By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Highland Park's girls basketball team ended its long losing streak in convincing fashion Tuesday night, rolling to a 61-38 home non-conference victory over Sumner Academy.
The Scots, now 1-5, tasted victory for the first time since the 2019-2020 season and gave first-year coach Robert Brown his first win with Highland Park.
Sumner and Highland Park were tied 13-13 at the end of the first quarter, but the Scots used a 16-6 second quarter to open up a 29-19 halftime advantage and added to their advantage the rest of the night.
The Scots outscored the 1-6 Sabres 8-3 in the third quarter and Highland Park outscored Sumner 24-16 in the fourth period to win going away.
Aisya Taylor
Senior Aisya Taylor had a big night for Highland Park, leading all scorers with 23 points.
Taylor, a third-team All-Shawnee County selection a year ago, canned a pair of 3 -pointers and connected on all three of her free throw attempts.
Sophomore Victoria Reed joined Taylor in double figures with 15 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, as Highland Park made seven 3s as a team.
SEAMAN GIRLS 46, HAYDEN 38 -- Seaman improved to 4-2 overall and 4-2 in the Centennial League, with the Vikings leading at the end of all four quarters.
Seaman led by just a 9-8 margin at the end of the first quarter before opening up a 25-16 halftime advantage and taking a 34-24 lead into the fourth stanza.
Hayden (3-2, 3-2) got within five points with 3:01 remaining on a 3-pointer from senior Carly Stuke.
Freshman Anna Becker (23) led Seaman with 17 points in Tuesday's 46-38 win over Hayden. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Freshman Anna Becker scored a team-high 17 points to lead Seaman while sophomore Brooklyn Gormley added nine points, freshman Ava Esser seven and sophomore Taylin Stallbaumer six before fouling out.
Senior Macy Smith scored a game-high 18 points in Hayden's 46-38 loss at Seaman Tuesday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Senior Macy Smith scored a game-high 18 points for Hayden while Stuke added nine points.
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS GIRLS 45, BONNER SPRINGS 33 -- Shawnee Heights improved to 3-1 on the season with its third straight victory.
The T-Birds opened the season with a loss to Spring Hill, but ended their pre-holiday slate with wins over Ottawa and Topeka West before opening 2022 with Tuesday's non-league victory.
Shawnee Heights built a 12-9 first-quarter lead and went in front 23-15 at halftime and held a 34-24 advantage at the start of the fourth quarter.
Balance was the key for T-Birds, with four players scoring between seven and 11 points.
Zoe Oczko, a 6-foot-3 senior, led Shawnee Heights with 11 points, including a five of six performance at the free throw line.
Senior Abby Schulte added nine points and junior Emari Doby and sophomore Breezy Canady had seven apiece for the T-Birds.
