By JUSTIN BURKHARDT
TopSports.news
In front of a packed house at Washburn Rural for a big rivalry game on Winter Royalty night a fight ensued between the Lady Blues and the Hayden Wildcats in a game that went back and fourth all night long punch after punch before freshman Maddie Vickery hit the game-winning shot to give Rural a 46-44 Centennial League win.
Freshman Maddie Vickery (middle) hit the game-winning shot in Washburn Rural's 46-44 Centennial League win over Hayden Friday. [File photo/TSN]
“Maddie made some huge plays tonight,” Washburn Rural coach Kevin Bordewick said. “When (teams) clamp down on Zoe Canfield, Maddie is known to kind of say, 'Okay let's go,' but they work so well with each other. Like that last set play, Zoe took her girl clear out of the play and cleared the lane for Maddie and she had a great finish on it.”
Rural would separate itself in the game and the Wildcats would claw back and stay right there, with Rural going into halftime up 28-20 and Hayden coming out after halftime to tie it up 34-34 late in the third quarter.
The Lady Blues were led in scoring by Vickery, who finished with a game-high 18 points.
“It was such a great team win,'' Vickery said. "I think we played really good defense, especially in the first half. We came out hot and battled until the end. We didn't let off the gas. It meant a little bit more because it was our winter formal game, so we wanted the 'W' for sure. To win that game on our home court with such an amazing crowd was pretty special.”
Despite being down eight at the half, Hayden battled back to give itself a chance down the stretch.
“We got down a little bit again,'' Hayden coach Carvel Reynoldson said. "I think we were down eight at halftime and then came back and tied it at 34, so I loved our girls fight again and execution down the stretch.
"We kept driving the ball and just didn’t make enough plays to win it.''
The Wildcats, who beat Rural at Hayden earlier this season, got 12 points from junior Brylee Meier and 10 points from senior Lauren Sandstrom.
"They had chances at the end to get the win and just could not finish it off,“ Reynoldson said. "Playing teams like that can only help us down the stretch when things really matter.”
The Junior Blues will be in action again Tuesday at Topeka High while Hayden will travel to Junction City.
WASHBURN RURAL GIRLS 46, HAYDEN 44
Hayden 11 9 14 10 -- 44
Washburn Rural 16 12 11 7 -- 46
Hayden (13-3 4-2) -- Meier 4-10 0-0 12, Sandstrom 4-9 1-4 10, Fulton 3-6 2-2 9, Ramsey 2-4 0-0 5, Grunert 1-4 0-0 2, Greco 3-7 0-0 6. Totals 17-40 3-6 44.
Washburn Rural (11-5 5-2)– Vickery 5-12 6-8 18, Hinck 2-5 2-5 7, Lemke 2-3 2-2 6, Canfield 1-8 2-2 5, Ochs 1-2 2-2 5, Bunck 2-7 0-0 5. Totals 13-37 14-19 46.
3-point goals – Hayden 7 ( Meier 4, Ramsey, Fulton, Sandstrom), Rural 6 (Vickery 2, Ochs, Hinck, Bunck, Canfield). Total Fouls – Hayden 15, Rural 9.
