Sure, Highland Park entered Friday night’s game at 19-0, the No. 1 team in Class 5A.
Emporia High coach Rick Bloomquist said he still never could have expected the haymaker his team received from the Scots in their 63-39 victory Friday night over the Spartans.
“I know what people who fight Mike Tyson in his prime feel like right now,” Bloomquist said. “We just got knocked out in the first round.”
Highland Park played a nearly flawless first quarter, taking it to EHS from the opening tip.
Three-pointers from Adrian Herrera and Rico Richardson started the run, and Ty Modupe’s jumper in the lane made it 8-0 Scots before the Spartans could even muster a shot.
“You really can’t do anything about it,” EHS senior Eric Dorsey said. “They hit everything, and you have to hope they start missing sooner or later.”
Highland Park didn’t.
The Scots made 11 of 13 shots in the first quarter — including 6 out of 7 from three-point range — to build an astounding 30-11 lead after just eight minutes.
Even more amazing was that one of those misses was blocked, meaning Highland Park had only one shot attempt that made it to the rim not go in.
“If they’ve got a better shot than what they gave us tonight,” Bloomquist said, “then I’d like to be there to watch that basketball game.”
The Scots made their first three shots of the second quarter to complete an 11-0 run that made it 36-11. At that point, Highland Park was 14-of-16 from the field (88 percent).
Though he doesn’t receive the press of Division-I teammates Lamont Austin and Kyle Weems, Herrera was the catalyst for the Scots. He hit his first seven shots — including four threes — on his way to 18 first-half points.
“We knew he was a great shooter,” EHS guard Kyle deBlonk said, “but we didn’t expect him to come firing out like that.”
EHS faced a 39-16 halftime deficit but didn’t back down. The Spartans were only outscored 24-23 in the final 16 minutes.
“We knew at halftime we weren’t going to win the game, but we didn’t give up,” Bloomquist said. “We continued to prepare for next week.”
Caydrick Bloomquist led EHS with 15 points, while deBlonk added 11 — with nine of those coming at the free-throw line.
Highland Park was able to hold the Spartans’ second-leading scorer Taylor Euler without a point.
Herrera led Highland Park with 24 points on 8-of-12 shooting, while Weems added 16.
Dorsey and deBlonk were honored along with Dillon Cox and Billy Malone as the team’s four seniors. Each player scored in their last regular-season home game.
The Spartans (12-8, 6-7) will still have at least one more game at EHS gymnasium, as they will host next week’s Sub-State.
Centennial League
Friday at EHS
Highland Park 30 9 11 13 — 63
Emporia 11 5 7 16 — 39
HIGHLAND PARK (20-0)
Herrera 8-12 4-4 24, Weems 4-6 5-8 16, Modupe 5-8 3-4 13, Austin 0-1 7-9 7, Richardson 1-4 0-0 3, Grant 0-2 0-0 0, Inyard 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 18-34 19-25 63.
EMPORIA (12-8, 6-7 Centennial League)
C. Bloomquist 4-13 4-4 15, deBlonk 1-5 9-11 11, Cox 2-5 0-0 4, Pierce 2-4 0-0 4, Dorsey 1-1 0-1 3, Malone 1-1 0-0 2, Euler 0-6 0-0 0, Torres 0-6 0-0 0. Totals 11-41 14-16 39.
3-point goals — HP 8-16 (Herrera 4-7, Weems 3-4, Richardson 1-3, Austin 0-1, Modupe 0-1), Emporia 3-17 (Bloomquist 3-9, Euler 0-3, deBlonk 0-3, Torres 0-2). Rebounds — HP 20 (Richardson 5), Emporia 21 (Cox 6). Turnovers — HP 8, Emporia 12. Total fouls — HP 17, Emporia 16. Fouled out — Emp: Bloomquist.