Cardinals outlast Highlanders
Photos and Story
By Mike Maddock
Mike@TheColumbiaStar.com

Heathwood Hall's Aaron Robinson- Caine guards Cardinal Newman's Trey Colman. Colman led all scorers with 22 points. Robinson- Caine finished with nine points for the Highlanders.

In a tight game of runs and spurts, the visiting Cardinal Newman Cardinals spoiled Senior Night for the Heathwood Hall Highlanders by beating them 58- 56 Tuesday, Feb. 13.

Highlander head coach Jeff Whalen started five seniors (Hampton Graham, James Rogers, Lindsay Crawford, Aaron Robinson- Caine, and Tyler Whalen) and they responded by jumping out to a 10- 3 lead in the first period. Cardinal head coach Kevin Rose responded by calling a much needed time out. After the break, the Cardinals went on a 10- 3 run of their own to close the period and tie the score at 13- 13.

The second period belonged to Cardinal Newman's Trey Colman. He scored 13 of his game- high 22 points putting the Cardinals up by as much as 12. His free throws gave the Cardinals a 35- 24 advantage going into the third period.

The Highlanders began the second half with an 11- 0 run culminating in Hampton Graham's three- point shot that tied the game at 35- 35. Littlejohn's basket and free throw gave the Cardinals a three point lead, but Jonathan Zurcher's three point shot late in the third period tied the game again at 42- 42.

Heathwood Hall's Lindsay Crawford tries to block Cardinal Newman's Michael Littlejohn.

The teams battled to a 48- 48 tie with two minutes left in the game, then Mackenzie Whalen sank the second of his two straight three point shots to give the Highlanders the lead 51- 48. But the Cardinals closed the game with ten straight points to take a seven point lead. The Highlanders added a basket and a three point shot at the buzzer to draw within two, but it was not enough.

The Cardinals and Highlanders will meet again in the first round of the SCISA Region II- 3A playoffs at Heathwood Hall Saturday, Feb. 17 at 6:30 pm. Cardinal Newman is the four seed while Heathwood Hall is the five seed.

Cardinal Newman (14- 12, 5- 5): Trey Colman 22, Michael Littlejohn 9, Jordan Willett 9, Zach Hrovat 8, Jake Motto 5, Michael Nerbun 4, Alex Kubas 1.

Heathwood Hall (7- 16, 4- 6): Jonathan Zurcher 12, Brett Whalen 11, Aaron Robinson- Caine 9, Hampton Graham 7, Mackenzie Whalen 7, James Rogers 4, Tyler Whalen 4, Lindsay Crawford 2.