By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
For the second straight game Hayden girls basketball faced a tough test against a Class 6A opponent.
And for the second straight game the third-ranked (Class 4A) Wildcats passed that test, taking control down the stretch in a 56-41 Centennial League road win at Topeka High.
Freshman Hailey Schmidtlein (2) scored a game-high 19 points in Hayden's 56-41 Centennial League win at Topeka High Tuesday night. [Photo by Kylee Manthe/Special to TSN]
Hayden, which pulled out a 46-44 win over Washburn Rural last Friday, improved to a perfect 8-0 overall and 2-0 in the league while Topeka High fell to 3-3, 0-1.
"When (the Trojans) had a little run in the fourth quarter, it was another opportunity like we had Friday to test our toughness and I thought our girls answered and being able to close it out was big,'' Hayden coach Carvel Reynoldson said.
The Wildcats trailed by a point (11-10) at the end of the opening quarter but used a 20-9 second quarter to take a 30-20 lead at the halftime break.
Hayden never trailed the rest of the way, leading by as many as 15 points midway through the third quarter and by a game-high 17 (56-49) with a minute left, but the Wildcats had to fight their way through numerous mini-runs by the Trojans, who got as close as seven points (46-39) with four and a half minutes remaining before the visitors took control behind freshman Hailey Schmidtlein, who scored eight straight points down the stretch.
Hayden freshman Hailey Schmidtlein (2) scored 8 straight points down the stretch as the Wildcats pulled away for a 56-41 win at Topeka High Tuesday night. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
Schmidtlein led all scorers with 19 points while seniors Millie Ramsey and Brylee Meier added 13 apiece for the Wildcats.
"Hailey really played great the whole game because we put a lot on her plate defensively and then we fed her the ball twice down the stretch for big layups and then she got steals and breakaways and she was big for us,'' Reynoldson said.
"I think we played good,'' Schmidtlein said. "There were a few moments where I felt we were a little soft, but that's just how every game is. We got some good shots, Brylee was on fire and we kept finding her and I think we had a great game all around.''
Senior Brylee Meier scored 13 points with three 3-pointers in Hayden's 56-41 road win at Topeka High. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
Hayden senior Millie Ramsey fought through foul trouble to score 13 points, nine in the second half, in the Wildcats' 56-41 win at Topeka High. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
Meier hit three 3-pointers in the second quarter to help Hayden build its lead while Ramsey overcame first-half foul trouble to score 9 of her 13 points after halftime.
"We started the game off running two great sets and missed layups on both of them and we got stagnant because I felt like we were missing some pretty easy shots and Brylee gave us a huge spark with that run of 3s that she had,'' Reynoldson said. "That really helped our momentum.''
Freshman Hailey Caryl tied for team-high scoring honors with 11 points in the Topeka High's 56-41 loss to Hayden Tuesday night. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
Sophomore Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton and freshman Hailey Caryl scored 11 points apiece to lead Topeka High while senior Jo'Mhara Benning added 7 points and 11 rebounds.
HAYDEN GIRLS 56, Topeka High 41
Hayden 10 20 13 13 -- 56
Topeka High 11 9 12 9 -- 41
Hayden (8-0, 2-0) -- Schmidtlein 8-15 2-2 19, Ramsey 6-12 1-2 13, Reid 1-2 0-4 2, Meier 5-13 0-0 13, Greco 3-13 0-0 7, Walter 0-0 0-0 0, Foster 0-0 0-0 0, Huscher 0-0 0-0 0, Borjon 0-0 0-0 0, Watts 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 24-56 3-8 56.
Topeka High (3-3, 0-1) -- Short 1-1 2-2 4, Marshall 2-7 0-0 4, Rayton 4-14 3-5 11, Caryl 5-13 1-2 11, Benning 2-8 3-5 7, Triplett 1-3 2-3 4. Totals 15-46 11-16 41.
3-point goals -- Hayden 5 (Meier 3, Schmidtlein, Greco). Total fouls -- Hayden 12, Topeka 11. Fouled out -- none. Technical foul -- none.
