In its 126 year history, Placer High has had many prestigious and glorious athletes suit up, however senior captain Garret Dutro now holds the single game scoring record on the Hill. 

In a much needed rebound win, Dutro dropped 46 points as the Hillmen danced through Kimball on Friday. Kimball came in as the No.11 seed, and off a dominating first round win. 

This didn’t phase the Hillmen, who came out the gates firing, scoring 23 first half points, 10 of which came from Ben Manley. Placer dominated the entire first half and took a 47-22 lead into the break.

While it was known that Placer was dominating, nobody knew what was in store for the second half. After scoring 14 first half points, Garret Dutro took over. Dutro had 32 second half points, pushing him past the 41 point record held by Jimmy Carrol who tied the record in 1990, which was previously held by Gary Just. 

When Dutro got subbed, he was heavily congratulated by teammates and fans alike. Arguably, the most impressive part of this feat, is that it only came on a single three ball. Dutro’s efficiency from midrange and his 13/14 from the free throw line carried his historic performance. 

“We ran, made great passes, and I was able to get to the rim,” Dutro said. “We practiced well, we had an idea of what they were going to do and we executed the game plan.” Clouded by Dutro’s record-breaking performance, Ben Manley also continued his efficiency, finishing with 20 points. 

“The best thing is he didn’t force anything,” Coach Mark Lee said. “Everything he did was in the realm of what we were running.” Placer came prepared, and fed off the loud energy in the Earl Crabbe Gym. “They had so much energy tonight, it was fun. We played at the fastest pace we played all year.” This showed, as Placer was able to score off the fastbreak all night long and broke down a tired Kimball team. 

Placer now sets its sights on Sacramento High, where two of the oldest and most historic schools will meet in a 3 vs 2 seed matchup for a chance to play at the Golden 1 Center for a Section Championship. 

“They are long and athletic,” Coach Lee said. “We’re gonna have to be able to make decisions on the run.” 

Sac High, which opened its doors in 1857, making it the second oldest public high school in the state of California, carries a 23-7 record coming into the matchup. The Dragons are led by  Mike Wilson, who averages 14 points per game. 

A lot is on the line, however, both teams have clinched a spot in the NorCal bracket, guaranteeing another game no matter the outcome. 

The winner will go on to play for a Division III Section Championship at Golden 1, however, they must get through Wednesday’s showdown at Sac High.