HUGHESVILLE–The ball moved as fast as Hughesville players did. Time after time, that combination proved powerful and Hughesville started scoring at will.

One did not know where the points were going to come from, but they kept coming. Thus is the dilemma these Spartans provide opponents. Focus on one or a couple of players and several others are eager to make the defense play.

Schuylkill Haven learned that first-hand Saturday afternoon.

Hughesville produced 23 assists on 27 field goals, and every player made a significant impact as the Spartans thumped Schuylkill Haven, 69-34 in a showdown between 2025 Class AAA state qualifiers who combined to win 49 games a season ago.

“Everyone on the team can shoot. Everyone can make the baskets,” guard Kylie Temple said after scoring 10 points and grabbing five rebounds. “It makes it easier for us because you don’t have just one or two scorers.”

Driving that point home, Temple, Maddie Smith (23 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists) and Allyssa King (11 points, 9 rebounds) scored in double figures, while the first six players in the rotation all produced at least six points.

And the balance goes beyond scoring. Five Spartans pulled down at least five rebounds and five dealt three or more assists. All swarmed defensively as well and Hughesville (1-1) pounded a team it edged by three points on the road last December.

“The nice thing is that if someone is having an off night it really doesn’t matter. There’s always someone ready to step up,” Hughesville coach Dustin King said. “We have a great group of kids, and they just work hard and relentless. All week these kids work hard to challenge each other, and it shows on the game days how much work they put in.”

Those demanding practices produced tremendous results against a strong squad which returned a quality core from its 2025 state qualifier. Hughesville closed the first quarter on a 12-0 run, building an 18-7 lead it never relinquished. More impressive, the Spartans never allowed Schuylkill Haven (1-1) within single digits again, leading by 15 at halftime, 25 after three quarters and invoking the mercy rule early in the fourth.

Hughesville performed all the things it did well in a one-point season-opening loss against Dallas a week earlier. The only difference was Hughesville finished the shots it missed in that game and looked mighty impressive while doing so.

In addition to scoring at least 13 points in each quarter, Hughesville held the Hurricanes to single digits in each of the first three and closed the game by making 9 of 12 fourth quarter shots.

“Dallas was a good game to start the season, rather than just an easy team we could blow by,” Allyssa King said. “I think it gives us energy to keep going right through the season.”

King drove herself hard throughout the offseason that is handsomely paying off thus far. The versatile senior scored seven points in 80 seconds early in the second quarter, helping Hughesville put Schuylkill Haven squarely on the ropes. Equally impressive, she did it three different ways, first off a good post move, then via baseline drive and then with a 3-pointer.

Just like that, Hughesville led 25-9 and kept building from there.

“It felt good. I don’t shoot a lot, so it felt good to shoot and see something falling in,” King said. “I worked all summer. I’m one who doesn’t do a fall sport, so I was in the gym as much as possible. It’s nice to finally be able to put it out there.”

Temple often is a player who does a lot of the work which does not show up in a box score, but which is so vital to winning. A ferocious defender, Temple showed off her offensive touch Saturday, making 5 of 6 second-half shots to help Hughesville land the knockout blow.

Temple scored six third quarter points and her long jumper 10 seconds into the second half set the tone as Hughesville scored 38 second-half points.

“That’s usually not what I do, but it was nice that some of the shots were falling today,” Temple said. “I was a little more confident taking the shots today than I normally am, so that was nice.”

Dustin King and his staff have been encouraging players like King and Temple to shoot more, knowing they can effectively do so. And the way Hughesville rebounds, even when players do miss shots, there often is a hustling Spartan there to secure a rebound and create second or third-chance scoring opportunities.

That was the case again Saturday with King, Smith (8), Kendall Hamm (8) and Vivian Draper (7) combining for 32 rebounds.

“Some of these girls get a little reluctant sometimes and the biggest thing this week was keep shooting the ball. As well as we rebound, the best thing we can do is keep shooting,” Dustin King said. “That was a big thing this week, so I was glad that she (Allyssa King) and Kylie both made some big shots because they didn’t take a lot of shots the last game. It was nice to see their hard work show through today.”

What both the coaches and players especially like is that no one is concerned with who is scoring and/or shooting. They simply want to win and unselfishly dissected a tough defense Saturday.

Hamm dealt a team-high five assists, Draper four and King, Smith and Anna Easton three. The inside-outside game worked well and good passing lead to excellent shot selection.

“Everyone looks for the open person or the mismatch,” Temple said. “It’s nice that everyone can put their own personal stuff aside and play well together.”

Equally impressive, Hughesville is displaying a lot of versatility. Three different players brought up the ball against Schuylkill Haven and guards also were able to make plays in the post. It was a performance as well-rounded as it was impressive and one Hughesville hopes can keep catapulting it forward.

“We had a great effort from everybody. One thing that is special about this group is that someone different always steps up,” Dustin King said. “It’s really fun to watch the way the girls play together. They really jell well.”

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN (34)

McKenna Runkle 3 2-6 9, Audrey Hutchinson 4 0-2 8, Kylie Siket 4 0-2 11, Ava Terefenko 0 0-4 0, Braelyn Strenkoski 2 0-2 4, Tessa Benedict 0 2-2 2. Totals 13 4-18 34.

HUGHESVILLE (69)

Maddie Smith 7 9-12 23, Vivian Draper 3 0-0 6, Kendall Hamm 2 2-2 8, Anna Easton 3 1-2 7, Allyssa King 5 0-0 11, Kylie Temple 5 0-0 10, Tori Morgan 1 0-0 2, Georgia Randall 0 0-0 0, Casey Schultz 1 0-0 2, Aubrey Arrigonie 0 0-0 0. Totals 27 12-16 69.

S Haven 7 9 6 12–34

Hughesville 18 13 16 22–69

3-pointers: Schuylkill Haven 4 (Siket 3, Runkle); Hughesville 3 (Hamm 2, King).

Records: Hughesville 1-1. Schuylkill Haven 1-1.