The last time Hays High and Wichita East met up in the Dodge City Tournament of Champions was the championship game of 2014. Like most teams the Indians and the Blue Aces appear in the tournament every other year. The Indians won the last match-up to claim the tournament crown.
Hays trailed early 8-3 getting only an Isaiah Nunnery three pointer in the first three plus minutes of the game. That is when Shane Berens took over. The junior scored the next 13 points for Hays, leading them to a 16-14 lead after one quarter.
Highlights
Berens picked up his second foul in the first quarter and did not play the second. The Indians though had their next four baskets scored by four different players, twice building a seven point lead. East cut the lead down to one but never took the lead and Hays led at half time 30-28.
The Indians pushed their lead to eleven points on four different occasions in the second half. Twice in the third quarter Hays pulled ahead by eleven before East trimmed the lead to 48-40 at the end of the third quarter.
Hays led by eleven two more times in the fourth quarter. The last a 61-50 lead with 1:30 remaining in the game. The Blue Aces finished the game with a 13-0 run over those final 90 seconds to take the win 63-61.
Coach Rick Keltner
Hays was led by Shane Berens with a season high 19 and Keith Dryden with 15. The #3-4A-1 Indians drop to 8-2 on the season and play Hutchinson in the consolation semi-finals at 2:00 Friday. #10-6A Wichita East is 7-3 and will play #2-6A Manhattan at 7:00.
When the opportunity comes along to further an athletic career most everybody takes the chance. That is exactly what Denton Rathke did on Thursday morning at the Hays High cafeteria. The senior signed his national letter of intent with Tabor to compete in track and field. Rathke said that it was the atmosphere of the college that helped him make his final decision on where to continue his education.
Denton Rathke
Rathke, who was also on the Indian’s football team, said that the Tabor coaches will be looking for him to try each of the throwing events they offer. He plans on majoring in accounting at the college located in Hillsboro.
Hays High hung through the first eight minutes with #10 Dodge City. The second eight minutes though was a different story. In the first quarter the Hays High zone forced Dodge City to shoot three pointers and the Red Demons responded with misses, making just one of seven. That allowed Hays to keep with in striking distance of the conference leaders down 8-6 after one quarter.
Highlights
The Indians employed the same strategy in the second quarter, but Dodge City made four of their six attempts. Dodge City went on a 16-1 run to blow the game open and lead 31-11 at half time.
Hays would only muster a single point in the third quarter and fell behind by 36 in the fourth quarter 48-12. Hays would score the final eight points of the game for the final score of 48-20.
Coach Kirk Maska
It was the Indians lowest point total of the season. Hays falls to 4-6 and 1-3 in the WAC Dodge City is 7-3 and 3-0.
Hays is off until next Thursday when they travel to McPherson for the Mid-America Classic.
Hays High completed the 2015 portion of their basketball season on Tuesday night traveling to Junction City, for their sixth game before Christmas break.
Hays 53 – Junction City 42
The Lady Indians scored off the opening tip and jumped out to a 4-0 lead, holding Junction City scoreless over the first two and half minutes. When Junction City did score they hit on three consecutive shots and took a 7-4 lead over the course of forty-five seconds. Hays would respond back with a 9-0 run to take the first of three six point leads in the first half. Hays took two more six points leads in the second half, but Junction City trimmed the lead down to one at 20-19 with 3:25 remaining in the second quarter. Neither team would score for the remainder of the first half.
Highlights
Junction City did tie the game once in the second half at 24 all mid way through the third quarter but Hays never relinquished the lead. The Indians built a seven point lead into the final minute of the third quarter only to see Junction City trim the lead down to one less than a minute into the fourth. Leading by three at 40-37, Hays went on a 13-2 run to put the game out of reach, claiming a 53-42 win.
Coach Kirk Maska
Hays was led by Audra Schmeidler with 15 and Mattie Hutchison with 14. The Lady Indians are 3-3 on the year. Junction City is 0-4 and was led by A’kia Fain with 14.
Hays 55 – Junction City 50
Hays hit five first quarter three pointers but trailed after one quarter to Junction City 18-17. The Blue Jays Ricardo Evans scored 12 in the first quarter only to be matched by the 12 of Isaiah Nunnery. Nunnery scored all of his points on four three pointers. Junction City opened the second quarter on a 11-3 run creating a nine point separation at 29-20. Hays cut the lead down to five once only to trail by seven at half time 34-27.
Highlights
Junction City hit the first basket of the second half to build their lead to nine one final time at 36-27. Hays scored the next seven points to get within two at 36-34, then once again made it a two point game at the end of the third quarter 41-39. Hays opened fourth quarter on a 10-2 run, taking a lead they would never give back. Junction City did make it a one point game at 49-48 with 1:36 left, but Hays hit six of their final eight free throws to take the 55-50 victory.
Coach Rick Keltner
Hays was led by the 20 of Drew Young, 15 by Isaiah Nunnery and 10 from Shane Berens. The Indians are 5-1 at the break. Junction City is 2-2 and was led by Rcardo Evans with 16, TJ Poole with 12 and 10 from Tim Bell.
Girls: Hays 58, Colby 37 Following Thursday night’s games, the Hays High Indians were already a quarter done with their basketball schedule. In the first eight days of the season Hays played five games, beginning and ending with Colby on the Indian’s home floor.
Hays trailed only once in the first half, but used a 7-0 run to erase a 6-5 deficit. Leading at 12-6 midway through the first quarter, Colby scored the final six points of the quarter to tie the game at 12. The Indians forced Colby into 17 first half turnovers leading to several fast break opportunities. Hays took a 29-17 halftime lead thanks to a 17-5 second quarter. Hays jumped out for good on a 11-0 run in the second quarter.
Highlights
The Lady Indians were never threatened in the second half. Colby trimmed the lead to thirteen before Mattie Hutchison scored 11 consecutive points for Hays to put the Eagles out of the reach, winning 58-37. Savannah Schneider led the way with 13 and Mattie Hutchison scored 12, career highs for both freshman. The 37 points allowed by Hays is the fewest allowed this year to an opponent by the Lady Indians.
Coach Kirk Maska
Hays is 2-3 on the season with both wins coming against Colby. Hays is on the road Tuesday at Junction City to finish the 2015 portion of the basketball season.
Boys: Hays 73, Colby 35 Hays scored 50 in the first half of the game versus Colby last Thursday. The Indians didn’t quite match that this time around, but close…scoring 49. Hays used first half runs of 9-2, 11-2, and 16-0 to lead 49-17 at half. Hays committed just one turnover in the first half while Colby had 19.
Highlights
Hays cruised through the second quarter on their way to a 73-35. The Indians pushed their lead as high as 44 in the second half and forced 27 turnovers in the game. The Indians put four in double figures led by the 15 of Isaiah Nunnery. Maddux Winter scored 12, Shane Berens added 11 and Keith Dryden chipped in 10. Colby was led by freshman Jordan Schippers with 19 points and 10 rebounds for his first double-double. Hays High moves to 3-1 and will travel to Junction City on Tuesday to finish off the 2015 portion of their schedule.
Things started well in the first quarter for the Hays High Lady Indians in Pratt on Tuesday. Hays used a 10-3 run to go up 12-8 with 2:45 left in the first quarter. Hays though would score just two more field goals in the rest of the first half, getting outscored 13-4 in the 2nd quarter. Hays trailed at half time 26-16.
Highlights
Hays fell behind by as many as 15 points twice in the third quarter before closing the half on a 6-2 spurt to pull within 11 at 36-25. The Indians had five total chances to cut the deficit to single digits in the second half, but never could get a big shot to go in. Hays scored 12 points in the first quarter, then tallied only 13 over the next three quarter and was shutout in the fourth quarter. Pratt moves to 2-0 with the 43-25 victory. Pratt is ranked 8th in Class 4A-D2. Hays drops to 1-3.
Coach Kirk Maska
The Indians were led in scoring by Audra Schmeidler with 15. Pratt’s Breann Becker scored 20.
Boys: Hays 74, Pratt 49
Every once in a great while, a player takes over a game. And on rare occasions changes the view on a game in the first half. Drew Young had it going early in the Hays High Indians first road trip of the season to Pratt on Tuesday. Young set a new career high of 18 points in the first half of the game helping his team to an early 18-4 lead. The Indians pushed their lead to 16 in the second quarter only to have Pratt go on a 10-2 run cutting the lead down eight. The Indians scored the final seven of the second quarter to lead 40-25 at half time.
Highlights
The Indians lead was never less than 12 in the second half as the Indians cruise to a 74-49 victory. The only scary moment of the second half came when Young with a career high 25 rolled his ankle on a play to end the third quarter. Young did walk off the court, but did not return for the fourth quarter.
Coach Rick Keltner
Three seniors scored 63 of the Indian’s 74 points. Young led all scoring with a career high 25. Isaiah Nunnery matched his career high for a third time with 23 and Keith Dryden scored 15.
Hays is 3-1 on the year and returns home on Thursday to play Colby. It will be the Indians sixth game in eight days.
Fort Hays State women’s basketball had never played a No. 1 ranked team. Saturday the Tigers both played and beat top-ranked Emporia State University 71-70.
The Lady Hornets jumped out to a 6-4 lead on Fort Hays State over the first two and half minutes of Saturday’s showdown. Most of the first quarter was a free throw contest with the Hornets going 10-10 and the Tigers 8-10 over the first ten minutes. The Tigers built a six point lead at 16-10, only to have it erased by the end of the first quarter when Emporia State scored six straight concluding with a basket at the buzzer.
Highlights
The Tigers opened the second quarter with a 12-4 run going up 28-20 on back to back three point plays from Paige Lunsford and Taylor Chandler. Fort Hays State pushed their lead to ten with one minute left in the first half on a Lunsford field goal. The two teams traded baskets over the final minute leaving the Tigers with a 37-30 halftime lead.
Coach Tony Hobson
Fort Hays pushed their lead as high as ten on two occasions in the third quarter, the latest at 50-40 with 5:58 remaining. Emporia State though would respond with a 15-4 run to grab a lead at the end of three quarters 55-54. Fort Hays would grab the lead for good on a Bohuslavsky three pointer at 61-58 after trailing by two points early in the fourth quarter. Fort Hays built their lead to seven with ninety second remaining, when Emporia State hit two deep three pointers bringing the game within one point at 71-70. The Tigers turned the ball over on their next possession, but Emporia State would never get a shot off after being tied up in the lane and turning the ball over with two seconds left.
Beth Bohuslavsky scored a game high 21. Paige Lunsford a career high 16 and Chelsea Mason added 11.
Fort Hays moves to 8-0 and 2-0 in the MIAA. Emporia State falls to 7-1, 1-1. The Tigers are off until next Saturday when they host Nebraska Kearney.
Fort Hays opened Saturday’s MIAA showdown with Emporia State with a 12-5 run over the first five minutes, as the Tigers looked to rebound after their Wednesday night loss to Washburn. The Tigers pushed their lead up to 14 at 25-11, holding Emporia State with out a field goal for nearly eight minutes.
Emporia State managed just 11 points over the first 13:00 of the game, but scored 10 in the next 1:40 to get back with in 6 at 27-21. The Hornets got a three pointer with 1:22 left in the first half to get three at 31-28. Kenny Enoch hit a basket with :39 remaining to give the Tigers a 33-28 half time lead.
Highlights
After Emporia State tied the game at 33, Fort Hays scored five in a row to take a 38-33 lead with 16:40 remaining. The Hornets took the lead for good on an 11-0 run at 44-38. The Tigers twice got back within three at 44-11 and 46-43, but couldn’t close the gap.
After trailing 25-11 with 7:15 left in the first half, Emporia State outscored the Tigers 41-18 over the next 17 minutes.
Coach Mark Johnson
Four Tigers scored in double figures as Dom Samac, Rob Davis, and Kenny Enoch scored 11. Kyler Kinnamon added 10. Emporia State was led by the career high 23 points of Josh Pedersen.
Fort Hays falls to 5-2 on the year and 0-2 in the MIAA. Emporia State is 4-3 and 0-2.
Great Bend 57 Hays 56 The Hays High Lady Indians jumped out to a 6-1 lead over Great Bend in the semi-finals of the 33rd Annual Gerald Mitchell Hays City Shootout but could not extend their lead over the next four minutes. Great Bend went on a 7-0 at the end of the first quarter and beginning of the second to grab a 17-11 lead over Hays. The Lady Indians immediately responded with a 10-0 run to regain a four point lead with 4:35 left before half time. Hays would only score two more points in the remainder of the second quarter and trailed at half time 31-23 as Great Bend finished the half on a 14-2 run.
Coach Kirk Maska
The Lady Indians opened the second half with a 11-3 run to tie the game at 34 and had three opportunities to score and the take lead but could not capitalize. Great Bend pushed their lead back to seven with 6:30 remaining before Hays ripped off a 8-0 run, giving the Lady Indians a 44-43 lead with 5:45 left. The lead changed hands several times over the final four minutes with Hays getting a Haley George basket with six second remaining for a 56-55 lead. The Indians though fouled on the ensuing in-bound play and Great Bend hit two free throws for a 57-56 victory.
Hays senior Haley George tied her career high set the night before with 12 points to lead the way. Audra Schmeidler scored 11 for a second straight night. Hays is 1-1 and will play Newton for third place Saturday afternoon. Great Bend will Manhattan for the title Saturday evening. The Panthers were led in scoring by Carley Brack with 19, she was 10-13 from the free throw line.
Olathe North 58 Hays 42
The Hays High Indians seemed to rattle Olathe North a bit in the first three minutes of the game, but the Indians made just 1 of their first 9 shots falling behind 6-2. Hays tied the game at eight after Maddux Winter score six consecutive points. Olathe North took the lead for good 10-8 at the end of the first quarter. Hays did draw within one point at 12-11 early in the second quarter, but Olathe North responded with a decisive 11-2 run to go up 23-13.
Coach Rick Keltner
Hays did draw within seven twice in the fourth quarter, the last with 4:50 remaining. Olathe North finished the game outscoring the Indians 15-6, winning 58-42.
Hays falls to 1-1 and will play Garden City in the third place game. Olathe North plays Manhattan in the championship. Hays was led by 12 points from Drew Young. Olathe North got 15 from Alonzo Williams to lead four in double figures.
The Hays High Lady Indians started off the new basketball season with one of the teams they beat twice last year during a six win season. Hays hosting the 33rd Annual Gerald Mitchell Hays City Shootout took on Colby to start the 2015-16 basketball season.
Colby hit three free throws in the first two minutes to take the early 3-0 lead. Hays responded with six straight points, but once again fell behind at 8-6. That was the last time Hays would trail in the first half. Talyn Kleweno scored ten consecutive points for the Lady Indians in the first quarter and Hays led 15-9 after the first.
Kleweno continued her hot shooting in the second quarter putting up 15 points to set a new career high. Hays pushed their lead as high as twelve before half time and led 30-20 at the break.
Lady Indian Highlights
Hays built their lead to 15 in the third quarter then hit an offensive stall. Colby took advantage to make the game close with a 15-5 run over the next six minutes, getting within five at 41-36. Hays finally broke out of the funk with a three from Audra Schmeidler and a jumper from Nicole Dinkel, pushing the lead back ten and providing enough cushion down the stretch in the 51-41 win.
Coach Kirk Maska
Hays was led by the career highs of 17 from Talyn Kleweno and 12 by Haley George. Schmeidler scored in double figures for the 16th time in her career adding 11. Colby was led by 17 from Brenly Terrell and 11 by Allie Friesen.
Hays moves on the to the semi-finals to face off against WAC foe Great Bend who they beat at the end of last season. Great Bend beat Olathe North 42-36.
The Hays High Indians raced out to a 9-0 lead over Colby in the first 80 seconds of the game and then backed it up with a 16-3 run to lead 27-7 after one quarter. The Indians pushed the lead to 30 at half 50-20. Twelve different players saw time in the first half with nine scoring.
Indians Highlights
The Hays starters played roughly the first four minutes of the third quarter as the Indians pushed their lead to 39 by the end of the third leading 66-27. Both teams cleared the benches in the fourth quarter as Hays moved to 1-0 with a 77-40 victory.
Isaiah Nunnery and Keith Dryden led the team with 14. Maddux Winter scored a career high 10. In all 15 played for the Indians and 12 scored.
Coach Rick Keltner
Hays will take on Olathe North in the semi-finals. The game is a rematch of the 2014 championship won by the North Eagles.
Each of Saturday’s 2-1A state championship contenders had something in common. Neither Phillipsburg or Troy had ever won a state football title. In fact both were playing in their first ever state title game.
Neither offense could get much going early in the game, it was the Troy defense that scored the first points of the game. Phillipsburg had held Troy on 4th and goal from the one yard line, but two plays later the Panthers fumbled the football back into the endzone. The Panthers recovered but were tackled in the end zone for a Troy Trojans safety. Troy then held Phillipsburg to three plays and a punt and struck on a 45 yard touchdown pass from Reid Greaser to Cuttar Huss. The extra point put Troy up 9-0 with 3:40 left in the first quarter.
Phillipsburg would find find their rhythm on offense in the second quarter. Kirk Coomes capped off an 11 play 62 yard drive with a seven yard touchdown run. Troy struck back with a wild 56 yard pass on third down from Greaser to Chris Winkel and tacked on a two point conversion to go back up 17-8. Just 1:06 later Kirk Coomes broke off a 54 yard touchdown run and again added the two point conversion getting the Panthers within a point at 17-16.
Phillipsburg held Troy on 4th down with 4:00 to go in the first half, but had their drive stalled at the 25 yard line following a penalty.
Coach JB Covington
Troy started the second half with the football once again got inside the red zone again but could not score. Phillipsburg turned their opening drive into a score on a 62 yard Kirk Coomes run, taking their first lead of the game at 22-17. Troy took the lead back, 23-22, with their longest drive of the game, 11 plays and 66 yards, scoring on a Greaser to Winkel three yard pass with 4:13 left in the third quarter.
Phillipsburg ensuing possession ended after a bad snap on a punt attempt, giving Troy the football at the Panther 28 yard line. The Panther defense would hold on fourth down with one of the seven Phillipsburg sacks on the day. The first break in Trojan offense came early in the fourth quarter. Phillipsburg would sack and force a Trojan fumble recovered by the Panthers at the Troy 26 yard line. Kirk Coomes would rumble in for his fourth touchdown of the day. The touchdown came on 4th down from the four yard line. Coomes accounted for all 30 points as he ran in the two point conversion giving Phillipsburg a 30-23 lead. The Panthers had two opportunities to add points over the final ten minutes but punted the ball after three plays each time.
Troy scored after the second of those two punts on the fourth touchdown pass by Greaser, this one again to Cuttar Huss. Troy however did not convert on the two point conversion leaving the score 30-29 with 3:17 remaining.
Troy attempted an on-side kick but touched the ball just before the minimum ten yard requirement. Phillipsburg would drain the final three plus minutes off the clock but not with out drama. The Panthers were set up with 4th and four and following a time out went with a hard count to draw Troy offsides. The result of the first down allowed Phillipsburg to take three knees out of the victory formation and win 30-29.
Mark Coomes
Sophomore Kirk Coomes led the way for Phillipsburg with 243 yards rushing and four touchdowns. He scored all 30 of Phillipsburg’s points scoring on three two-point conversions.
Troy’s quarterback Reid Greaser went 17-24 for 298 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Hays High senior Taylor Groen-Younger has loved the game of volleyball since the fourth grade. Thanks to hard work, she will be continuing that volleyball career for at least two more years. Groen-Younger signed her National Letter of Intent on Monday to play volleyball for Pratt Community College.
Taylor Groen-Younger
Her coach Christin Nunnery said aside from the sets that every player likes, it is Groen-Younger attitude that shines when she is on the court. Nunnery said that you can see her love for volleyball during every point of the match.
When the offer was made, it was simply to good to pass up on, that’s why on Monday Hays High senior Isaiah Nunnery signed his National Letter of Intent to play college basketball at Fort Hays State University. Nunnery knew he wanted to play college ball and when factoring in his family, the city of Hays and his family’s history at FHSU the fit was perfect for the 6’3″ guard that has played both point and shooting guard.
Isaiah Nunnery
Both Nunnery’s mom and dad competed at Fort Hays. Christin, a former Hays High Indian and current HHS volleyball coach, played volleyball for the black and gold. Tim was a standout on the FHSU basketball team.
Isaiah has been playing on varsity for Rick Keltner’s Indians since his freshman year. Nunnery was part of the 2013-14 team that went undefeated in the regular season and finished fourth at the 5A state tournament.
Coach Rick Keltner
Nunnery has played in 69 games in his career. In those games he has scored in double figures 19 times, 18 of those coming in his junior season where he also finished fifth in single season assists. His 467 career point put him 36th all time, he is also 8th in assists and 12th in steals, with still a full season to go. Practice started on Monday with two-a-days for the upcoming season that begins December 3rd with the Hays City Shoot-Out.
