War Eagles Enjoy Big Week

ROGERS - Rogers Heritage showed it knows how to finish.

The War Eagles put together strong endings in both 7A/6A-West Conference wins this week to put a solid cap on the first round of league play.

Heritage (13-7, 3-4 7A/6AWest) was clinging to a threepoint lead early in the second half, but the War Eagles went on a 15-2 run to put the game away. The story was similar earlier in the week when Heritage led by only two entering the fourth quarter at Rogers High. But the War Eagles held the Mounties scoreless for a five-minute stretch for the win.

War Eagles coach Tom Olsen said his team has some momentum, winning three consecutive conference games for the fi rst time in school history. Heritage finished the first round in a three-way tie for fourth place and in the thick of the race for a state tournament spot.

“We hope that catapults us into the second half of the season,” Olsen said. “We felt like we left some unfi nished business on a few games the first go-around. I think defensively we’re improving. We’re rebounding the ball better,executing better. We’re looking forward to the second half.”

The Lady War Eagles (6-10, 2-5) earned a big win at Rogers High on Tuesday, but couldn’t hold off a late charge by Siloam Springs on Friday. Heritage went scoreless over the final 3 minutes, 56 seconds and were outscored 11-0.

“We just didn’t fi nish very good,” Lady War Eagles coach Kevin Ramey said. “We weren’t thrilled with the effort in the first half, but we were just down fi ve. But the score could have been a little different if we’d taken care of the ball a little better. The kids battled hard there in the second half. We just didn’t play very well down the stretch.”

Play of the Week: Neither of the War Eagles’ big wins turned on one play, but both had key stretches. Theyboth involved junior Connor Hirsh. The 6-foot-2 junior scored Heritage’s first nine points of the fourth quarter in a personal 9-2 run to help his team pull away from Rogers High.

Hirsh was at it again Friday, keying a 15-2 run against Siloam Springs. He scored 11 points and assisted on two other baskets in the second half run.

Players of the Week: Hirsh earned this one without question, despite some strong play from others. He scored 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the win against Rogers. Hirsh followed that with a game-high 22 points, nine rebounds and four steals on Friday.

Junior Emilie Jobst poured in a season-high 23 points to key the Lady War Eagles’ win over Rogers. She tied team scoring honors with 13 against Siloam Springs.

Notable: Hirsh has made 32 of 35 free throws in his last four games. … the War Eagles tied a school record with three conference wins. … Heritage boys defeated Rogers for just the second time in school history on Tuesday.

Up Next: Tuesday is an off day for the 7A/6A-West. Heritage begins the second round of conference play at Fayetteville on Feb. 7.

AT A GLANCE THAT FIGURES 6ff War - Points Eagles allowed in the by fourth the quarter against Rogers High 81ff by - Percentage Heritage (39 made -of-48) from the free throw line this week 32ff Connor - Free throws Hirsh in made his last by four games combined

Sports, Pages 9 on 02/02/2014

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