Girls Basketball: Traditional power Berlin Hiland waiting for Elyria Catholic in Final Four

Anyone who follows girls basketball knows Berlin isn't just a place to get fresh cheese or a slice of homemade pie. It's also home to one of Ohio's traditional small-school basketball powers, the Hiland Hawks. Hiland, a five-time state champion, most recently in 2017, will be looking to add to its trophy collection Friday when it faces Elyria Catholic in a Division III state semifinal at 1 p.m. at St. John Arena. For the Hawks, just playing in the state tournament isn't necessarily a cause for celebration, it's more like a graduation requirement. Hiland is headed to the state tournament for the 17th time. The last time the Hawks program graduated a group of seniors who didn't play in the state tournament was 1996. The architect of this success has been coach Dave Schlabach. He took over the program in 1991 and has led the Hawks to 15 state tournament appearances. "I know my tenure is gradually coming to an end here," Schlabach said. "We've been fortunate our community has been so supportive and we have kids who are dedicated and work hard. I've enjoyed the 29 years I've been at Hiland. We don't take what we've done here for granted." Over those 29 years, Schlabach's team have a 661-97 record and have won 17 district championships and 25 consecutive Inter-Valley Conference championships. How dominant have the Hawks been in their conference? Outside of an 11-point win over Tuscarawas Valley in a crossover game, a team they would beat again in the district final, Hiland defeated every other league opponent by 48 or more points, including a 103-15 win at Buckeye Trail and a 104-12 win at Newcomerstown. "We can't control our league schedule, unfortunately," Schlabach said. "I think we played non-league games against seven D-I teams. We really tried to find people who can beat us and add them to the schedule. I'd love to play 22 teams that could beat us every year." The Hawks' only loss this season was 44-41 at the hands of nationally ranked Winston-Salem (N.C.) Christian at the Classic In the Country, an annual girls basketball showcase hosted by Hiland since 2004 to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and former Hiland coach Perry Reese. Hiland responded to the loss by coming out the following night and defeating a Shelby team that finished the regular season 21-1 by 74 points. Elyria Catholic scrimmaged Hiland early in the preseason, so the Panthers know what to expect Friday. "Hiland is a well-disciplined team. They are the best team we've seen all year," Elyria Catholic senior Kaylie Griffin said. "We're going to have to give 110 percent effort and limit them to one shot." Panthers coach Eric Rothgery spent much of the last week breaking down game film of the Hawks looking for a weakness but really not finding one. "They are the No. 1 team in the state for a reason," Rothgery said. "They can shoot, get to the basket, handle the ball, play great defense and they're well-coached. They can do it all." "We're going to look for a score like 40-36. If we get into a track meet with them, it won't be good for us." Contact Todd Shapiro at 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com.