What a difference a couple of years makes on the high school hardwood. Just two short seasons ago, the Hays High Lady Indians went 4-14, winning just two Western Athletic Conference games. Just two short seasons later, Hays entered Friday's action at 13-4, and a perfect 6-0 in the WAC. A win on Friday would give them the conference championship.
The Lady Indians would jump out to the early lead, starting the game on a 7-2 run and by they end of the quarter they found themselves on top 15-4 on the strengeth of 8 points from junior Katelyn Schumacher. The Lady Buffaloes turned it over 9 times in the first quarter.
Things settled down on the second quarter, and by the break the Hays lead was 21-13. Schumacher had 12 at the break, Paige Lunsford 10.
In the second half, Garden City came alive, ending the third quarter on a 10-2 run, to cut the lead to three points after three. And it looked like Hays was on the ropes. On the first play of the forth quarter, Lady Indians leading scorer Lunsford, fouled out.
But the rest of the team stepped up. Hays started the forth on a 6-0 and fought off all Garden City runs, and there were plenty in the forth quarter. The Lady Indians also hit their free throws down the stretch hitting 13-16 in the forth quarter. Hays gets the 48-43 victory. Schumacher lead the charge with 17 points and 10 rebounds.
"It was nice to see some other people step up and play," said Hays girls head coach Kirk Maska. "I'm proud of the girls effort and how hard they've worked."
With the win the Lady Indians wrapped up at least a share of the WAC title. And the Garden City boys could do the same with a win over Hays. But the yound Indian teams were coming off an upset win over Abilene on Tuesday and brimming with confidence.
Garden City jumped out to the early lead, but Hays never let them build the margine up to large, so the Bufs were up by just three after one.
In the second quarter, Garden City ballooned the lead to as much as seven, but they just couldn't put the Indians away, letting Hays hit three big treys to end the half on a 12-2 run. Indians lead 28-26 at the break.
The two played to a virtual stalemate in the third quarter, with Garden coming out of it with the slight advantage, 34-35.
But the Indians lived by the three and died by the three, hitting just one in the forth quarter. And at the other end, the Buffaloes where hitting their free throws. That allowed Garden City to pull ahead for the 55-49 victory. With the win, Garden City claims at least a share of the WAC crown as well.
