By Dustin Armbruster
Hays High headed on the road Friday night to end the regular season against their rivals in Great Bend. Both the Hays boys and girls were fighting for a second place finish the sub-state standings. For the boys it was also a chance to clinch a share of the Western Athletic Conference crown.
Girls Great Bend 62 – Hays 51
Hays scored the first six points of the game only to hit one free throw for the remainder of the first quarter. Great Bend used the scoring drought to out pace the Indians 15-1 for the final six minutes of the quarter and take 15-7 lead.
Highlights
The Indians played the best quarter of basketball over the following eight minutes outscoring Great Bend 21-11. Hays used a 12-2 run to regain the lead at 19-17. The score would be tied three more times before Hays took a 28-23 lead after an Audra Schmeidler three pointer. Great Bend pulled back within two points with a three that bounced in at the half time buzzer.
With a 28-26 half time lead, Hays built their lead up to seven at 35-28 following another three pointer from Schmeidler. Like the first quarter though, Hays High went cold for the remainder of the third. The Panthers ended the quarter on a 19-6 run grabbing a 47-41 lead.
Coach Kirk Maska
The Lady Indians got no closer that five points rest of the way and falls 62-51. Great Bend finished the game on a 8-0 run including a six for six performance from the free throw line.
Hays was led by the career high of 15 from Savannah Schneider. Audra Schmeidler added 10. Great Bend put three in double figures led by Carley Brack with 18.
Hays falls 7-13 overall and 2-6 on the season. Great Bend improves to 12-8 and 6-2. Hays will be in Ulysses on Thursday for sub-state as the three seed taking on Buhler.
Hays looked to have control early in the first quarter versus Great Bend. Hays jumped out to a 9-2 lead over the first two minutes of the game. The Indians led 11-4 when the Panthers came roaring back, finishing the first quarter on a 11-0 run taking a 15-11 lead after one quarter.
Hays trailed by four with 5:00 to go before half time then clamped down on defense. The Indians allowed just three points rest of the way and surged out to a 34-25 lead the half. Hays hit three consecutive three pointers to regain the lead and used that to spark 16-3 run to close the half.
Highlights
Hays never left any doubt of a victory in the second half outscoring the Panthers 16-6 in the third for 50-31 lead. Keith Dryden opened up the fourth quarter with a two handed dunk off a feed from Maddux Winter and Hays cruised for a 69-43 victory.
Shane Berens lead the Indians 22 points and 10 rebounds. The 22 tied his career high. Isaiah Nunnery scored 20, marking the fourth consecutive game Nunnery scored 20 or more points. Great Bend was led by Trey Ibarra with 14.
Coach Rick Keltner
With the victory Hays improves to 16-4 and 6-2 in the WAC, earning a share of the Western Athletic Conference crown. Hays shares the top spot with Liberal. Great Bend falls to 4-16 and 2-6 in conference play.
The victory also notched number 500 hundred in the career of coach Rick Keltner.
Hays will be the two seed at sub-state. The Indians will face Buhler in the first round Friday at Ulysses.