their roles and brought this group together. They are a lot of fun and I think they have been a good group. They have set their mark here and will be thought of highly for many years to come.”

Borino said when she was behind the free throw line setting up for what could be her 1,000th point, she couldn’t think about the milestone that she might achieve.

“Honestly, I couldn’t think about it, because it was stressing me out,” Borino said. “I knew it was coming, so I prayed that I was going to make it.”

From the start of the season, Borino said she had this goal in mind.

“It feels really good,” Borino said. “I have been working on this awhile and it feels really good to accomplish it.”

If she could describe her senior season so far, she said it has been fun.

“It is really hard to describe this season,” Borino said. “I have had a really good time. I love all of these girls, so it is easy to have fun.”

Borino said if she had any advice to give to her freshman self, it would be to enjoy the time ahead.

“It goes by really fast,” Borino said. “Make sure you have a good time while you can.”

With the win, the Lady Highlanders improve to 13-8 on the season with an undefeated 6-0 record in the conference. They take on Brevard at home on Sunday at 4 p.m.

Boys game:

Highlands - 45

Hiwassee Dam - 70

After catching a second wind in the second half, the Highlanders were unable to make the comeback, falling to Hiwassee Dam 70-45 on Senior Night.

The first period started slow for the Highlanders, falling behind 12-4 at the end of the period. Points were scored in the first period by Jeffrey Olvera, Win Dyleskii and Brandon Moss.

Hiwassee opened up the second period with a free throw, an and one and a layup to increase the lead 19-4.

With 6:50 left in the half, Olvera was fouled and made a free throw to cut the lead 19-5.

After an and one for Hiwassee, Dyleski answered to make it 21-7.

Hiwassee responded with a three pointer that was answered by Olvera to cut the lead 24-9.

At the end of the half, the Highlanders were down 32-19, with buckets from Olvera, Dyleski,  Nathan Keener and Moss.

With 5:33 left in the third period, the Eagles were up 42-19.

Dyleski hit a layup with 4:44 left in the third period to cut the lead 47-21, followed by a floater from Keener to make it 47-23.

The Eagles kept at it, scoring a three pointer, and a layup before Keener was fouled and made a free throw to cut the lead 54-26.

With 1:14 left in the third period, Keener hit a three pointer, but Hiwassee answered with two layups to make it 59-30.

Kasen Mitchell had an and one with 18 seconds left and Keener had a rebound and layup to end the period down 59-34.

The Highlanders did not give up going into the fourth period. With 6:00 left in the game, Mitchell had two steals and layups to cut the lead 61-38, but Hiwassee answered to make it 63-38.

With 3:57 left in the game, James Earp hit a jump shot to cut the lead 65-40, but a layup and an and one from Hiwassee kept the Eagles up 69-40.

Olvera hit a layup with 2:28 left in the game to end the scoring effort for the Highlanders at 70-42 after a free throw from Hiwassee.

With the loss, the Highlanders go into the final game of the regular season with a record of 5-14 and a conference record of 2-1. They face Brevard on Saturday at 5:30 p.m.

- By Christopher Lugo