By DUSTIN ARMBRUSTER
Hays Post
COLBY - The Hays High girls wrapped up day three of the Orange and Black Classic in Colby with a 1-2 record after a 44-34 loss to Olathe East on Saturday. The Hays boys defeated Liberty (Colo.) 63-42 and won their last two games after an overtime loss to Goodland in the first round and placed fourth.
GIRLS: Olathe West 44, Hays 34
The Hawks from Olathe opened the game with a 3-pointer and led the entire game. Hays was never able to tie or take the lead but had plenty of opportunities.
Their best chance came while down one point in the third quarter at 27-26. Hays had the ball three times at the end of the third quarter and twice at the beginning of the fourth but was unable to secure the lead.
The fourth quarter was owned by the Hawks as they outscored Hays 17-8 for the 44-34 win.
Hays was led in scoring by Molly Martin who scored 13. She made three, three pointers to set the career three point makes record at 97. She breaks the record of Melissa Beyer who made 2001 from 1997 to 2001.
Both Hays and Olathe East are 6-5 on the season.
Boys: Hays 63, Liberty (CO) 42
The Hays High Indians came into the final day of the 39th Colby Orange and Black Classic battling for fourth place against Liberty High School out of Colorado. The Indians used a big third quarter to win 63-42.
After halftime the Indians trailed the Lancers 31-30. An offensive explosion in the third, pushed the Indians to a 50-37 advantage. Hays High outscored Liberty 19-7 in the quarter. The Indians offense relied on the production from Sophomore Izaac Fox who scored six in the frame.
Throughout the fourth quarter the Indians kept building their lead. In the fourth the Indians' highest lead was 18 points.
In the beginning of the game the Indians and Lancers went back and forth, as it was a fast paced game. Hays High kept pace with the Lacers with 11 first half points from senior Edwin Muller.
Hays High came into the game 3-0 in the fourth place game in the Orange and Black. The last time the Indians were in the fourth place game was 2019.
Liberty had two scorers in double figures as 6-10 junior Landon Praytor finished the game with 18 points and led all scorers. Liberty also had freshman Cameron Cunningham finish with 17 points.
The Indians finished with three double figure scores in Muller with 15 points, Sophomore Dawson Ruder with 13 points, and Fox finished with 11.
The Hays High Indians claimed their fourth place finish, and will back at home Friday, January 26th against the Great Bend Panthers.