The Washington Lady Lions visited Hillsboro High School Wednesday for a Frontier Athletic Conference contest as the conference teams returned to conference play for 2024.

Washington came into the game tied for second place in the conference with McClain, both at 3-2, while Hillsboro was 2-3 going in.

It turned out to be a very good night for Hillsboro in front of a large home crowd, including many dozens of children who were being recognized, a Hillsboro teacher said, for exemplary behavior.

Both teams were hot at the start. Hillsboro scored 28 points in the first quarter and Washington countered with 18. The tempo for Hillsboro was, in a word, up.

The Indians converted many steals and Washington turnovers into layups en route to a 74-46 victory.

That result, coupled with Jackson’s 43-25 win over McClain, means there is now a three-way tie for second place in the FAC with Washington, Hillsboro and McClain all at 3-3.

Jackson improved to 6-0 in the conference and needs just one more victory to clinch at least a share of the FAC title.

Hillsboro unofficially made 30 of 61 field goal attempts for 52 percent. In the first quarter, Hillsboro made 10 of 16 shots for 63 percent.

Washington was 20 of 53 from the field for 38 percent. In the first quarter, Washington made 7 of 16 shots for 44 percent.

Hillsboro had four players score in double figures on the night, none of whom were seniors. Sophomore Kyra Boyd was the game’s top scorer with 18 points. Junior Peighton Bledsoe scored 15 points, junior Blake Herdman had 14 points and freshman Tylee Davis scored 10. Senior Addyson Miles scored seven points and sophomore Kobie Miles added six points.

Herdman made two three-point field goals and Bledsoe, Boyd and Addyson Miles each had one.

Herdman led Hillsboro with nine rebounds, including five offensive.

For Washington, senior Calleigh Wead-Salmi scored 15 points and had a team-high seven rebounds. Junior Maggi Wall made two threes and finished with 14 points.

After the rather blistering start for Hillsboro, the scoring tapered quite a bit in the second quarter. Hillsboro won that frame, 11-6, to take a 39-24 halftime lead.

Hillsboro outscored Washington 17-8 in the third quarter for a 56-32 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.

“It was a good start for us,” Hillsboro head coach Heather Storer said. “Defensively, I thought we had a little bit of a letdown in that first quarter.”

Hillsboro made several layups and otherwise had good shot selection to begin the game, Storer said.

“In the second quarter we weren’t taking quality shots,” Storer said. “We were kind of taking what they were giving us, which is what we did the first time we played them.”

Washington hosted Hillsboro on Nov. 29 and won that game, 53-50.

“Seventy-four points for us is a lot,” Storer said. “We definitely don’t average that many. But, when we have kids driving to the basket hard, shooting layups and making free throws, we’re going to have a lot of kids who can score that high amount. It’s a different kid every night for us. We have a lot of kids that do different things well for us. Tonight we had quite a few ready to play.”

In the first meeting between these two teams, Storer said, “We took what they gave us. Tonight, we controlled what we wanted.”

“We tried to make some adjustments,” Washington head coach John Denen said. “It just didn’t correlate to the floor for some reason. They played at the tempo they wanted to play at. What we have to take away from this game is we have to play at our offensive tempo — we have to learn that. Until we learn that, we’ll be up and down. I have to, and my staff has to, do a good job of communicating that to our players.

“I think (our players) weren’t happy in the locker room and that’s a good sign. They know that they didn’t play very well. As I say that, I want to give kudos to Hillsboro, because they played really well. They came out with a game plan. They attacked and they executed their game plan.”

Washington (7-7 overall) is home Saturday to take on Chillicothe with the jayvee game starting at noon.

Miami Trace defeated Chillicothe Tuesday, 49-43, improving to 5-9 overall, 2-4 in the FAC. Chillicothe fell to 1-11 overall, 1-5 in the conference.

Hillsboro (now 6-7 overall) plays at Jackson Saturday beginning with the jayvee game at 5:30 p.m. Jackson is now 10-2 overall.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

W 18 6 8 14 — 46

H 28 11 17 18 — 74

WASHINGTON — Kaithlyn Maquiling 1-0-2; Maggi Wall 4 (2)-0-14; Aysha Haney 0-0-0; Calleigh Wead-Salmi 7-1-15; Eliana Racine 2-1-5; Jordyn Gray 0-0-0; Trinity George 1-0-2; Calee Ellars 0 (1)-1-4; Lilly Shaw 2-0-4. TOTALS — 17 (3)-3-46. Free throw shooting: 3 of 5 for 60 percent. Three-point field goals: Wall, 2; Ellars. Field goal shooting: 20 of 53 for 38 percent. Turnovers: 21. Rebounds: 25 (12 offensive).

HILLSBORO — Kayla Seeling 0-0-0; Peighton Bledsoe 5 (1)-2-15; Kobie Miles 2-2-6; Rylie Scott 0-0-0; Tylee Davis 4-2-10; Addyson Miles 2 (1)-0-7; Kyra Boyd 7 (1)-1-18; Morgan Garman 0-0-0; Kallie Fraley 1-0-2; Blake Herdman 4 (2)-0-14; Annia Young 1-0-2. TOTALS — 26 (5)-7-74. Free throw shooting: 7 of 8 for 88 percent. Three-point field goals: Herdman, 2; Bledsoe, A. Miles, Boyd. field goal shooting: 31 of 60 for 52 percent. Turnovers: 9. Rebounds: 25 (9).

Washington wins jayvee game

In the junior-varsity game Wednesday, Washington defeated Hillsboro, 27-21.

Jordyn Gray and Jada Ryan led Washington, each with eight points.

Kallie Fraley made three three-point baskets and led the game with nine points for Hillsboro. Kayla Seeling scored five points (with one three), Josie Rhoades scored four, Kiara Boris had two points and Chanel Captain scored one.

Chris Hoppes is the sports editor for the Record-Herald in Washington C.H.