Hays High hit the road for their longest road trip of the regular season as the Indians resumed Western Athletic Conference play in Liberal. Both the Hays teams entered as the conference leaders with 4-0 marks
Girls
Hays High 59, Liberal 49
Hays High made 10 of 12 free throws over the final 1:36 of the game on their way to a 59-49 victory over Liberal.
Liberal led for most of the first quarter and built a lead of 11-6 through the first seven minutes. Hays though scored the final five points of the quarter including a thirty foot three pointer by Riley Dreher that beat the first quarter buzzer to tie the game at 11.
The Lady Red scored the first two points of the second quarter before Hays launched a 9-0 run that gave the Indians their first lead of the game. It was a lead they never gave back. Liberal got within three points at 21-8. Hays scored the final five points of the quarter and again beat the end of quarter buzzer for a 26-18 halftime lead.
Liberal outscored Hays 15-14 in the third quarter. They pulled within one possession twice at 33-30 and 35-33. Hays again scored the final five points of the quarter and again just beat the buzzer to lead 40-33.
The Indians converted a steal and layup early in the fourth quarter for a 42-33 advantage. The Indians though went cold from the field. Liberal took the next three minutes to pull within one point at 42-41. The Lady Red had a free throw to tie the game but couldn't convert. Hays was leading 49-46 when Liberal started to foul, hoping for missed free throws. The Indians made 10 of 12 free throws to win 59-49.
Hays was led by the 18 points from Molly Martin. Katie Linenberger added 13. Hailey Contreras scored 16 for Liberal.
Hays moves to 11-5, 5-0. Liberal drops to 12-5, 3-2.
Girls WAC Standings
Hays 5-0
Liberal 3-2
Great Bend 3-2
Dodge City 1-3
Garden City 0-5
Boys
Hays 66, Liberal 32
Hays used an 11-0 run in the first quarter to seize control of the game in a 66-32 victory over Liberal.
The Redskins led 2-0 and 4-2 but the 11-0 run put Hays up 13-4 with just under four minutes left in the first. Hays led 21-11 after the first quarter.
They continued to grow their advantage through the second quarter. The Indians outscored Liberal 18-5 in the second quarter. Dawson Ruder had a double-double by halftime as the Indians led 39-16.
Hays eventually led by 40 in the fourth quarter and went on to win 66-32.
Nine different players scored for Hays led by the 16 points and 11 rebounds of Dawson Ruder. Jack Weimer scored 15 and Edwin Muller added 11. Eleven players entered the game for Hays High. Liberal's Zayden Martinez scored a team high 11 points.
Hays improves to 10-6, 5-0. Liberal falls to 5-12, 0-5.
Hays starts a stretch of three straight home games by hosting Abilene on Tuesday.
WAC Boys Standings
Hays 5-0
Great Bend 3-2
Dodge City 2-2
Garden City 2-3
Liberal 0-5