Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — All year long Hayden has struggled in the third quarter, and Tuesday night would not be any different as the Steamboat Springs junior varsity took advantage to break open a close game.

The Sailors outscored the visiting Tigers 21-11 to take a 52-43 lead into the fourth quarter.

"The third quarter kills us every time," said Matt Ray, Hayden's head coach. "We play strong in the first half and then we come out in the third quarter with no intensity.

"I'm very disappointed. They gave up tonight. You could see it in their effort."

Hayden may have struggled in the third quarter, but the Sailors played their best quarter of the season, said Mike Sherrill, the Sailors coach.

"We came in at halftime, and we challenged them to play defense," Sherrill said. "This program is built on defense. It's good to see them rise to the challenge."

Hayden led at halftime 32-31. In the second quarter, the Tigers took control of the game led by the play of senior point guard Matt Walden.

Walden scored nine points in the second period as the Tigers built a five point lead with about two minutes to play.

The Sailors responded by battling back. When the Sailors Rod Beall nailed a 3-pointer with a minute left in the quarter the junior pulled his team within one going into halftime.

The Sailors opened up the third quarter by scoring seven unanswered points. Leading the Sailors was sophomore John Daschle, who finished the game with 16 points.

The Sailors opened up their biggest lead in the fourth quarter when sophomore Brian Hopp scored on a lay up to put his team up 60-43.

The Tigers responded by scoring eight unanswered points, but the game was put out of reach when the Sailors Cory Moore hit a 3-pointer to extend the lead to 63-51.

Moore, a sophomore, would score the Sailors final six points of the game. Moore finished with 10 points.

The Tigers were led in scoring by Walden who had 17 points.

With the win the Sailors improved to 3-8 on the season. The Tigers dropped to 3-10.

Ray is hopeful his team will rebound on the road against Grand Valley Friday night.

"If we play like this on Friday, we will get killed," Ray said.