Girls
Hays 60, Liberal 55
Hays snapped an eleven game losing streak to the Liberal Redskins with a 60-55 victory on Friday night.
Liberal didn't score for the first four and half minutes but the Indians built just a 2-0 lead. The Redskins took the lead and built it to seven by the end of the first quarter at 13-6. The Redskins led by seven on four different occasions, the last at 20-13.
Hays chipped the lead down to three at half time 27-24.
The Indians opened the second half on a 6-0 spurt taking a 30-27 lead and forcing a Liberal timeout. Hays increased their lead to six at 37-31. That advantage was their largest all game. Hays scored 23 points in the third quarter after 24 points in the entire first half. That was enough for a 47-45 advantage going to the fourth.
Liberal started foul early to get the ball back but Hays was able to make 11 of 16 fourth quarter free throws. They needed each one of them as Liberal had taked a 50-47 lead with 5:40 left in the game. The Redskins though scored just five points the rest of the way leaving Hays with a 60-55 victory.
Molly Martin led all scoring with a career high 25. Eight different players scored in the Indians season high 60 points. Hailey Contreras led Liberal with 20.
Both teams are now 4-3. Hays starts conference play at 1-0. Liberal begins at 0-1.
Boys
Hays 61, Liberal 26.
Hays allowed just five second half points as they ran away from Liberal for a 61-26 score to close out 2023.
The Indians scored the first four points and never trailed. The Redskins closed within one point just once and two points on two occasions. Hays led 11-8 at the end of the first quarter beating the clock with the final two points.
Hays used a 9-4 run to build their biggest lead of the half at 28-19. Liberal scored the final points of the half with Hays entering the locker room with a 28-21 advantage.
The second half was dominated by the Indians. Hays allowed just one field goal and five total points over 16 minutes. The Indian offense countered with 33 points.
Hays outscored Liberal 22-3 in the third quarter and 11-2 in the fourth. The final five minutes of the game was continuous clock after the Indians pushed their advantage to 32 and led to a 61-26 victory.
Izaac Fox and Jack Weimer each scored 16. For Fox it is a new career high. Dawson Ruder added 10.
Both teams are now 3-4 on the season. Hays starts the conference race at 1-0 and Liberal at 0-1.
Next action for the Indians is January 12th against Garden City.