By JEREMY McGUIRE
HaysPost
Girls: TMP 54, Abilene 49
TMP and Abilene entered Friday night’s match-up at Al Billinger Fieldhouse in Hays with a combined record of 20-4, something had to give. It was a back and forth battle all night long. TMP led 13-11 after the first quarter. The Lady Monarchs were able to maintain that lead, 25-23, going into halftime following a Kaylor Gottschalk buzzer beater.
Abilene started to make some strong plays in the third quarter behind junior Belle Barbieri who finished with a game high 17 points. She helped push the Cowgirls in front late in the third. Abilene outscored TMP seven to nothing in the final couple of minutes to take their largest lead of the contest going into the fourth quarter, 38-32.
TMP had an answer to start the fourth quarter and it was Kayla Vitztum. The Lady Monarch Freshman came to life and led TMP on an eight to nothing run to start the fourth quarter and TMP would never trail again. They were able to knock home some free throws down the stretch to secure the victory.
Vitztum led TMP with 16 points and Megan Koenigsman added 14. The Lady Monarchs have now won 12 games in a row and will host Norton next Friday night.
KAYLOR GOTTSCHALK INTERVIEW
GIRLS HIGHLIGHTS
Boys: Abilene 67, TMP 59 OT
With all the makings of a heavyweight title bout on Friday night, the TMP Monarchs and the Abilene Cowboys did not disappoint. It was a game that was back and forth where neither team felt comfortable the whole way. Abilene led most of the way including a 14-13 lead after the first quarter following a buzzer beating tip in by 6′ 8″ junior Eric Harms who finished the game with 27 points.
The Cowboys would stretch the lead to as many as eight a couple of times in the second quarter and only led by three late. That’s when Harms came up with an off balance three pointer that banked in at the buzzer to put the Cowboys up 36-30 at halftime.
Abilene would keeping jabbing at TMP in the third quarter until the Monarchs had enough. TMP would charge back to get the game to 47-43 at the end of the third quarter. The Monarch defense started to wear down Abilene.
The fourth quarter showed up and the game was on. TMP would battle back to take the lead, 55-51, with just over three minutes to play. The Cowboys would swing next and tie the game at 55. Abilene had the ball with just over a minute and half left and regulation and played it to the final shot, and missed, sending the game to overtime.
In the extra period it was all Abilene. The Cowboys outscored TMP in the 12 to four to pick up their 11th win on the season. The Monarchs dropped to 8-5 on the season and saw their seven game winning streak go by the wayside. Kameron Schmidt led TMP with 28 points.
JOE HERTEL INTERVIEW
BOYS HIGHLIGHTS