FEBRUARY 7, 2020
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HIGH SCHOOLS, RECREATION & SIGN-UPS
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Liberty, Heritage squads clash on court by Kyle Szymanski Staff Writer
The Heritage High School girls’ basketball team entered its game with Liberty last week plenty motivated. The Lions had put a scare into the Patriots earlier this season; Heritage’s five seniors were honored before the game; and star Abby Muse took to the court just a few rebounds shy of 1,000 in her career. Heritage didn’t disappoint, racing to an 18-2 first-quarter lead, en route to a convincing 69-40 win. To make the win even sweeter, Muse grabbed her illustrious 1,000th career rebound just four minutes into the game, officially becoming a member of the school’s 1,000-1,000 club. She notched her 1,000th point on Dec. 27. “Honestly, I am really proud of this (rebound) accomplishment because rebounds are kind of underappreciated,” Muse said, before commenting on her team’s win. “I think we came out a lot more aggressive. We definitely had that last game in mind. Having that focused mindset and just being ready to go after them really helped us today.” The Patriots’ win came just weeks after they defeated Liberty 55-39 in a game that was much closer than the score indicated. “We talked about coming out a little more aggressive and just executing our offense,” said Heritage head coach Rob Ocon. “We didn’t do that very well the first time (against Liberty). We were a little bit more fired up for today’s game, and our defense was a lot better.” Senior guard Payton Bradley led the way with 18 points — 7 in the first quarter — and Muse added 14 points and 15 rebounds to propel Heritage (18-4, 7-0) to its fifth-straight victory. Guard Paige Ziemann (11 points) and junior guard Julie Ramirez (10 points) also scored double digits in the contest. Heritage executed from the start, scoring 18 first-quarter points and holding Liberty to single digits until midway
Photo by Tony Kukulich
Heritage guard Paige Ziemann drives to the hoop in her first game back since suffering an injury. The senior scored 11 points to help the Patriots defeat Liberty. through the second quarter. The Lions (19-14, 3-4) outscored Heritage 10-7 over the final five minutes of the second quarter to pull within 14, but the Patriots answered with a 10-2 run in the first two minutes of the second half to open a comfortable 22-point cushion. Liberty junior Rylie Manke led the Lions with 15 points (9 in the second half). Heritage also knocked off Rocklin 64-25 on Feb. 1 and Freedom 65-54 on Feb. 4. The Patriots are at the top of the
league standings, with a two-game lead over Pittsburg with only three league games remaining. Liberty defeated Deer Valley 59-19 on Feb. 4. The Lions host Freedom on Feb. 7 at 5:30 p.m. Heritage returned to the court on Feb. 6 when it hosted Antioch. Results of that game were not available as of press time. Boys’ Game The Liberty High School boys’ basketball team used a 34-17 second half run
to upend Heritage 52-31. Lions sophomore forward Josh Clark led the charge, scoring a game-high 16 points — all in the second half — and senior guards Braden Basmagian, Kahli Custard and Zach Moll chipped in with 8 points each. The win was the Liberty’s third straight — all against league opponents — following a tough six-game losing streak. “The first half was a little rough for see Basketball page 22
Heritage girls’ soccer team knocks off Freedom by Jesus Cano Correspondent
The growing pains the Heritage girls’ soccer team experienced at the beginning of the season seemed to have really helped the Patriots with the way they’ve been performing. After starting the season off 1-1-4, the Patriots turned its fortunes around impressively, running on a 7-0-1 unbeaten streak. The team’s 4-0 victory over Freedom on Jan. 30 showcased its underclass-
men rising up to the occasion. “These girls play a high level of club soccer,” said Heritage head coach Gary LaFleur. “I think the team has embraced and encouraged to play the way they’re comfortable playing. I think they’re having a blast. I’m proud of all these players.” Three of the four goals recorded on the night came from freshmen. Taryn Richey scored her first of two with a strong right-foot shot. Abigail Salgado followed up not too long after by hitting a volley out of the reach of Freedom’s
goalkeeper. In similar fashion, Richey completed her brace by burying a volley of her own, making it 3-0 at halftime. “It’s a really fast style of play. We rely on passing the ball a lot more,” Richey said. “My goals were thanks to my teammates; they played really good balls.” Sami Wilson added another goal in the second half to make it 4-0. Heritage’s success could also be linked with a veteran move executed by LaFleur shaking up his lineup. Renny Bu-
chanan transitioned into a holding-midfielder and Hailey Hamataka moved up into an attack-oriented role. Hamataka didn’t get on the score sheet but looked dangerous up top. She’s nailed in four goals in league play. “We’re working on maintaining our composure and moving the ball around,” said LaFleur. “We need to fix the little things to keep moving forward.” The Patriots are tied with Liberty for first place with a record of 6-0-1. To comment, visit www.thepress.net
