Girls
Hays 50 – Dodge City 47 OT
Hays High resumed Western Athletic Conference play on Friday night as the leaders in the standings at 3-0. The Lady Indians and Lady Demons of Dodge City traded the lead nine times in the first half. Hays trailed by six with a minute to go in the first quarter when the Lady Indian defense clamped down. Dodge City scored just six points for the remainder of the half. The defense allowed Hays to go on a 14-5 run to take a 22-19 lead. Hays only scored two more points in the final three and a half minutes of the first half, but allowed just one point in the final five and a half minutes. The Lady Indians took a 24-20 lead into the locker room at half time.
Highlights
Hays took two early six points lead in the third quarter but then hit a scoring drought. Dodge City though responded by taking advantage of a scoring drought by the Lady Indians. A 13-2 run by the Lady Demons that lasted a minute into the fourth quarter put Hays down 36-31. Insert, Brooke Denning. Denning scored the games next ten points that included a pair of three pointers. The lead for Hays grew to 43-36 with 1:27 left, but Hays could not hang on. Hays turned the ball over twice and missed a free throw on their three possessions. Dodge City scored two field goals in the final minute. The final coming from Kisa Unruh on a twenty-five foot bank shot with two seconds left to send the game to over time at 43.
Hays took the first lead of overtime on a Tasiah Nunnery three pointer that was answered by the Lady Demon’s Unruh. Isabel Robben scored the game’s last field goal to give Hays a 48-46 lead with 1:30 left. The Lady Indians did hang onto the lead this time making two free throws with seven seconds remaining and then intercepting a deep pass for a 50-47 win.
Coach Kirk Maska
Brooke Denning tied a career high with 17 and Tasiah Nunnery added 14. The game featured five ties and eleven lead changes. Hays improves to 10-5 and 4-0 in the WAC. Dodge City falls to 8-6 and 2-2.
Boys
Hays 83 – Dodge City 63
As the girls did, Hays High entered the night’s game as the conference leaders at 3-0. Hays trailed twice in the first quarter at 2-0 and 8-4. Hays High then caught fire and went on an 18-0 run over a four and a half minute time frame. The run pushed the Hays lead to 22-8 over Dodge City. Hays seven on nine shots during the stretch including four three pointers. Ethan Nunnery buried a three at the first quarter buzzer for a 30-12 Hays lead.
The Indians continued to push their lead higher through the third quarter, twice leading by 26. By halftime Hays led 48-24.
Highlights
Dodge City did make a couple of second pushes but never got closer than 14 rest of the game. A 11-2 run in the third closed the gap down to 62-44, but Hays increased the lead to 67-44 after three quarters. A 17-8 run in the fourth quarter pulled the game down to a 14 point differential with a little under two minutes remaining. Following a technical foul on the Dodge City bench, heated emotions boiled over with two more technical fouls on a hard foul on a loose ball. Hays made their final eight free throws over the final ninety seconds to secure a 83-63 victory.
Coach Rick Keltner
Cole Murphy scored a career high 27 including seven three pointers. Ethan Nunnery scored 22 and Tradgon McCrae added 17 for the Indians who are now 10-5 on the year and 4-0 in the WAC. Dodge City falls to 7-7 and 2-2.
The Indians have a week off and will travel to Liberal on February 9th.