By JUSTIN BURKHARDT
TopSports.news
Friday was the season-opener for the Class 3A No. 2-ranked Hayden girls basketball team and the Wildcats rolled to a 74-12 home non-league victory over Kansas City-Washington.
The Lady Wildcats took off from the tip with a 15-0 run before Washington scored their first basket of the game.
Hayden then went on a 36-1 run to go into halftime with a commanding 51-3 lead to but put the game away.
The hosts were led by 5-foot-6 junior Norma Greco, who finished with 17 points in three quarters.
“Thanks to my teammates for forcing turnovers and dishing assists for easy layups” Greco said. “I’m really excited to play with this team, we have a great group of girls and we have hopes for big things this season.''
“She played really well,'' Hayden junior Brylee Meier said of Greco. "She can be a quiet player at times but tonight she showed some of her potential.”
The Wildcats got 14 points from Meier, a 6-foot junior.
“Coming into this year we have a lot of chemistry together and hoped that would transfer over and tonight everybody played good.” Meier said.
"We came out with good intensity early, and the girls shared the ball well until there was a good shot and they took it.” Hayden coach Carvel Reynoldson said.
The Wildcats enter the season No. 2 in 3A after making the 4A state tournament a year ago.
“It will be a new experience for us,'' Reynoldson said of the move to 3A. "We have a good experienced group this season and I’m excited to be their coach.''
“There is definitely pressure on us, but as a team we are confident that this is gonna be a great year for us, the team chemistry is amazing and we are all excited to get this season started,” Meier said.
Hayden will compete next week in the Paul Terry Classic at Emporia, facing Spring Hill in Thursday's opening round.
HAYDEN GIRLS 74, KC-WASHINGTON 12
KC-Washington 2 1 7 2 -- 12
Hayden 21 30 15 8 -- 74
Kc-Washington (0-1) – Hunter 2-4 0-0 4, Rodriguez 1-2 0-0 2, Richardson 0-2 0-0 0, Reynolds 0-2 0-0 0, Bradley 1-2 0-0 2, Howard 0-0 1-2 1, Emery 1-2 0-2 3, Drew 1-2 0-0 2, Adejo 0-2 0-0 0. Totals:6-18 1-4 12.
Hayden (1-0) – Greco 5-7 7-8 17, Meier 6-8 0-0 14, Sandstrom 3-7 0-0 6, Mitchell 2-3 0-0 4, Grunert 5-10 0-0 10, Fulton 3-5 0-0 8, Reid 1-2 0-0 2, Reese Huscher 0-1 0-2 0, Reagan Huscher 2-2 1-2 5, Borjon 1-1 0-0 2, Watts 2-4 0-2 4, Connell 1-2 0-2 2 . Totals: 30-52 9-24 74.
3-point goals – Washington 1 (Emery), Hayden 4 (Meier 2, Fulton 2, ). Total fouls – Washington 19, Hayden 6. Fouled out – None. Technical fouls – None