By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
HUTCHINSON -- The Hayden girls bounced back from a semifinal defeat at the hands of eventual Class 3A champion Silver Lake to claim third-place honors at the state tournament in Hutchinson Saturday.
Hayden celebrates its third-place finish in the Class 3A state tournament Saturday in Hutchinson. [Photo by Kyle Grunert/Special to TSN]
Hayden poses for a team picture after finishing third in the Class 3A state tournament Saturday in Hutchinson. [Photo by Kyle Grunert/Special to TSN]
The Wildcats took down back-to-back defending champion Goodland in a low-scoring battle in the third-place game, winning the consolation game, 50-39.
Hayden scuffled to just three points in the first period, but slowed Goodland to just eight in the same period. Then the Wildcats got untracked to score 16 in the second period, grabbing a 19-14 halftime advantage.
The Wildcats stretched that lead to 34-24 after three periods. Hayden held on as Goodland tried to rally in the final quarter.
Junior Norma Greco scored 15 points to lead Hayden in Saturday's 50-39 win over Goodland in the Class 3A state tournament. [Photo by Kyle Grunert/Special to TSN]
Hayden was led by junior guard Norma Greco, who hit five of 10 attempts, including two three pointers, to rack up 15 points. Senior Lauren Sandstrom tossed in 10. Amelia Ramsey collected seven rebounds to go with her seven points.
Hayden rebounded from a disappointing defeat at the hands of Silver Lake on Friday. The much-anticipated battle with the eventual champs could have knocked the wind out of the Wildcats. But Hayden rallied after a slow start Saturday to score at least 15 points in each of the final three periods to win going away.
The Wildcats send off three seniors in Sandstrom, Avery Grunert, and Reagan Huscher.
Hayden finished the season with a mark of 21-5.
HAYDEN GIRLS 50, GOODLAND 39
Goodland 8 6 10 15 -- 39
Hayden 3 16 15 16 -- 50
Goodland (21-5) – Mitchek 3-10 5-6 12, Linton 2-5 0-0 4, Blochlinger 4-9 0-0 8, Hope Biermann 0-3 3-4 3, Haley Biermann 2-4 2-4 6, L. Cure 0-3 0-0 0, A. Cure 1-3 2-2 5, Martin 0-2 1-2 1, Quain 0-0 0-0 0, Spresser 0-0 0-0 0, Gabel 0-0 0-0 0, Nemechek 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 12-39 13-18 39.
Hayden (21-5) – Sandstrom 3-8 2-4 10, Ramsey 2-6 3-3 7, Meier 1-7 4-4 6, Grunert 1-4 0-0 3, Greco 5-10 3-4 15, Reagan Huscher 1-4 0-0 2, Reid 0-0 0-0 0, Fulton 1-1 4-6 7, Reese Huscher 0-0 0-0 0. Totals:14-40 16-21 50.
3-point goals – Goodland 2 (Mitchek 1, A. Cure 1), Hayden 6 (Sandstrom 2, Greco 2, Grunert 1, Fulton 1). Total fouls – Goodland 18, Hayden 16. Fouled out – Haley Biermann. Technical fouls – None.
