Hiland Girls Split at Classic in the Country, Mishler Scores 31

Perryn Mishler poured in a career-high 31 points as Hiland beat Norwayne 63-53 to split its games at the Classic in the Country tournament, a performance that supplied nearly half of the Lady Hawks’ offense and energized Holmes County fans.

Mishler’s 31 accounted for 49.2 percent of Hiland’s point total in the Norwayne game, with Reagan Zerger adding 18 and Macy Mullet nine. The balanced support behind Mishler helped the Lady Hawks close out a ten-point margin and provided a sharp offensive contrast to their earlier tournament outing. Hiland finished the Classic in the Country with one win and one loss, showing both scoring potential and areas for adjustment.

Earlier in the weekend Hiland fell to Bellevue, 46-39, a tighter contest that exposed the team’s struggles to convert consistently against a physical defense. The Bellevue game featured contributions from Mishler, Zerger, Mullet and Josie Hubble, but the group was unable to overcome Bellevue’s defensive pressure and lower-scoring tempo. The split across the two games underlines a common theme for local teams this season: offensive bursts can win nights, but consistency will determine standings in Holmes County matchups.

For the local community, the Norwayne victory and Mishler’s breakout performance are tangible reasons for optimism. High-scoring nights draw capacity crowds to Hiland gyms and generate momentum for the program, which relies on strong home support and incremental improvements to compete in the region. Mishler’s efficiency in the Norwayne game gives coach and teammates a clear scoring focal point to build around, while Zerger and Mullet’s contributions demonstrate depth that can be pivotal in league play.

From a tactical standpoint, the Lady Hawks will want to translate the offensive rhythm seen against Norwayne into better execution against defensive teams like Bellevue. That means improving shot selection, ball movement and rebounding on both ends to avoid low-scoring losses. For local boosters and students, the split is a reminder that the season is a marathon: flashes of excellence matter, but steady performance matters more.

What comes next for Hiland is refinement and routine: preserving the confidence from Mishler’s career night, addressing the consistency issues revealed in the Bellevue loss, and preparing for upcoming league and county rivalries that will decide seeding and postseason positioning for Holmes County teams.