By DUSTIN ARMBRUSTER
Hays Post
Girls: Hays 54, Junction City 43
The Hays High Lady Indians used strong first and fourth quarters to even their record at 3-3 on the year, beating Junction City(0-4) 54-43 on Tuesday night. Hays used an 11-1 run in the first quarter to take a 11-3 advantage and led 19-8 after the first quarter.
Game Highlights
Junction City’s full court pressured forced the Indians into turnovers over the second and third quarters. That allowed the Lady Blue Jays to use a 9-2 run in the second and 8-0 run in the third to eventually grab the lead at 33-32 with 1:42 remaining in the third quarter.
Hays then reverted back to their first quarter form using a 17-4 run to put the game away.
Kirk Maska Postgame Interview
Hays was led in scoring by Audra Schmeidler who tied her career high with 19 points. Haley George also matched her career high scoring ten points for a second consecutive game. The Indians shot a season high 45% from the field. Hays also out-rebounded Junction City 44-28. Schmeidler grabbed nine, George and Summer Smith each snagged eight boards.
Boys: Hays 69, Junction City 53
Hays and Junction City both started the game shooting lights out. In the end, Junction City just couldn’t keep the pace up. Hays jumped out to an early 5-0 lead then fell behind by five at 15-10 in the first quarter. Hays used an 8-2 run to lead at the end of the first quarter 22-21.
Game Highlights
Early in the second quarter, the Blue Jays again jumped up by five at 29-24 with 5:35 left in the first half. At that point Junction City had made 11 of 20 shots and 6 of 11 three pointers. The Hays defense would hold Junction City with out any more points in the quarter, allowing the Indians to use a 12-0 run, to take a half time lead at 36-29.
Hays would not trail in the second half, though the Blue Jays trimmed the lead to three at 41-38. Hays responded with a 24-5 run to put the game out of reach.
The Indians improved to 5-1 on the season behind 45% shooting, including 7 of 12 behind the arc. After starting 11 of 20, Junction City made just 5 of their next 36 attempts.
Rick Keltner Postgame Interview
The #6 Indians got 20 points and 22 rebounds from Brady Werth. The rebounds marking a new career high. Cash Hobson tied his career high of 18 points and Keith Dryden scored 14. The Indians held a Junction City team that averaged 70 points per game coming in to just 53 points on 29% shooting (15 of 56).
Werth moved into a fifth place tie with Roger Casey (1980) for career scoring at 900 points. Tuesday night, he passed Sean Finn (2000) and Wes Simoneau (1997).
The Hays High Indians are off until January 9th when they travel to play Liberal in the first of four consecutive Western Athletic Conference games.