Trojans 3 points shy of upset

By NICHOLAS KIMBALL

Staff writer

Hillsboro fell three points shy of upsetting No. 1 seed Moundridge in the sub-state championship game Friday night at Berean Academy, losing 33-30.

“Super proud of my girls against Moundridge,” coach Micah Ratzlaff said. “On paper they are a tough matchup for us but I loved how we just showed up and gave them everything we had.”

Moundridge had a 25-23 lead in the fourth quarter with less than six minutes left. The Trojans clawed, kicked, and shot their way to a 30-25 lead in three minutes.

The Trojans missed a few key free throw attempts to keep their lead with less than three minutes left but allowed Moundridge to find a few open three-point plays that brought the Wildcats back into a 32-30 lead with less than a minute left.

To stop the clock Hillsboro, fouled Moundridge one last time. The Wildcats missed the first free throw but made the second to bring the score to 33-30.

The Trojans only had 3.6 seconds left to inbound the ball, draw a foul, or shoot a half-court shot to win.

Hillsboro inbounded the ball. The shot went up at half court but didn’t go in, ending Hillsboro’s post-season run.

“We executed our game plan really well, trying to slow down such an explosive offense that averages 60-plus points per game,” Ratzlaff said. “I did not know what to expect but just wanted to fill our team with confidence and composure and a sense of calmness, knowing we have a nothing-to-lose type of mentality.

“Yes, we made a couple mistakes late, and it didn’t end the way we wanted it to, of course, but we represented Hillsboro High School extremely well all year long and had a fantastic season.

“I’m just really fortunate to have the opportunity to coach a team that maximized their potential and got better throughout the year. Having high-character girls with a competitive edge who are willing to be coached everyday goes a long way.”