Rams Skin a Leopard

After a tough battle on the court, Highland won 71-65 against long time rival East High in double overtime Tuesday night.

The boy’s varsity stuck it out until the end and never lost sight of their goal—to skin a leopard.

After East scored the first two points, Highland kicked it into gear. Senior Jayden Palauni shot the next two points for Highland.

“Palauni kept us in it for the first half. He was on fire,” Coach Boyce said.

Highland held the lead until well into the third quarter were East dominated for the first time switching the score up to 51-44.

Here is were the crowd began to panic.

Highland and East become neck in neck with only 22 seconds left in the game. Highland scores. Overtime.

With 18 seconds left in overtime, the score is 59-58 for Highland. Palauni goes up for a layup and it’s good. Highland is bumped up 60-58 with 11 seconds left on the clock. East shoots. 60-60 and into double overtime.

Senior Rick Schmidt leads the Rams when he leaps for the jump ball. Schmidt scores. 67-65 for Highland with 14 seconds left. Senior Brevin Elsholz intercepts and makes a good one-point free throw. The score is now 69-65 for Highland with nine seconds left in double overtime. Lambson makes a free throw that lands Highland the big win. A good game has been played and history has been made.

Lambson who is suffering from a knee injury managed to play for a good part of the game, and if not for him, the night wouldn’t go down as one for the books.

“Our players never quit. This was one of the best games I’ve ever been apart of as a coach or a player,” Boyce said.

“That was incredible. This is the game that you think about when you’re little,” Lambson said.

Spirits are high and Highland students, especially the players, can’t help but smile at a game well played.