Berlin Hiland Leads Portsmouth West 11-4 After First Quarter in D-VI Regional Finals

The Hiland Hawks carried a commanding 11-4 lead into the second quarter against Portsmouth West in the Ohio boys Division VI Region 23 finals, continuing what has been a dominant postseason run for Berlin's boys basketball program.

The first-quarter advantage comes on the heels of two lopsided wins that propelled Hiland to the regional stage. On March 3, the Hawks dismantled Caldwell 63-15 in the Division VI district semifinal, with Caleb Yoder posting 15 points, Ryan Zerger adding 14, and Caleb Mishler contributing six. That margin, 48 points, left little doubt about which program belongs among the region's elite. Before that, Hiland claimed a sectional title with a 60-24 victory over Shenandoah on February 27.

Portsmouth West now faces the task of clawing back against a Hiland team that has outscored its last two opponents by a combined 55 points.

The boys program's surge into the regional finals stands in contrast to the finish for Hiland's girls squad, whose season ended February 25 in a 57-39 Division VI district semifinal loss to Shenandoah. Perryn Mishler led the Hawks with 17 points, Reagan Zerger added 10, and Macy Mullet scored six in that final game.

A final score and full result from the Region 23 final were not available at the time of this first-quarter update.