Berlin Hiland Boys Basketball Tops Kirtland 65-43, Advances to Division VI State Championship

The Hiland Hawks put four players in double figures and outshot Kirtland by 15 percentage points Friday night, rolling to a 65-43 victory in the OHSAA Division VI state semifinal and punching their ticket to the state championship game at the University of Dayton Arena.

Caleb Yoder led the way with 22 points, while senior point guard Alex Miller added 14, and both Zerger and Caleb Mishler contributed 10 apiece. Hiland finished at 51.1 percent from the field against a Kirtland squad that shot just 35.6 percent. The Hawks also won the battle inside, outscoring the Hornets 32-20 in points in the paint.

Three-point shooting was a slower start. Hiland came out cold from beyond the arc in the first half but warmed up considerably after the break, finishing 7-of-18 from three for the game. A 13-0 run to close the first half set the tone, and Miller spoke directly to what the team focused on coming out of the locker room.

"To start the second half the biggest thing was getting key stops and getting good shots," Miller said. "Offensively, we didn't get the greatest looks to start. Defensively, it just turned into a dogfight. As the third quarter went on, that's when they made their run. We knew they weren't going to give up and we just had to match their intensity."

Coach Schlabach kept his postgame remarks brief but pointed. "We're obviously thrilled to play for the state championship game," he said.

The win is the latest chapter in a remarkable run for a Berlin program that has now reached the state Final Four in four of the past five seasons. In those previous three trips to Dayton, Hiland came home without the trophy. The Hawks carry a 20-game winning streak and a 25-3 record into Saturday night's title game, where they will face Midwest Athletic Conference rival Marion Local, which entered at 26-1.

The path to this point has been commanding. Hiland opened tournament play March 3 with a 63-15 dismantling of Caldwell, followed by a 63-22 win over Buckeye Trail on March 6. At the Ohio University Convocation Center, the Hawks beat Grandview Heights 70-44 on March 12, with sophomore Zerger recording 18 points and eight rebounds. Three days later, they held off Portsmouth West 48-35 in the regional final to set up the semifinal matchup with Kirtland.

Friday's semifinal was the program's 15th state semifinal appearance in school history, a figure that underscores how consistently Hiland has competed at Ohio's highest level in Division VI. The championship game at the University of Dayton Arena gives the Hawks a chance at the school's fourth state title.