Hays High capped eight straight road games that started with the final game of 2024 as they traveled to Great Bend Friday.
Girls
#2 Hays 65, Great Bend 39
The Hays girls moved up six spots in the coaches' poll to #2 ahead of their game with the Panthers. A 34-1 first half run provided more than enough cushion for Hays to pull out a 65-39 victory.
It was a slow start for Hays. Great Bend hit four of their first five shots and led 9-2 midway through the first quarter. The Indians started getting to the free throw line and closing the gap. Hays closed the first quarter with a 16-0 run and then scored the first six points of the second quarter.
The 22-0 run put Hays up 24-9 two minutes into the second quarter. Great Bend hit one of two free throws before the Indians scored 12 straight to lead 36-10 three minutes later.
Hays led 42-15 at halftime and were never threatened in the second half.
Highlights
Hays started the third quarter slow as well but Great Bend could only take four points off the Indian lead. Hays pushed their advantage to 30 by the end of the third quarter at 58-28.
The Indians grabbed a 65-39 victory after a continuous clock fourth quarter.
Coach Len Melvin
Hays(12-0, 3-0) has won fourteen consecutive WAC games. Great Bend(4-10) falls to 0-3 in league games. The 65 points and 34 rebounds for Hays was right at their season average.
Hays returns home on Tuesday. It is their first home game since December 13, 2024.
Jenna Schmeidler 15; Annie Humphrey 0; Katie Linenberger 10; Molly Martin 11; Kenlee Winter 7; Morgan Armbruster 3; Jaysa Roa 0; Kinslee Newell 0; Riley Dreher 6; Lynsi Kanak 5; Molly Buckles 6; Zoe Winter 2; Liz Cunningham 0; Rylen Harrington 0.
Boys
#4 Great Bend 64, Hays 52
An 11-0 run by Great Bend to open the second gave the Panthers a lead they would never give up as they beat the Indians 64-52.
The game featured eight lead changes and four ties. Seven of those lead changes and three ties all happened in the first half. The two teams traded blows through the first quarter. The Indians knocked down a trio of three pointers to boost themselves to a 12-8 lead through eight minutes.
Great Bend started the second quarter with a 8-2 run that gave the Panthers a 19-14 lead. Hays again started knocking down threes and made three more to lead 27-24 at halftime.
Highlights
The big 11-0 run for Great Bend opened the third quarter. The Panthers led 35-27 before Hays scored their first points of the half with 4:11 remaining in the third. Hays never got any closer that five points rest of the way. The Indians trailed 43-37 with under a minute remaining in the quarter when Great Bend scored four quick points to increase their lead to ten points going the fourth.
The Panthers led by as many as 16 points at 56-40 before Hays tried to mount a comeback. The Indians got lead down to ten at 56-46 on a pair of technical free throws and had the ball but turned it over.
Hays got the lead down to nine inside of two minutes and eight inside a minute but couldn't get shots to drop to draw closer, falling 64-52.
Sean Dreiling
Hays(7-6, 2-1) has four losses to state ranked teams this season. Great Bend(13-1, 3-0) takes over the WAC lead. The Panthers have won ten straight.
Carter Lang 0; Johnny Cano 10; Trace Jacobs 0; Cooper Lindenmeyer 2; Trey Oakley 5; Tiger Johnson 17; Izaac Fox 1; Dawson Ruder 17.