Dustin Armbruster

In the second of back-to-back Thursday and Friday games, the Hays High Indians hosted Liberal for winter homecoming. It was a pivotal game for both schools in the Western Athletic Conference race as the Hays and Liberal boys entered the night in a three way tie for first with Garden City. The Hays girls started the night one game behind Liberal and two behind Great Bend. The Liberal boys entered the game #4 in 5A and Hays High boys #8 in 4A-I.

Girls
Hays 38 – Liberal 42

Hays and Liberal swapped the lead three times in the first quarter and were tied once as Liberal took a 15-12 lead. Hays closed the gap to one point on two different occasions in the second quarter but could not score to take the lead on seven different possessions. The Indians defense though held and tied the game at 18 a piece with two minutes to go before half. Hays though again couldn’t grab the lead over the final two minutes and Liberal hit a three pointer to take a 21-18 lead into the locker room

Highlights

Hays tied the game at 21 to open the third quarter on a Talyn Kleweno three pointer. Liberal responded back with a 9-3 run to build their biggest lead at six on two different occasions including the end of the third quarter at 33-27. Hays fell behind by seven in the fourth quarter at 36-29. That is when Hays caught fire beyond arc with three consecutive three pointers, two of them from Brooke Denning and the go ahead shot from Kleweno. The three straight made baskets put Hays up 38-36 with 3:50 remaining in the game. Hays would not score again. Liberal scored just six points in the final five minutes but it was enough for a 42-38 victory.

Coach Kirk Maska

Talyn Kleweno scored 12 to lead the Indians. Liberal got a season high 19 from Ali Lucero who averages six points per game. The Indians fall to 9-7 and have dropped three in a row. Hays also drops to 2-3 in conference play. Liberal improves to 12-4 and 4-1 in the Western Athletic Conference.

Boys
Hays 42 – Liberal 43

Neither Hays or Liberal could gain any real separation in the first quarter. The Indians used an 8-2 run, taking a lead at 10-6. Hays still led at the end of the first quarter at 13-12 but Liberal closed the quarter on 6-3 spurt that turned into a 20-5 run lasting five minutes into the second quarter. Hays did not hit a field goal in the second quarter and were outscored 14-4, with the Indians points come from the free throw line. Liberal built their lead as high as eleven and led 26-17 at half time.

Highlights

Liberal twice more took an eleven point lead before Hays took off on a 12-3 run getting themselves back within two. Hays missed two free throws to tie the game and Liberal made two of their own to take 35-31 lead to the fourth quarter. Hays fell behind by five before scoring five straight on baskets from Tyrese Hill and Claiborne Kyles. Liberal broke the 39 all tie with a basket just over a minute later going up 41-39. Hays had several opportunities to tie, but missed a pair of free throws and a field goal in the final 10 seconds following an intentional foul called against Liberal. The Redskins buried a pair of free throws with one second remaining and Hays nailed three a the buzzer for the 43-42 victory in favor of Liberal.

Coach Rick Keltner

Hays was led by a game high 16 points from Claiborne Kyles, as the Indians fall to 10-5 and 3-2 in the Western Athletic Conference. Liberal put two in double figures and improves to 14-2 overall and 4-1 in conference play.

Hays heads on the road Tuesday to play in Abilene.

By DUSTIN ARMBRUSTER
Hays Post

Hays played the first of two consecutive nights basketball on the road in Salina Thursday. Both the girls and boys teams for Salina Central came into the game ranked fifth in class 5A. The Hays boys were ranked 8th in 4A-I.

Girls
Hays 36 – #5-5A Salina Central 60

A pair of 8-0 runs by Salina Central put the Mustangs up by 11 after one quarter 21-10. Hays trailed by ten when they scored seven points in a row cutting the Mustangs lead down to 13-10. Hays had the ball down by three but couldn’t score and Central finished the quarter scoring eight straight points.

The Mustangs turned that 8-0 run into a 15-2 streak that saw Hays fall behind 28-12. Hays pulled it back to a 13 point game before Central scored the last five points of half to lead 33-15.

Highlights

Hays scored the first eight points of the third quarter to get with ten at 33-23 two minutes into the half. Central took a time out and responded with a 17-3 run to take control of the game for good. The Mustangs pushed their lead to 50-30 at the end of three quarters and pulled away for a win at 60-36.

Coach Kirk Maska

Brooke Denning led the Indians with eight points. Central put three in double figures. Hays falls to 9-6 and have lost back to back games for just the second time this season. Salina Central improves to 13-3.

Boys
Hays 33 – Salina Central 59

Hays scored just two points in the first six and half minutes of the game but trailed just 9-2. The Indians made their last three shots of the quarter to get back within one at 9-8. Hays started the second quarter with the basketball but missed a three pointer. From there the second quarter belonged to the Mustangs as they outscored Hays 23-5, taking a 32-13 lead at half time.

Highlights

Central hit seven of their eleven third quarter shots, including five three pointers during a 22-12 third quarter. The last seven minutes of the game was continuous clock after the Mustangs took a thirty point lead. Hays outscored the Mustangs 8-5 in the final quarter, falling 59-33.

Coach Rick Keltner

Claiborne Kyles led Hays with 13. Central put two in double figures. The Indians fall to 10-4 on the season, while Central moves to 14-2.

Hays will return to action Friday night as they host Liberal.

Dustin Armbruster

The Hays High Lady Indians traveled to Wichita on Friday to take on the Life Prep Academy Fire. It was a unique setting for the game. The contest was played at Wichita Hoops in Bel Aire. The court Hays played on was less than a year old, with the first half of the facility being completed two years ago.

Life Prep scored the first nine points of the game as Hays turned it over on three of their first five possessions. The Indians put in the next six points to get back within 9-6. That was as close as Hays would get all night. The Fire closed the quarter on a 9-2 run to lead 18-10. Hays trailed 21-14 when Life Prep went on a 27-9 run over the final 6:40 of the half to lead 48-23.

Highlights

The Indians never threatened in the second half as the closest they would get was 24 at 51-27. Life Prep shot 48% from the field and win 78-43. Regan Tibbits led the night with 27 points and 10 rebounds. Hays High had three players score six points for a team high.

Coach Kirk Maska

Hays drops to 9-5 on the season, stopping a three game win streak. Life Prep Academy is now 13-6.
Both the girls and boys return to action on Thursday and Friday as they travel to Salina to play the Central Mustangs and then return home to host Liberal.

Dustin Armbruster

Hays High and Athletic Director Chris Michaelis introduced two new coaches on Wednesday morning. Silas Hibbs will be directing the boys and girls soccer teams. Nicole Solis will be heading up the girls swimming program this spring.

Hibbs, a 2005 Hays High graduate, was an all-state midfielder for the Indians and was part of the soccer team’s state runner up finish in 2002. He went on to play soccer and compete in track and field at Tabor College. While at Tabor, Hibbs was a four time all-conference selection in the KCAC, a two time conference pole vault champ, and four time academic all-american.

He currently works for Koch Industries in Wichita but is moving back to Hays with his fiance and will be enrolling at Fort Hays State University to complete the MBA program. Hibbs is engaged to Nicole Tillman who will be joining her father at Great Plains Dermatology.

Hibbs takes over a program that will feature a player that looks to break his own record of goals in a career. Ethan Nunnery set the school record for goals in a season and is just three shy of the career mark. As coach, Hibbs hopes to run a 4-3-3 attack but will adjust his game plan to the personal he has on the team. He will be looking for an assistant coach that is more defensive minded to compliment his ability to coach the offense.

Hibbs was an assistant coach at Tabor following graduation and has spend time as part of the FC Wichita club including coach part of the youth program. He will be looking to increase the number of players on the team and build a foundation of expectations. Those expectations include wins, but only as a piece of the puzzle. Hibbs expects his athletes to perform in the classroom with the same dedication and commitment he wants from them on the field. Hibbs long term plans with the Indian’s program is to also help build a soccer culture in Hays that includes the clubs of Hays, FHSU and possible Thomas More Prep-Marian.

Michaelis also announced Nicole Solis as the new head coach for the girls swimming program. She is currently the assistant coach for the boys program and works as the library secretary at Roosevelt Elementary School. Solis is a Bishop Carroll high school graduate where she was a four year varsity swimmer.

Solis pointed out that swimming is a low impact sport that doesn’t carry a great injury risk. It is from personal experience that she relays that message. Solis broke her back in two places during her youth and swimming was the only sport that doctors would clear her to compete in. Like Hibbs with the soccer programs, Solis is looking to build the number of athletes out for the girls swimming program. Currently she has just eight out for the spring. Solis hopes to build the numbers by increasing the competitiveness of the swimmers while also building strong team bonding and creating a fun environment for the team. Those things combined she hopes will build excitement around the program and lead to the current swimmers bringing additional members to the team.

Solis and her husband moved to Hays less than two years ago, with her husband working on his masters at FHSU. Along with drawing on experience from being an assistant the boys team currently, Solis was an assistant coach at the Northwest YMCA in Wichita for the Neptunes swimmers.

Solis says practice will start with two practices a day. The practices will include a technique clinic. The goal is perfect the girls technique at the beginning of the season instead of needing to make correction during the year.

Dustin Armbruster

Hays High headed to Salina South High School on Tuesday night to close out the January portion of their basketball schedule. For the Lady Indians it was their fourth game in six days. On the boys side it was just their second and final game over the course of 19 days.

Girls
Hays 39 – Salina South 27

Hays overcame a five plus minute field goal drought to grab an 8-6 lead over South after the first quarter. After scoring the final three points of the first quarter, the Indians added the first eleven of the second quarter for a 15-0 run. That run pushed Hays to their biggest lead of the first half at 19-6. That lead occurred at the 5:02 mark, but Hays would score just one more point the rest of the half. South went on a 10-1 run during that stretch to get back within four at half time, 20-16. Over their second five minute field goal drought of the first half the Indians missed seven of eight free throws.

Highlights

South expanded that 10-1 run from the first half into a 15-1 run, grabbing their only second half lead at 21-20. The Indians tied the game on a free throw then took the lead for good on a Talyn Kleweno steal and layup at 23-21. Hays turned those three points into a 11-0 run that lasted into the fourth quarter and put the Indians up 31-21. Overall Hays outscored the Cougars 19-6 after falling behind and win 39-27.

Coach Kirk Maska

Hays was led by Jaycee Dale with 12 points and Mattie Hutchison at 10. The Indians had three players each grab eight or more rebounds, 10 by Talyn Kleweno and eight each by Jaycee Dale and Kallie Leiker. The Indians move to 9-4 on the season. South drops to 5-8. The Lady Indians are on the road to Wichita to play Life Prep Academy on Friday.

Boys
Hays 57 – Salina South 49

Hays never trailed in the first half using a 10-3 run over the final three minutes of the first quarter to build their lead up to 18-9. The Indians led South by as many as 13 in the second quarter before the Cougars went on their best run of the half. A 8-0 nothing cut the Hays lead down to five at 23-18 with 3:40 left in the second quarter. The Indians closed out the half outscoring South 9-4 and led 32-22 at the break.

Highlights

Hays opened the second half with a three pointer to build their lead up to 13 once again. South though outscored Hays 22-3 over the next six minutes to match their first half point total and take a 44-38 advantage. Shane Berens and Xander Swayne scored in the final minute for Hays to cut their deficit to 44-42 after three quarters. Defensively the Indians allowed just five fourth quarter points and none over the final 5:25 after South took their final lead at 49-48. Swayne scored the next four points for the Indians and Hays finished the game on a 9-0 run to win 57-49.

Coach Rick Keltner

Hays picks up their tenth win of the year and sits at 10-3. Salina South drops to 5-9. The Indians were led by Claiborne Kyles with 17, including four three pointers. Shane Berens added 12 points and becomes the 29th player in program history to score 500 points in a career. Devin Johnson led the Cougars with 21. The Hays boys are off until February 9th when they travel back to Salina to play the Central Mustangs.

Dustin Armbruster

Hays High and Dodge City played for the second time in nine days when they faced off for fifth place of the Mid-America Classic in McPherson on Saturday. The Lady Indians had beat Dodge City 55-34 in their previous meeting in Hays.

Neither team scored over the first three and a half minutes until Dodge City hit a three pointer. Hays then went on a 10-2 run over the final four minutes of the first quarter to take a 10-5 lead. The Indian’s offense disappeared over the first four plus minutes of the second quarter, turning the ball over on six of the first eight possessions. Dodge City used the opportunity to go on a 9-0 run to take their biggest lead of the half at 14-10. The Indian’s Brooke Denning then scored the next six points of the quarter to give Hays a 16-14 lead at half time.

Highlights

True to form of the first two quarters, Hays went scoreless for a long period to open up the third quarter. The Indians did not score for the first 6:35 yet scored the next five points to take a 21-18 fifteen seconds left in the third. Dodge City though scored in the final five seconds on a traditional three point play to tie the game at 21 heading to the fourth quarter.

Hays again went scoreless for a long stretch to open the fourth quarter. This time not scoring for first 5:32. Hays though defensively again buckled down to only trail by two at 23-21. Savannah Schneider gave Hays the lead back at 24-23 on a traditional three point play with 2:37 left. The Red Demons tied the game at 24 before a jumper by Jaycee Dale with 1:20 left gave Hays the lead for good at 26-24. Hays made just two of their final five free throws taking a 28-25 lead. Dodge City did have one last chance to tie the game down by four. A Indian foul put the Red Demons to the line with nine seconds left. Dodge City hit the first of two free throws and rebounded the miss on the second. The Red Demons missed a three that would have tied the game and Hays took the victory 28-25.

Coach Kirk Maska

The 28 points by Hays High ties a record for least points scored by a winning team in tournament history. The combined 53 points was just two more than the record for fewest points combined in a tournament game.

Hays improves to 8-4. Dodge City falls to 4-8. Savannah Schneider led the Indians with 11. Tia Bradshaw scored a game high 12. The two teams will meet up for a third time on the season February, 21st in Dodge City.

Dustin Armbruster

Hays High hit the hardwood twenty-four hours after a first round loss at the Mid-America Classic in McPherson to face Wichita Southeast. The consolation semi-final game featured 6-4 Hays and 2-9 Wichita Southeast. The two schools had met one time prior in the tournament. The Indians took a 57-55 overtime victory in the 2015 seventh place game.

Hays used a 14-0 run over a two minute stretch of the first quarter to put distance between themselves and Southeast. The Indians led 19-4 after one quarter forcing 13 turnovers and hold the Golden Buffaloes to just five shot attempts. The Indian’s lead never dropped below double figures in the second quarter as they twice pushed the lead up to 19. By half time the Indians led 35-18 behind 13 points from Kallie Leiker which established a career high.

Highlights

The Indians used a 14-2 run in the third quarter to push their lead north of twenty for the first time in the game and led 51-24 after three. Each team rotated freely through their players in the fourth quarter as Hays took the 57-36 victory.

Coach Kirk Maska

Kallie Leiker led the way for the Indians with her 13 first half points. Maddie Keller added 10 for Hays. Wichita Southeast was led by Sandra Pollard with 13. Hays moves to 7-4, matching their win total from last season. Southeast falls to 2-10. Hays will play either Andale or Dodge City for 5th place on Saturday at 3:45

Dustin Armbruster

Hays High entered the Mid-America Classic in McPherson winners of their last two games to push their record to 6-3. Their opponent in the first round, Valley Center, also entered with the same 6-3 mark. The two met up as the five seed (Hays) and the four seed (Valley Center). The Indians and Hornets met four times previously in the tournament with Valley Center holding a 3-1 advantage.

In the first quarter Valley Center scored in all the ways they had not on the season. Hitting three of five three point attempts and making all three free throws. Hays held a brief 6-5 lead then Valley Center went on a 12-0 run to establish their first double digit lead of the game at 17-6. Hays trailed by as many as 13 several times in the second quarter. The Indians cut the lead down to nine but missed a three at 28-19 that would have made the game a two possession contest. Hays scored the final three points of the half to cut their half time deficit to ten at 32-22.

Highlights

Savannah Schneider scored five consecutive points with less than two minutes remaining in the third quarter to get Hays back within five at 38-33, but Valley Center scored the final basket of the quarter to lead 40-33. After trailing 38-28 Hays went on a 14-4 run to close the gap down to two points at 44-42 with 1:53 remaining. That would be the closest the Indians would get. Hays missed their next two shots down 45-42, including a three pointer that would have tied the game. Valley Center hit five of their final nine free throws to win 49-42.

Coach Kirk Maska

Hays falls to 6-4 on the season and will play in the consolation semi-finals at 3:00. Valley Center improves to 7-3. Savannah Schneider led the Indians with 11.

Dustin Armbruster

Hays High and Lotus School for Excellence out of Aurora, Colorado both entered the Orange and Black Classic in Colby with matching 7-1 records. Saturday at noon, they played each other in the 7th place game of the tournament at the Colby Community Building.

Hays High opened the first five minutes of the game on a 14-4 run holding Lotus to just two field goals out of their first thirteen attempts. The Lotus Meteors answered back with their best run of the first half at the end of the first quarter and beginning of the second, outscoring Hays 12-6. That run cut the Indian’s lead down to 20-16 with 5:30 left in the second quarter. Hays finished the remainder of the half on a 12-3 run that pushed their lead to 32-19 at halftime, their biggest lead of the first half.

Highlights

The Indian’s lead was never cut below double figures for the remainder of the game. Hays pushed the lead to 17 four different times in the third quarter, leading 48-31 at the end of the third. The Indian lead hovered around 20 for the remainder of the game with Hays winning 65-42. The Indians outscored Lotus in each of the four quarters.

Coach Rick Keltner

The Indians were led by a career high 21 points from Tyrese Hill which established a new career high. Hill added ten rebounds for his second double-double of the season. Claiborne Kyles also scored in double figures with 17. Lotus was led by the 22 points of TeOndre Church.

Hays improves to 8-3 on the year. Lotus drops to 7-4. The Indians return to action on Friday when they host Dodge City in a boys only match up.

Dustin Armbruster

Hays High and Scott City met up in the 2015 championship of the Colby Orange & Black Classic. Two years later the to did battle in the consolation semi-finals. Each of their losses the previous day had broken some impressive streaks. Scott City hadn’t lost in the tournament since the first round of 2010, a stretch of fourteen consecutive games, claiming the tournament title in 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2016. Hays had won twelve consecutive tournament first round games before their loss on Thursday.

Both teams entered the game ranked in their respective classes. Hays at #7 in 4A-I and Scott City at #9 in 4A-II. The two had played a thriller of a football game to open the 2016 season with Hays scoring 21 fourth quarter points on three fourth down passes to win 31-21.

High grabbed two early three point leads before going on a 4:30 scoring drought. Scott City used that time to go on a 8-0 lead and build their lead to five at 10-5. The teams traded baskets to end the first quarter with the Beavers leading 14-12. The two teams swapped the lead back and forth over the first two minutes of the second quarter when Hays took the lead at 17-16 that started a 15-3 run that built the Indian lead to eleven. Scott City scored the final two points of first half cutting the Indian lead down to 30-22.

Highlights

Hays held one more two point lead in the second half scoring the first basket of the third quarter for a 32-22 lead. Scott City would cut the lead down to three before Hays scored six straight on a Xander Swayne three pointer and three point play by Tyrese Hill. Scott City answered with the own three point play to cut the Hays lead down to six after three quarters 43-37. Hays scored just three points in the fourth quarter. They came with fifteen seconds left off the hand of Collyn Kreutzer to tie the game at 46. Scott City got off a final shot but missed sending the Indians overtime for a second consecutive game.

Like the previous day, Hays scored first in overtime to take a two point lead early in the period. Hays turned the ball over on their next three possession while Scott City hit a three to go up 51-48 with 21 second left. Hays got an offensive rebound and put back with seven seconds left to tighten the game at 51-50. Scott City hit one of two free throws and a desperation heave from behind half court came up short for Hays and the Indians lose 52-50.

Coach Rick Keltner

Scott City breaks a four game losing streak with the victory and is 6-5 on the season. Hays falls in overtime for a second consecutive day and is 7-3.

Collyn Kreutzer led the Indians with 12 points. Scott City got 16 from Bo Hess and Marshall Faurot came off the bench with a career high 16 as well.

Hays will play for 7th place for the first time in their 15 year history at the Orange & Black Classic. The game will be at noon at the Community Building.

Dustin Armbruster

Hays entered the 32nd annual Paul Wintz/Tom Bowen Orange & Black Classic as one of only three Kansas teams in the field. Hays, Scott City and host Colby were joined by Far Northeast (Denver), Lotus School for Excellence (Aurora), Falcon (Falcon), Fountain-Fort Carson (Fountain) and Pine Creek (Colorado Springs) all out of Colorado for the three day tourney.

Hays drew Falcon, Colorado in the first round of the tournament in a game played at Colby High School Thursday afternoon. The Indians entered the game on a two game winning streak, the Falcons of Falcon High School last the previous five they had played before the tournament.

Falcon led the entire first half using a 9-2 lead to open the game. Hays cut the lead down to 13-12 with a minute to go in the first quarter. That is when Falcon went on a 12-2 run into the second quarter, building their lead to double digits for the first time. The Falcons pushed their lead up to 13 on two different occasions before Hays cut the lead down to nine at half time 35-26.

Highlights

Hays fell behind by 13 again early in the third quarter before mounting their second half comeback. Hays went on a 14-0 run to take the first lead of the game with 5:45 left in the fourth quarter. Hays twice took a four point lead, the latest coming with just over a minute remaining. The Indians turned over the basketball with under a minute remaining. Falcon scored the games next four points but couldn’t take the lead at the free throw line with :24 left. Both teams has chances to win in the final seconds but the Falcons missed jumper and the Indians missed the front end of a one and one with two second remaining pushing the game to over time tied at 53.

Hays scored the first two points of overtime to take their only lead at 55-53 in overtime before the Falcons scored the next six points. Hays got within one at 61-60 and had the ball three times with under a minute to play but missed on two shots and turned the ball over once. After two free throws from Falcon, Hays missed two three point attempts in the final 20 seconds and lose 63-60.

Coach Rick Keltner

Claiborne Kyles scored 14 to lead the Indians. Shane Berens and Collyn Kreutzer each scored 10. Falcon was led by a career high 22 from Morisse Daniels, including three three pointers in the final 4:35 of the game and overtime.

Hays falls to 7-2 on the year and plays in the consolation semi-finals at Colby High School at 4:45 Friday afternoon. It is just the third loss in the first round of the Orange & Black Classic for Hays. Falcon breaks a five game losing streak and improves to 4-7.

Dustin Armbruster

Mother nature again caused issues with the Hays High basketball schedule. Hays and Dodge City were scheduled to play a girls game on Tuesday night. Due to ice that knocked out power in Dodge City, causing the district to call off school, the game was delayed by a day. The same power issues still existed in Dodge City on Wednesday, but with the game between scheduled to be played in Hays, the Red Demons made the trip despite not having school for a second consecutive day.

Hays didn’t score their first field goal until the 3:10 mark of the first quarter, but the Indian defense held the game to a 3-3 score to that point. When Hays finally did hit a basket, it ignited a 17-0 run that lasted midway through the second quarter and built the Indians a 20-3 lead.

Highlights

The Hays defense held Dodge City scoreless for seven minutes and twenty-three seconds while building their lead to 17. The Red Demons had the best stretch of offense in the first half scoring five straight points after the Indians built their biggest lead of the second quarter at 25-6. Hays led 27-11 going into the half, hitting 11 of 14 free throws.

Hays continued to build their lead in the third quarter thanks to defense. The Indians held Dodge City scoreless over a four minute and thirty-six second span helping build their lead to 40-16. Hays pushed the lead to as high as 25 early in the fourth quarter and cruise to a 55-34 victory.

Coach Kirk Maska

It was the first win for Hays High over Dodge City since 2013 when the Indians beat them three times. Jaycee Dale was the only player in the game to reach double figures scoring 10. In all fifteen Indians saw action in the game with eleven scoring.

Hays improves to 6-3 on the season and takes the record to the Mid-America Classic in McPherson to play Valley Center who has a matching record at 3:00 on January 26th. The Indians also improves their Western Athletic Conference record to 2-2. Dodge City falls to 3-6 overall and 0-3 in conference play.