The Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn boys got 2025 off to a good start by picking up a second win on the season. From midway through the second quarter to midway through the third, the Hawks outscored George-Little Rock 28-6 on the way to a 67-47 win January 7 at George. This was the first War Eagle Conference victory for HMS to go along with three losses.
“It was nice to get in the win column to start the second half of the season,” commented Hawk head coach Naet Hoaglund. “That first game back after Christmas break is always a little interesting – not playing for that amount of time you’re worried about being rusty, disconnected. I thought we competed hard and we were pretty connected as a team.”
HMS was 27-of-49 from the field to shoot 55 percent. The Hawks were 10-of-18 from three-point range and 3-of-5 at the foul line.
“I was really pleased with how we shot the ball and the kinds of shots we were getting,” shared Hoaglund. “We were much more balanced in the types of shots we were getting. Those shots were a result of great ball movement and using both sides of the court.”
Isaac Schierholz scored a game-high 30 points on 77 percent shooting. “Isaac had a huge game for us. He was aggressive and looked to attack, which kind of forced GLR to send two guys at him,” observed Hoaglund. “He’s such a willing and able passer in those situations that he’s going to find the open guys and credit to other guys for hitting those open shots. Isaac was really efficient. He didn’t have to force anything. He took what was available and capitalized.”
Caden Douma tallied 14 points, Kolby Douma nine, Jackson Vogt eight, Alex Billings four and Jayden Leth two. Schierholz notched six assists and Caden Douma five. “Kolby Douma hit some critical shots for us in that second quarter,” noted his coach. “We were up two when he hit his first three about halfway through the second quarter which started a run for us. He hit two more threes in the final 45 seconds of the half that gave us a lot of momentum heading into halftime.”
HMS was at 55 percent shooting as a team (27-of-49). The visitors hit 10 of 18 three-pointers and three of five free throws. The Mustangs, who were seeking their first win of the season, shot 32 percent with 19 field goals in 60 attempts. GLR went 6-for-24 from beyond the arc and 3-for-6 at the free throw line.
“I thought we did okay defensively,” said Hoaglund. “There were stretches where we played defense as a unit and made it difficult for them. We really want to limit opponents to one side of the floor and when we’re talking and have a sense of urgency in our positioning, good things happen for us.”
HMS out-rebounded the Mustangs 31-25 but GLR came up with 13 offensive rebounds. “We need to get better on the defensive glass,” admitted Hoaglund. “Our effort was not good enough in that regard and allowed for too many second chance opportunities. We were out of position too frequently and relied too heavily on Isaac and Caden to get defensive rebounds. It’s an area that’s important and it’s critical we improve upon.”
Caden Douma totaled eight rebounds while Alex Billings and Schierholz each collected seven. Caden Douma and Vogt each came away with two steals apiece and Caden, Schierholz and Billings each blocked a shot. The Hawks had 12 turnovers compared to 11 for GLR.
HMS 15 25 12 15 – 67
GLR 8 14 8 17 – 47