Triton Athletics

Saturday, December 20, 2025 ROYAL CENTER — In a clash of defensive grit at "The Cage," the Pioneer Varsity Panthers used a dominant second-quarter surge to pull away from the Triton Trojans, securing a 48–33 victory on Saturday night. While Triton hung tough in the opening frame, a prolonged offensive drought in the second half proved too much to overcome against the disciplined Pioneer squad. Panthers Command the Paint Pioneer’s success was built from the inside out. The Panthers outscored Triton 22–18 in the paint and capitalized heavily on second-chance opportunities, converting those into 18 points compared to Triton’s 10. The Zeigler duo provided the muscle for the Panthers. Leah Zeigler was nearly perfect from the floor, tallying 10 points and 9 rebounds. Hannah Zeigler anchored the interior with a team-high 13 points and 7 boards, helping Pioneer win the battle on the glass. Point guard Mia McKaig orchestrated the offense with 5 assists while adding 11 points of her own. Shooting Woes Plague Trojans After a competitive first quarter that saw the teams nearly locked at 15–14, Triton’s offense went cold. The Trojans were held to just 3 points in the second quarter and 5 in the third, as Pioneer’s defense tightened. Triton struggled to find rhythm from the field, shooting just 22.8% (13-of-57) for the game. Mylie Groves led the Trojan effort with 12 points, including three makes from beyond the arc. Sierra Hawley added 9 points, while Savannah Hawley contributed on the boards with 7 rebounds. Despite a late 11-point push in the final period, the deficit was too large to bridge as Pioneer’s efficient first-half shooting (40%) had already established a comfortable cushion. • PIONEER 48, TRITON 33 At The Cage Score by quarters Triton 14. 3. 5. 11. - 33 Pioneer 15. 14. 11. 8. - 48 TRITON: Mylie Groves 4-14 1-2 12; Sierra Hawley 4-17 1-2 9; Savannah Hawley 2-4 0-0 4; Lydia Hammond 1-3 0-0 3; Austyn Wright 1-6 0-0 2; Chloe McKinney 0-8 1-2 1; Janika Kemp 1-5 0-0 2; Jillian Bules 0-0 0-0 0; Beatriz Blanco 0-0 0-0 0; Tatum Hudson 0-0 0-0 0; Totals 13-57 3-6 33. PIONEER: Hannah Zeigler 5-13 3-4 13; Mia McKaig 3-11 3-4 11; Leah Zeigler 5-10 0-2 10; Avery Haselby 3-9 0-2 8; Lois Layer 2-8 2-2 6; Mya Ott 0-0 0-0 0; Haylee Ortez 0-0 0-0 0; Victoria Bingaman 0-0 0-0 0; Brooklynn Dillman 0-0 0-0 0; Totals 18-51 8-14 48. 3-point goals: Triton 4-16 (Mylie Groves 3-6; Lydia Hammond 1-1; Sierra Hawley 0-4; Chloe McKinney 0-1; Janika Kemp 0-4), Pioneer 4-11 (Avery Haselby 2-5; Mia McKaig 2-6). Total Fouls: Triton 18, Pioneer 8. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Triton 25 (Savannah Hawley 7), Pioneer 29 (Leah Zeigler 9). Assists: Triton 6 (Mylie Groves 2), Pioneer 12 (Mia McKaig 5). Records: Triton 4-8 (2-1 HNAC), Pioneer 3-8 (1-3 HNAC). Next: Caston at Triton (Sat., Jan. 3, 7:30 pm); Pioneer at LaPorte (Mon., Dec. 22, 6:30 pm). Article writing assisted by AI Media outlets and fans are encouraged to share our posts on Facebook; however, articles and accompanying images may not be reproduced on external websites in a manner implying ownership or authorship.