Steamboat Today: Hayden boys, girls win season openers

Archive for Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Barnes sends game to OT, then wins it

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

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Hayden boys basketball, 2008-09

Dec. 2, Hayden 53, Vail Christian 51; (1-0, 1-0)
Dec. 5, Rangely 55, Hayden 52; (1-1, 1-0)
Dec. 11, Hayden 64, Altamont 55 at Meeker Tournament; (2-1, 1-0)
Dec. 12, Meeker 64, Hayden 46 at Meeker Tournament; (2-2)
Dec. 13, Hayden 57, Rangely 46 at Meeker Tournament; (3-2)(
Dec. 18, Hayden 63, Soroco 54; (4-2)
Dec. 20, Baggs, Wyo. 64, Hayden 43; (4-3)
Jan. 9, Hayden 59, West Grand 53; (5-3)
Jan. 10, Plateau Valley 59, Hayden 35; (5-4)
Jan. 17, Hayden 80, De Beque 50;(6-4)
Jan. 20, Meeker 56, Hayden 46;(6-5)
Jan. 23, Hayden 65, Paonia 33;(7-5)
Jan. 27, Hayden 64, Baggs 43;(8-5)
Jan. 30, Hayden 76, North Park 27;(9-5)
Jan. 31, Rangely 58, Hayden 53;(9-6)
Feb. 6, Meeker 73, Hayden 45;(9-7)
Feb 7, Hayden 43, Vail Christian 30;(10-7)
Feb. 13, Hayden 47, Soroco 42;(11-7)
Feb. 14, Hayden 76, North Park 42;(12-7)

Hayden girls basketball, 2008-09

Dec. 2, Hayden 54, Vail Christian 23; (1-0, 1-0)
Dec. 4, Hayden 58, Grand Valley 33 at Meeker Tournament; (2-0, 1-0)
Dec. 5, Hayden 49, Rangely 40 at Meeker Tournament; (3-0, 1-0)
Dec. 6, Hayden 59, North Park 37 at Meeker Tournament; (4-0)
Dec. 12, Hayden 73, Soroco 42; (5-0)
Dec. 13, Hayden 62, Rangely 44; (6-0)
Dec. 20, Hayden 48, Snake River 38; (7-0)
Jan. 9, Hayden 68, West Grand 43; (8-0)
Jan. 10 Hayden 66, Plateau Valley 44; (9-0)
Jan. 20, Hayden 53, Meeker 42; (10-0)
Jan. 23, Paonia 54, Hayden 49;(10-1)
Jan. 27, Hayden 66, Baggs 51;(11-1)
Jan. 30, Hayden 48, North Park 37;(12-1)
Jan. 31, Hayden 45, Rangely 42;(13-1)
Feb. 6, Hayden 50, Meeker 47;(14-1)
Feb. 7, Hayden 59, Vail Christian 22;(15-1)
Feb. 13, Hayden 55, Soroco 39;(16-1)
Feb. 14, Hayden 48, North Park 41;(17-1)

Hayden High School boys basketball player Zach Barnes will have to find a way to get nervous before every game.

Barnes scored a tip-in basket with 2.1 seconds to go to send Tuesday's season-opener into overtime before recording the game-wining putback with 1.8 seconds left to give Hayden a 53-51 win against Vail Christian.

"I had butterflies all over," said Barnes, who finished with 10 points. "Coach told us go for every rebound, and it turned out right."

For the better part of three-and-a-half quarters, however, it looked like the visiting Saints would take the game.

Vail Christian led for the entire first half and took a 26-22 lead into the third quarter. Hayden tied the game at 30 with 5 minutes and 8 seconds left in the third quarter, but Vail Christian responded with a 12-7 run to close out the quarter and head into the final frame with a 42-37 lead.

That lead jumped to 45-37 with 6:46 left in the fourth quarter before Hayden began to chip away.

Murphy Smartt's bucket at the 3:37 mark cut the lead to 45-41. Barnes added a bucket a minute later to trim the lead to 45-43.

After Vail Christian's Elliot Ristow missed the front end of a 1-and-1, Hayden took possession of the ball with 13 seconds left. Smartt missed a shot, but Barnes tipped in the rebound to send the game to overtime.

"That's one of the things we've been doing a lot of talking about is the attitude," Hayden coach Mike Luppes said. "We're never out of the game. Keep playing and keep playing hard. Keep your head up and keep going. We did and excellent job of that."

Hayden jumped out to a quick 50-45 lead in overtime. But the Tigers went 1 of 3 from the free throw line in the final minute to give the Saints a chance. Vail Christian's Will Parker tied the game at 51 with 14 seconds left. It was then Barnes' time to shine, grabbing another offensive rebound and scoring the winning basket on the put back.

"It's wonderful," said Luppes, who got his first win as Hayden's coach. "We've been ready for a game. It's been a while. Starting off with a win is pretty satisfying."

In earlier action, the Hayden girls basketball team easily beat Vail Christian, 54-23. Tigers senior Holli Salazar led the way with 14 points, including seven in the first quarter. Kyra Rolando and Kylie Harris each added six points.

Hayden jumped out to a 32-12 first-half lead and never looked back. In the game, the Tigers had 10 players score.

The Hayden boys play at 6:30 p.m. Friday at home against Rangely. The girls travel to the Meeker Tournament on Thursday.

Soroco cruises to 1st win

The Soroco High School boys basketball team opened its season with a 73-53 win against Moffat County's junior varsity squad Tuesday. Senior Ryan Tibbetts led the Rams with 22 points. Cody Miles added 16, Alex Estes hWest Grand Tournament on Friday.