MONROE - Growing up, sisters Lexi and Sydney Hilliard often would play basketball in their driveway.
"Whenever we would play one-on-one sometimes things would get heated," Sydney said. "The person who would win would be bragging and the person who lost would be mad."
Fast forward and the Hilliard sisters are both vital cogs in helping turn the Monroe High School girls basketball team into a state tournament contender again.
Monroe (21-3) enters the WIAA Division 2 state semifinal against top-ranked Beaver Dam (26-0) as the underdog. It marks the Cheesemakers' first state tournament appearance since 2010 when Monroe capped a run of three straight years at state.
Lexi, a senior, is excited to have the opportunity before she graduates in the spring and moves on to attend the University of Wisconsin-Rock County in Janesville next fall where she plans to pursue an elementary education teaching degree. When she becomes a teacher some day, she will have stories to share with her students decades from now.
"It's a huge accomplishment," Lexi said of earning a state berth. "It's really exciting. We were never expected to make it this far and also to be able to do it with my sister is great. It's not something that happens very often. It makes it more memorable."
The sisters early on showed the competitive drive to excel in sports. Since they are two years apart, Lexi and Sydney didn't play on any traveling basketball teams together, but their bond rooting for each other on the hardwood is evident and has grown stronger.
"We are competitive with each other, but we are happy for each other and we are always talking to each other about what we are doing well and what we need to do on the court," Lexi said. "We always want to do what is the best for each other."
Lexi has been a three-sport standout at Monroe. She also plays volleyball in the fall and softball in the spring. Last year she was Badger South All-Conference as a centerfielder. She is in her fourth year playing on the varsity basketball team and has been a starter for the Cheesemakers since her sophomore year. She was the point guard for the Cheesemakers her sophomore season before her younger sister entered high school as a freshman point guard last year.
Sydney Hilliard, who is 5-foot-9, has already received college basketball scholarship offers from the University of Wisconsin, Marquette, UW-Green Bay, UW-Milwaukee, South Dakota State and Northern Colorado.
Lexi is excited for her younger sister and celebrates her success.
The Hilliard sisters played on the same volleyball team this year and have been teammates on the Monroe girls basketball team the past two years.
As the season draws to a close, Sydney understands her time playing with her sister by her side is dwindling.
"It really will be special to play with her, especially since she's a senior and these will be her last games," Sydney said of her older sister. "Not many families get to experience something like this."
"Whenever we would play one-on-one sometimes things would get heated," Sydney said. "The person who would win would be bragging and the person who lost would be mad."
Fast forward and the Hilliard sisters are both vital cogs in helping turn the Monroe High School girls basketball team into a state tournament contender again.
Monroe (21-3) enters the WIAA Division 2 state semifinal against top-ranked Beaver Dam (26-0) as the underdog. It marks the Cheesemakers' first state tournament appearance since 2010 when Monroe capped a run of three straight years at state.
Lexi, a senior, is excited to have the opportunity before she graduates in the spring and moves on to attend the University of Wisconsin-Rock County in Janesville next fall where she plans to pursue an elementary education teaching degree. When she becomes a teacher some day, she will have stories to share with her students decades from now.
"It's a huge accomplishment," Lexi said of earning a state berth. "It's really exciting. We were never expected to make it this far and also to be able to do it with my sister is great. It's not something that happens very often. It makes it more memorable."
The sisters early on showed the competitive drive to excel in sports. Since they are two years apart, Lexi and Sydney didn't play on any traveling basketball teams together, but their bond rooting for each other on the hardwood is evident and has grown stronger.
"We are competitive with each other, but we are happy for each other and we are always talking to each other about what we are doing well and what we need to do on the court," Lexi said. "We always want to do what is the best for each other."
Lexi has been a three-sport standout at Monroe. She also plays volleyball in the fall and softball in the spring. Last year she was Badger South All-Conference as a centerfielder. She is in her fourth year playing on the varsity basketball team and has been a starter for the Cheesemakers since her sophomore year. She was the point guard for the Cheesemakers her sophomore season before her younger sister entered high school as a freshman point guard last year.
Sydney Hilliard, who is 5-foot-9, has already received college basketball scholarship offers from the University of Wisconsin, Marquette, UW-Green Bay, UW-Milwaukee, South Dakota State and Northern Colorado.
Lexi is excited for her younger sister and celebrates her success.
The Hilliard sisters played on the same volleyball team this year and have been teammates on the Monroe girls basketball team the past two years.
As the season draws to a close, Sydney understands her time playing with her sister by her side is dwindling.
"It really will be special to play with her, especially since she's a senior and these will be her last games," Sydney said of her older sister. "Not many families get to experience something like this."
