By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Hayden's boys basketball team let a double-digit lead get away late in regulation before taking command in overtime to take a 53-43 victory at Holton and advance to Saturday's Class 4A sub-state championship game.
Hayden, which improved to 8-13, led 30-22 at the end of the third quarter and by as much as 12 points before Holton (12-9) came storming back to force the extra session with the game tied at 41-41.
Hayden dominated the four-minute overtime period, outscoring the hosts 12-2 to win going away.
Hayden went two of two from the field in the OT and hit seven of eight free throw attempts.
Senior Trent Duffey led Hayden with 22 points while hitting three 3-pointers, including a huge trey in OT.
Junior Joe Otting added 18 points for Hayden while junior Jake Muller scored eight points with a pair of 3s and Dylan Foster six points on two 3s.
Hayden advanced to Saturday's 6 p.m. sub-state final at Wamego to take on the 14-7 Red Raiders, who advanced with a 55-39 semifinal win over Coffeyville.
WASHBURN RURAL BOYS 40, WICHITA SOUTHEAST 38 -- No. 11 Class 6A West seed Washburn Rural rode outstanding defense and timely 3-point shooting to a 40-38 road win at No. 6 Wichita Southeast in a Class 6A sub-state semifinal Wednesday night.
Washburn Rural, which improved to 9-12, did not allow more than 11 points in a quarter, including just six in the first quarter as the Junior Blues opened up a 17-6 advantage.
The Junior Blues also scored more than half their points on 3-pointers, hitting seven on the night.
Rural led 22-17 at halftime and 30-28 at the start of the fourth quarter and was able to hold on for the win.
Junior Jack Bachelor led the Junior Blues with 12 points while Quincey Kidd, Griffin Durst and Wyatt Conklin all added eight points for the Junior Blues.
Bachelor, Kidd and Conklin all hit a pair of 3-pointers for Rural.
With Wednesday's win Washburn Rural advanced to a 6 p.m. sub-state final Saturday at Dodge City.
DODGE CITY BOYS 73, TOPEKA HIGH 37 -- No. 3 West seed Dodge City improved to 18-3 with a 73-37 romp past Topeka High in a Class 6A sub-state semifinal Wednesday at Dodge City.
Topeka High ended its season 4-17 while Dodge City will play Washburn Rural in a sub-state championship game at 6 p.m. Saturday at Dodge City.
SPRING HILL GIRLS 63, HIGHLAND PARK 31 -- Highland Park gave Spring Hill a battle through three quarters Wednesday night before the Broncos finished with 24-5 fourth quarter to turn the Class 5A sub-state semifinal game into a rout.
Spring Hill (15-6) led the Scots 14-9 at the end of the first quarter, 23-12 at the half and 39-26 through the third quarter before the Broncos pulled away for the 32-point victory.
Sophomore Victoria Reed scored all nine of Highland Park's points in the first quarter before sitting on the rest of the game with an injury.
Freshman Amelia Ramsey scored eight points and grabbed 12 rebounds for Highland Park, which finished the season 4-17 after going winless in 2020-2021.