Comets Lead With Grit in Come-from-behind Win in Ashby

The Comets dug deep Tuesday night, scrapping their way to a 59-50 victory over the Ashby Arrows. After a slow start that left them trailing by three at the half, the boys found an extra gear in the second, outscoring Ashby 35-23 to seal the win.

“We knew Coach Holsten would have his team ready to compete,” said Comets head coach Donovan Rogness. “We were happy with our offensive rebounding but just couldn’t get some of our early shots in the paint to drop. I’m really proud of how our guys kept their heads in the game and took care of the ball. We had our lowest turnover total all season, which was huge.”

Several Comets stepped up to help shape the team’s growing identity as a gritty group that refuses to back down. Junior Ethan Swedberg powered Hillcrest’s offense with a game-high 15 points, dominating the post and snagging key rebounds. Juniors Sean Berge and Zane Holmquist also found their rhythm, chipping in 12 and 10 points, respectively, to keep the pressure on.

Meanwhile, Holmquist and fellow junior Drew Fisher took charge on defense, using relentless on-ball pressure to contain Ashby’s standout guard, Traeton Nelson—one of the toughest matchups in the conference.

With the win, Hillcrest improves to 4-3 and continues to build confidence in its grind-it-out style of play. The Comets return to their home court on Tuesday, January 7, for a showdown with Border West, eager to keep honing their identity as a hard-nosed team that knows how to finish what it starts.