By DUSTIN ARMBRUSTER
Hays Post Sports
Both the Hays High girls and boys played for the championship of the 43rd Gerald Mitchell Hays City Shootout on Saturday evening. It marked the 23rd tournament were the same school had both teams in the tournament finals.
Girls: Hays 61, Manhattan 53
The first of two battles between Hays and Manhattan went to the hometown Hays Indians 61-53 for the Gerald Mitchell Hays City Shootout championship.
The teams were tied four times in the first quarter including at the end of the first at 11 points each. Brynlee Rupp scored just before the first quarter expired to tie the game.
Hays (3-0) fell behind by five at 16-11 as it took the Indians over two minutes to score the first points of the second quarter. Jenna Schmeidler scored six of her tournament finals record 32 points to get the Indians going on an 11-0 run and take a 22-16 advantage.
The Indians led by as many as eight later in the quarter on a Ramiyah Turner basket with fifteen seconds left until halftime. Manhattan (2-1) hit a field goal right before the first half buzzer to close the gap down to 27-21.
Highlights
The first half of the third quarter belonged to Manhattan. They scored the first seven points to lead 28-21 with 3:10 remaining. Schmeidler and Morgan Armbruster hit back-to-back three pointers twenty seconds apart to steady the ship at 33-28. Hays would never trail again.
Hays entered the fourth quarter leading 35-32 and quickly grew the lead back to eight. Schmeidler scored six straight points for the Indians that gave Hays a ten point lead each time.
The Indian lead grew to 12 with two minutes left before Manhattan turned in one last run. Manhattan closed within six points with just inside a minute remaining in the game at 56-50 and five points at 58-53. Hays closed the game out by hitting three of four free throws for the final of 61-53.
Coach Len Melvin
Schmeidler's 32 points reset her career high which she set the night before with 26. She was named the tournaments Most Outstanding Player and to the All-Tournament team. Zoe Winter joined her on the list.
Hays wins back-to-back titles in their own tournament for the first time since the first two years of the Shootout in 1983 and 1984.
Hays will open Western Athletic Conference play on Tuesday by hosting Liberal (3-0.) The Indians have won 19 consecutive conference games.
Rupp 2, Schmeidler 32, Humphrey 0, LaBarge 1, Armbruster 6, Turner 5, Newell 0, Buckles 4, Winter 10.
Boys: Life Prep 57, Hays 51
A rough third quarter cost the Hays High Indians in a 57-51 loss to Life Prep in the Gerald Mitchell Hays City Shootout championship.
The Indians and Life Prep were tied three times over the first five minutes of the game. Noah Smalley scored for the first time on the season to tie the game at three. A pair of Dawson Ruder free throws knotted the score up at nine and the score was tied again at 11.
Life Prep (10-1) led by five after one quarter and then the Indians put together their best quarter of the game. Andre Pfeifer scored four of the eight points in an 8-2 run that tied the game at 20 midway through the third.
Trailing by three Hays (2-1) used a 12-4 run to close out the final four minutes of the second quarter. Izaac Fox scored the first two points on free throws and then Ruder and Trey Oakley each scored five straight. Oakley hit a three pointer as time expired in the first half for the Indians' biggest lead of the contest at 32-27.
Highlights
The third quarter proved to be costly for the Indians. Life Prep went on an 18-2 run that lasted nearly the entire quarter. Smalley hit a basket to momentarily stop the bleeding at 35-34. The Fire scored ten straight points before Bryce Homeier nailed a three with the third quarter clock expiring to make it an eight point game at 45-37.
Fox scored back-to-back field goals to open the fourth quarter bringing Hays within four points at 45-41. Life Prep rebuilt their lead to ten with consecutive three pointers with five minutes left. The Fire would only score six points rest of the way and three of those were on free throws in the final twenty seconds. It was enough though to hold off the Indians 57-51.
Coach Sean Dreiling
Dawson Ruder and Izaac Fox led Hays with 17 and 14 points respectively. They were both named to the All-Tournament team. Most Outstanding Player Quinton Rolle scored 29 for Life Prep. Noah Smalley was name the Most Inspirational Player.
Hays will host Liberal (0-3) on Tuesday to open Western Athletic Conference play.
Pfeifer 4, Homeier 3, Oakley 6, Harmoney 1, Fox 14, Smalley 7, Ruder 17, Loving 0.