By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
Efficient offense and rugged defense powered Hayden's boys to a 69-51 win over Perry-Lecompton Thursday at Royal Valley and into the sub-state final.
Senior Dom Ridley paced Hayden with 18 points in Thursday's 69-51 sub-state win over Perry-Lecompton. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Wildcats will face Sabetha at 5 p.m. Saturday at Royal Valley with a Class 3A state tournament berth on the line. Sabetha improved to 19-3 by defeating Hiawatha Thursday by a score of 48-41.
Hayden shot a blistering 61 percent from the field Thursday, including eight 3-pointers against the Kaws. The Wildcats used a big first quarter to build a lead and never let up
“The guys just competed tonight,” said Hayden coach Trey Brown. “It’s something we’ve talked about all year, just putting together 32 minutes. In the first quarter we got up early, and in the second and third they kind of punched us in the mouth. But we handled it well and made a run there in the fourth.”
The Wildcats came out on fire, scoring 24 points in the first quarter to just 12 for Perry-Lecompton.
Freshman Mason Becker scored 15 points with four 3-pointers in Thursday's 69-51 Hayden sub-state win over Perry-Lecompton. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Hayden freshman Mason Becker connected on all three of his attempts from behind the arc in the first period to provide nine points. Dom Ridley added seven in the opening period.
Perry-Lecompton put the brakes on Hayden in the second period, limiting the Wildcats to just 10 points. But the Kaws could only cut the deficit by two and trailed 34-24 at the half.
Ridley scored 11 more points in the second half to lead the Wildcats with 18. Connor Hanika chipped in 10 after halftime. Hayden pulled away to such an extent that the final three minutes of the game was played by reserves from both teams.
Hayden sophomore Connor Hanika, who scored 12 points, battles a Perry-Lecompton player for a loose ball in the Wilcats' 69-51 sub-state win over Perry-Lecompton. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Senior Carter Charvat scored 13 points for Hayden in Thursday's 69-51 sub-state win over Perry-Lecompton. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Wildcats had several players who were extremely efficient offensively. Becker hit all five of his attempts for 15 points. Hanika missed just one attempt, going 6-7 for 12 points. Carter Charvat hit 6-8 attempts to finish with 13.
Ridley credited the Wildcats’ defense for jumpstarting the offense.
“The game really depended on defense,” Ridley said. “Once our defense got started, everything came with it. When we get off to a great start, it feels great and it all grows with it. We shared the ball and got everyone in it.”
Perry-Lecompton got 15 points from Ronnie Baker, 12 each from Tyler Reed and Eli Dean, and 10 from Ayden Graves.
Hayden entered sub-state as the six seed due to their 5-14 regular season record. Perry-Lecompton, 13-7 on the season, was the No. 2 seed. But records and seedings didn’t matter when the two teams met Thursday.
Playing in the Centennial League, Hayden takes its lumps against 5A and 6A schools. The rugged schedule has them prepared come playoff time.
"We tell the guys from Day 1 that the league that we play in is very hard, especially for the size of school that we are,” Brown said. “So, everything we go through in the regular season is going to prepare us.
“We’ve got lots of flaws, but we found ways to fix some of them. We’re still working, and the best thing is that we’re coming together at the right time.”
As one of the only Wildcats to experience the trip to 4A state two seasons ago, Ridley understands that a challenging regular season pays off in the end.
“It really does help us.,” Ridley said. “We play a lot of (big) schools during the regular season, so when we come to sub-state, we play 3A schools that we haven’t faced as much and it helps us. I feel like we’re really putting the pieces together now.”
Brown watched some of Sabetha’s win over Hiawatha in the early contest Thursday. He believes the Wildcats are ready to take on the top seed.
“They’re a very good team. They’ve got some good athletes. They’re a big, strong team,” Brown said. “But as long as our guys play the way they have the last two games, we should be able to compete. That’s all you can ask for.”
HAYDEN BOYS 69, PERRY-LECOMPTON 51
Hayden 24 10 18 16 -- 69
Perry-Lecompton 12 12 17 10 -- 51
Hayden (7-14) – Colboch 2-5 1-2 5, Charvat 6-8 1-2 13, Ridley 6-13 3-3 18, Becker 5-5 1-1 15, Hanika 6-7 0-0 12, Kuta 0-1 0-0 0, Mitchell 1-1 0-0 3, Deister 0-1 0-0 0, Grace 1-2 1-1 3, Kidd 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 27-44 7-9 69.
Perry-Lecompton (14-8) – Reed 5-13 2-5 12, Baker 6-12 1-2 15, Essman 0-1 0-0 0, Dean 6-14 0-0 12, A. Graves 3-5 1-2 10, Kaniper 1-1 0-1 2, E. Graves 0-0 0-0 0, Krein 0-0 0-0 0, Metcalfe 0-0 0-0 0, Habiger 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-46 4-10 51.
3-point goals – Hayden 8 (Becker 4, Ridley 3, Mitchell), Perry-Lecompton 5 (Graves 3, Baker 2). Total fouls – Hayden 19, Perry-Lecompton 13. Fouled out – Charvat. Technical fouls – None.
