By Dustin Armbruster
Hays Post Sports
GREAT BEND - Hays High closed out the regular season with a road trip to Great Bend on Friday. The Indians made the trip with the while as they return with a pair of undefeated Western Athletic Conference championships.
The titles won by both programs marks just the second time it has happened for the Indians since the formation of the WAC. The other occasion occurring in 2024.
Girls
#4 Hays 68 - Great Bend 26
Hays had no trouble in a 68-26 road victory over Great Bend.
The Indians scored the first 14 points of the game before the Panthers jumped on the scoreboard with 2:20 left in the first quarter. Hays answered by scoring the next 13 points over the final two minutes of the first quarter and first three minutes of the second for a 27-2 lead.
Hays (21-1, 8-0) led by as many as 37 in the first half. That margin came after another big run that followed the Panthers' second field goal at the 4:30 mark of the second quarter. This time the Indians scored 14 straight points for a 41-4 advantage. Great Bend (4-18, 1-7) hit their first three, and third first half field goal, with a bank in trey to beat the first half buzzer at 41-7.
Highlights
The large halftime lead allowed Hays to work on different player combinations through most of the second half. The Panthers were able to outscore Hays in the third quarter 15-14. The Indians took a 55-22 edge to the fourth quarter which started the continuous clock.
Hays had one big run left in them as they scored the first 11 points of the quarter in the 68-26 victory.
Coach Len Melvin
Hays made a season high 30 field goals in the contest. The Indians complete their third consecutive undefeated league championship.
Jenna Schmeidler scored 12 points to push her season total to 438 and establishes a single season scoring record. Lori Billinger previously held the record at 435. Zoe Winter led the way for the Indians with a game high 19 points.
Hays will be the #2 seed in the 5A West Sub-State.
Rupp 7, Schmeidler 12, Humphrey 2, LaBarge 7, Koerner 0, Cunningham 0, Armbruster 9, Turner 6, Newell 0, Harrington 2, Buckles 4, Winter 19.
Boys
#9 Hays 67 - Great Bend 52
Hays used a big first half run to grab a lead they never relinquished in a 67-52 victory over Great Bend.
Great Bend grabbed three early leads at 2-0, 4-2, and 7-6. The last of those leads came at the midway point of the first quarter before Hays took control. The Indians scored eight quick points which was the beginning of a 19-5 run that lasted for 7:10.
The big run covered the end of the first quarter, when Hays led 18-11, and then continued until there was 4:50 remaining before halftime. The conclusion left Hays with a 25-12 advantage.
Great Bend went right back at the Indians. The Panthers went on their own 13-2 run over the next three minutes to force a Hays timeout at the 1:30 mark. The Indians still clung to a slim 27-25 lead. Hays scored on their next three possessions out of the time out and grabbed a 34-25 lead at halftime.
Highlights
Great Bend was never closer than seven points rest of the night. Hays took three separate ten point leads before surging ahead by twenty later in the third quarter. Leading 39-32 with six minutes left in the third, the Indians outscored Great Bend 16-3 over the next four minutes for a 55-35 edge.
Hays led 56-38 heading into the fourth quarter which forced Great Bend to rely on three point shooting. The Panthers made four of twelve attempts in the fourth quarter. It helped Great Bend get within 12 at 64-52 with just over a minute remaining.
Hays made three of their final four free throws for the 67-52 victory.
Coach Sean Dreiling
Hays shot 52% in the victory and outrebounded Great Bend 32 to 21. The Indians finish undefeated in WAC play for the first time since the 2021-2022 season.
Dawson Ruder recorded his fifth double-double of the season with 33 points and a season high 14 rebounds. He was two points shy of the career high 35 points he scored earlier in the season. Trey Oakley added a season high 14.
Hays will be the #5 seed in the 5A West Sub-State and will play at home on Tuesday.
Pfeifer 7, Homeier 0, Oakley 14, Harmoney 7, Fox 4, Smalley 2, Day 0, Ruder 33, Loving 0.