Hillsboro Indians have season ended in district semifinals

CHILLICOTHE — Monday night saw the end of the 2024-25 season for the Hillsboro Indians. HHS faced No. 1 seeded Meigs, and the top-seeded Marauders defeated the Indians 72-56 in the Division IV SE District Semifinals at Southeastern High School. 

The Indians finish their season at 11-13, going 1-1 in the postseason as they defeated Vinton County in the quarterfinals, 72-43. In Frontier Athletic Conference play this season, the Indians were 3-7. 

As for Monday night against Pomeroy Meigs (22-1), the Indians struggled to make baskets in the first quarter which ultimately proved to be the difference maker, as their counterpart shot well in the opening frame, with the Marauders leading 25-10 after the first quarter. 

“I wouldn’t say we didn’t come out with a lack of energy because I thought we had energy, but Meigs came out red-hot to start the game,” Hillsboro head coach Josh Howland said. “Carson Davis was impressive for them, and hats off to him.”

After the first frame, the Marauders — who have nine consecutive wins — only outscored Hillsboro by one point at 47-46 in the final three quarters. 

Meigs’ 6-8 junior forward Carson Davis scored the first points of the game at the 7:39 mark. That wasn’t the only time his name was called over the PA speaker in the semifinal game, as he led all scorers with 33 points, ending the game with nine two-point baskets, four 3-pointers, and he was 3-of-5 from the free-throw line. 

Meigs’ Davis in the first quarter finished with 11 points, while his teammates had 14 points combined, including a 3-pointer by Owen Tracy, four points from Cayden Gheen and seven points scored by Reed Brinager in the opening quarter. 

Hillsboro’s first points of the game were scored by Jack Howland with a jumper that tied the score early on at 2-2, and after MHS scored the next seven points, Howland knocked down a 3-pointer at the 4:03 mark to get the Indians to within five points of tying Meigs at 10-5. After a quick 5-0 run by the Marauders, Brayden Hunter sank a 3-pointer for HHS, and Howland made two free throws for a 15-10 score with 2:51 left in the quarter. 

Howland was Hillsboro’s leading scorer with 22 points, as he had seven points in the first frame. For the game, Howland totaled two two-point baskets, four 3-pointers, and he was a perfect 6-of-6 from the free-throw line. 

Hunter had a career-high game in his final game with the Indians. The senior totaled 18 points, making three two-point baskets and four 3-pointers, with the treys coming in the first three quarters. 

“Brayden Hunter showed up to play. He's been that guy we're usually getting the toughest defensive assignment as far as the bigs inside, and today we thought with the (Carson) Davis kid, we thought we put a guard on him instead, but late in the game, we did switch and put Hunter on him,” Howland said. “It’s just hard to contest his shots. To beat that, to beat that team, it's going to take a tall lineup, because if they can see the rim, it's probably going in.”

Meigs ended the first frame with a 9-0 run, including a 3-pointer with 2.0 left on the clock by Gheen for their 15-point lead at 25-10. 

The Indians had their best quarter in the second, scoring 21 points in the eight-minute frame, while Meigs scored 18 points, but Hillsboro only got to within nine points of the Marauders’ lead in the frame, eventually trailing by 12 points when halftime arrived by a 43-31 score. 

“I was pleased with the boys physicality, and that's why I told him at halftime,” Howland said. “I can't fault their effort. They were in the second quarter, I thought we came out and played with a lot of fire. We didn't necessarily always execute. I do like seeing us get on the floor a little more than what we did, but the bigger thing was we got to get in the middle, take away the paint all the every possession.

“That's one thing that we could have improved on, but overall, I’m super proud of the boys’ effort. I thought they fought.

“I’m super proud of Dylan Dixon,” Howland continued. “He came out and had some good minutes on (Carson) Davis.”

Hillsboro’s second quarter saw Hunter score seven points with a couple two-point field goals and a 3-pointer which came at the 3:25 mark of the quarter, bringing the Indians to within nine points at 33-24. Also in the second, the Indians had four points from Tre Captain off two baskets, and Howland made two 3-pointers, a two-point basket and two free throws for 10 points in the quarter. 

Meigs’ second quarter had four players reach the scoring column with Davis scoring 10 points in the quarter. The Marauders also had four points by Brinager and two points each from Dustin Vance and Aaron Tobin. 

The two teams played close to even in the third with Meigs leading the quarter by one point at 17-16, and in the fourth quarter the Marauders led the final frame at 12-9. 

Hillsboro got as close as seven points of the Marauders’ lead in the third quarter following a 3-pointer by Hunter with 4:50 left in the quarter. 

Meigs in the third had eight points from Davis, three points scored by Vance and six points by Brinager.

As for the Indians’ third quarter, scoring included four points off two baskets by Tate Davis, two 3-pointers from Hunter, a 3-pointer by Dylan Dixon and a 3-pointer from Howland. 

In the Indians’ fourth frame, Tate Davis made a 3-pointer, Hunter scored two points and Howland was 2-of-2 from the free-throw line. Meigs in the fourth frame had six points scored by Griffin Hudson, four points by Carson Davis and two points scored by Brinager. 

Final scoring totals for Meigs included Brinager with 19 points, Gheen with 10 points, Tracy (3), Vance (5) and Tobin (2). Team totals for Meigs were 22 two-point baskets, seven 3-pointers, and they were 7-of-15 from the free-throw line.

Hillsboro’s final scoring also included Tate Davis with nine points, Dixon totaling three points and Captain finished with four points. The Indians totaled nine two-point baskets, 10 3-pointers and were 8-of-10 from the free-throw line. 

Seniors for the Indians are: Tate Davis, Brayden Hunter and Dylan Dixon.

“I want to thank the seniors for all they have done for the program here,” Howland said. “They taught the kids what it takes to lead by example.

“Tate was highly committed, always has been highly committed,” Howland said. “That’s the first steps of building a program is you have to be committed first. Tate was a two-time District 14 co-player of the year, FAC player of the year last year, first-team this year. I haven’t had the opportunity to coach too many players who have this type of accolades.

“Dylan Dixon, I’m proud of him. He always battles and comes to practice and works. 

“Brayden is a powerhouse inside and plays with a lot of fire and a lot of energy. 

“I’m super lucky to coach all three of these kids, and they will be missed,” Howland continued.

BOX SCORE
HHS    10 21 16 09 — 56
MHS    25 18 17 12 — 72

MEIGS (72) — O.Tracy 0 (1) 0-0 3, C.Gheen 3 (1) 1-2 10, D.Vance 2 (0) 1-4 5, C.Davis 9 (4) 3-5 33, R.Brinager 7 (1) 2-4 19, A.Tobin 1 (0) 0-0 2. TOTALS: 22 (7) 7-15 72. 

HILLSBORO (56) — T.Davis 2 (1) 2-2 9, B.Hunter 3 (4) 0-0 18, D.Dixon 0 (1) 0-0 3, T.Captain 2 (0) 0-2 4, J.Howland 2 (4) 6-6 22. TOTALS: 9 (10) 8-10 56.