Hays High and Thomas More Prep Marian faced off the both the girls and boys semi-finals of the Gerald Mitchell Hays City Shootout Friday Night.
Girls
TMP 62 – Hays 54
Hays High jumped out to their biggest lead of the first half on a 7-1 run on baskets by three different players. TMP responded back with a 7-2 run to tight the game back up at 9-8. Hays led after the first quarter 13-11. The lead swapped hands five times and the score was tied twice more before TMP gained separation with seven straight points to take a 27-21 lead. Hays scored just one point over the final four and a half minutes of the first half leaving the Indians trailing at half time 28-22.
Highlights
TMP pushed the halftime lead to 10 in the third quarter with six minutes left. Hays then came firing back with a 10-2 run to tighten the game back up at 36-34 in favor of the Monarchs. Hays took the lead back at 40-38 with 1:44 remaining in the third on a Savannah Schneider three point play. TMP tied the game back up at 40 to end the third quarter. Hays took the final lead of the game at 43-42 following a Talyn Kleweno three pointer. Kayla Vitzum then seized control of the game scoring 13 of her teams 15 points in less than three minutes. Hays tied the game one more time at 50 but TMP hit eight of their final nine free throws to win 62-54.
Coach Kirk Maska
Kayla Vitzum scored 24 to lead all scoring. Madyson Koerner added 16 and Deonna Wellbrock scored 13. Hays was led by Savannah Schnedier with 18. Kallie Leiker added a career high 11. Hays High falls to 1-1 and will play Great Bend in the third place game at Hays Middle School at 1:30 on Saturday. TMP is 2-0 and will play the winner of Manhattan and Garden City.
Boys
Hays 67 – TMP 48
Hays took an early four point advantage on two occasions at 4-0 and 6-2 when TMP settled in going on a 8-3 run to take the lead for the first time at 10-9. Hays answered with Peyton Kieffer’s first career three pointer to give the Indians a 12-10 lead after the first quarter. The two swapped the lead a couple more times in the second quarter with TMP taking their largest lead of the first half at 20-17. Hays answered back with a 11-3 run to close the half and lead 28-23 going into the locker rooms.
Highlights
The Indians shot much better in the second half shooting 12 of 21 pushing their lead as high as 22 late in the fourth quarter. Hays led by two points with 5:30 to go in the third quarter but strung together 10 straight points to take their first double digit lead and never looked back. Hays led 47-36 after the third quarter and then hit 11 of 14 free throws in the fourth quarter for the 67-48 win.
Coach Rick Keltner
Claiborne Kyles led the Indians with 17. Ethan Nunnery and Tyrese Hill each added 12 and Shane Berens scored 10. TMP was led by Hayden Lowe with 11. Hays is 2-0 and will play Manhattan in the championship game of the Hays City Shootout. It is the 19th time the Indians have made the title game. TMP is 1-1 and plays Olathe North for third at Hays High School at 1:30.