Highlands girls basketball team erupts for win vs. Freeport
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Monday, February 7, 2022 | 10:04 PM
Highlands’ Kalleigh Nerone scores past Freeport’s Morgan Croney during their game on Monday, Feb. 7, 2022, at Highlands High School.
Highlands’ Shelby Wojcik celebrates after hitting a 3-pointer against Freeport on Monday.
Highlands’ Jocelyn Luzier (right) battles Freeport’s Melaina Dezort for a rebound during their game on Monday, Feb. 7, 2022, at Highlands High School.
Highlands’ Kate Myers (right) battles Freeport’s Abby Dejidas for a loose ball during their game on Monday, Feb. 7, 2022, at Highlands High School.
Highlands’ Jocelyn Bielak celebrates after scoring against Freeport on Monday, Feb. 7, 2022, at Highlands High School.
Highlands’ Kalleigh Nerone drives to the basket past Freeport’s Morgan Croney during their game on Monday, Feb. 7, 2022, at Highlands High School.
Highlands’ Jocelyn Luzier (right) battles Freeport’s Abby Dejidas for a rebound during their game on Monday, Feb. 7, 2022, at Highlands High School.
Highlands’ Kalleigh Nerone scores against Freeport on Monday, Feb. 7, 2022, at Highlands High School.
Highlands’ Kate Myers shoots a three-pointer against Freeport on Monday, Feb. 7, 2022, at Highlands High School.
The Highlands girls basketball team entered Monday’s Section 1-4A matchup with Freeport averaging 54.5 points, and its previous season high of 76 points came last week in a 22-point nonsection win over Keystone Oaks.
The Golden Rams blew past that season average and topped the Keystone Oaks total by one point in a 77-59 win over the Yellowjackets on senior night at Highlands High School.
“For the most part, we want to get up and down, and it all depends on the opponent and what they try to do to stop us,” Highlands coach Jason Kerr said. “We’re always working on getting girls in the right spots and where they need to be. We were able to do that tonight.”
Highlands bounced back from Saturday’s loss to section champion Knoch and improved to 17-3 overall and 9-2 in section play.
The Golden Rams are back in action Wednesday at Class 6A Hempfield before Thursday’s section finale at Deer Lakes.
“Freeport is a really good team with strong players who are well-coached,” Kerr said. “We told the girls that they couldn’t feel bad about themselves after Saturday. There is still a lot to play for to build for the playoffs. They responded in a big way, and we were happy to see that.”
Freeport came into the game having won two section games in a row with victories at home against Burrell and on the road at Derry.
The Yellowjackets fell to 4-5 in the section and 5-9 overall. Despite the loss, Freeport clinched a spot in the playoffs Monday with Derry’s loss to Burrell.
“It’s tough,” Freeport coach Fred Soilis said. “Highlands is a really good team. We matched them for a while, but they just have a caliber and a speed of play that allowed them to get separation.”
Six Highlands players reached double figures, led by 16 from sophomore Kalleigh Nerone. Sophomore Jocelyn Bielak tallied 14, sophomore Kate Myers finished with 13, senior Maria Fabregas scored 12 and senior Jocelyn Luzier finished with 11 to go with 12 rebounds.
The game was up-tempo from the start. Highlands started 9 of 10 from the field and led 24-15 after the first quarter.
Freeport rallied to tie the score 33-33 on a jumper from sophomore Morgan Croney with 3 minutes, 11 seconds left until halftime. But Highlands closed the half on a 9-0 run to lead 42-33 at the break.
The Golden Rams took control of the game with a 14-1 run to open the third for a 56-34 advantage.
“That felt incredible,” Luzier said of the senior-night triumph celebrated with Fabregas and fellow seniors Abby Callender and Rebekah Young.
“We are very good at getting the ball down the court and working to find an open shooter. That is where we capitalize most of the time. We knew coming in that these games this week mattered the most now for seeding into the playoffs. That is where our heads are right now. We want to be going into the playoffs playing our best.”
Kerr said his team passed the ball well, and Nerone finished with nine assists, while Fabregas added seven assists.
“There are many times where we are telling them to pass less and shoot and drive more,” he said.
“They share the ball, they communicate and they want each other to succeed. It’s a pretty unselfish group. They want to win. That’s the most important thing to them.”
Freeport junior Melaina DeZort finished with a game-high 21 points. She hit three of Freeport’s nine 3-pointers.
Sophomore Ava Soilis, shut out in the first quarter, rebounded to contribute 15 points for the Yellowjackets, who were 10 of 11 from the free-throw line.
Highlands as a team was 8 of 12 from the foul line and hit seven shots from behind the arc.
Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.
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