Hays High resumed Western Athletic Conference play on Friday night by hosting Garden City. The final three games of the regular season for the Indians feature matchups against conference foes.
Girls
Hays High 43, Garden City 14
Hays High allowed just four field goals for the entire game in a 43-14 win over Garden City. The win also claimed at minimum a share of the Western Athletic Conference title. Their first since 2012.
Hays led 1-0 over the first three minutes of the game before they hit the game's first field goal for a 4-0 advantage. Garden City made one of their four field goals thirty seconds later to close the gap down to 4-3. It was the closest Garden City was rest of the night.
Hays closed the first quarter on a 9-2 run then scored the first three points of the second quarter for a 16-5 lead. Garden City scored just one point in the second eight minutes of play. Hays scored the final five points before halftime, including a basket as time expired for a 21-6 advantage.
Hays led by 18 twice in the third quarter. They took a 24-6 lead with an early three pointer and then led again by 18 by hitting a free throw late in the third at 30-12.
Garden City was on a 11:55 drought before scoring their only points of the fourth quarter. The Indians scored once more to close out the game with a 43-14 victory. It was the least amount of points Hays has allowed this season.
Hays was led by 11 points from Katie Linenberger and 10 out of Zoe Winter. Garden City's KJ Pinchon scored 10.
The Indians had nine of their ten players in the game score. They tied a season high with 36 rebounds. Nine of the ten plays also grabbed at least one rebound.
Hays improves to 13-5, 6-0. Garden City falls to 9-10, 1-6.
Hays will honor their senior on Tuesday when they host Dodge City in the last regular season home game of the season.
Boys
Hays 63, Garden City 44
Hays outscored Garden City 31-17 in the second half on their way to a 63-44 win over the Buffaloes. The win gave Hays a minimum share of the Western Athletic Conference title.
Hays and Garden City traded the lead six times in the first half and were tied on three occasions. The Buffaloes led at 6-5 and 9-8. The Indians took over the lead at 13-11 through the first quarter.
Hays built a handful of five point leads in the second quarter. Leading 22-17 the Indians saw Garden City go on a 7-0 run to take a 24-22 advantage and force a Hays timeout.
It would be the final lead of the game for Garden City. Hays scored back to back field goals to go up 26-24 and closed out the first half with a 32-27 advantage.
Hays slowly stretched out the lead through the second half. Runs of 6-2 and 7-4 in the third quarter propelled the Indians to a 47-37 lead heading to the fourth quarter. It was the Indians first double digit lead of the night.
The biggest run the Indians would go on through the night closed out the game. Leading 52-41 Hays went on a 11-1 to take their biggest lead of the night at 21 points. Garden City scored in the final seconds to make up the final score of 63-44.
Dawson Ruder recorded his double-double with 20 points and 15 rebounds. Jack Weimer added 18. Brody Burns led Garden City with 11 points.
Hays improves to 12-6, 6-0. Garden City falls to 8-11, 3-4.
Hays will honor their seniors on Tuesday when they host Dodge City in the last regular season home game of the season.