Steamboat Today: Hayden girls lossless record ends; boys roll over Paonia

Archive for Saturday, January 24, 2009

Paonia senior Jami Reed spots a way out of the full-court press defense that Hayden's Caitlin Mahanna, left, and Kylee Sweetser apply late in Friday night's game in Hayden. The Eagles outlasted the Tigers to hand Hayden its first loss of the season, 54-49.

By Joel Reichenberger Saturday, January 24, 2009

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Photo by Joel Reichenberger

Hayden High School junior Jarah Woodley tries to drive around Paonia's Leslie Trujillo on Friday night as the Eagles knocked Hayden off, 54-49. The loss is the Hayden girls' first of the season. The team now is 10-1.

Game statistics

Girls: PAONIA 54, HAYDEN 49

Paonia 8-18-14-14 - 54

Hayden 10-9-19-11 - 49

Paonia - Pipher 4 1-3 9, Rienks 6 2-2 16, Godwin 3 4-4 12, Venard 1 0-1 2, Reed 2 4-6 9, Trujillo 1 2-4 4, Campbell 1 0-1 2. Totals 18 12-21 54.

Hayden - Salazar 4 3-4 11, Woodley 2 2-2 6, Mahanna 0 2-2 2, Koehler 4 3-4 11, Sweetser 2 4-5 10, Cromie 4 1-1 9, Vedepo 0 0-1 0. Totals 16 15-19 49.

3-pointers: Paonia (5) - Godwin 2, Rienks 2, Reed. Hayden (2) - Sweetser 2.

Boys: HAYDEN 65, PAONIA 33

Paonia 11-6-7-9 - 33

Hayden 18-15-17-17 - 65

Paonia - Bradford 1 0-0 2, Lund 1 0-1 2, Kropp 1 0-0 3, VanVleet 6 3-5 15, Emmons 5 1-2 11, Ford 0 0-4 0. Totals 14 4-12 33.

Hayden - Barnes 4 0-0 8, J.Engle 3 1-2 7, Z.Engle 3 0-0 6, Medvesk 7 1-2 19, Fulton 2 0-0 4, Zehner 2 0-0 4, Smartt 4 1-2 9, Williams 3 0-0 8. Totals 28 3-6 65.

3-pointers: Paonia (1) - Kropp. Hayden (6) - Medvesk 4, Williams 2.

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 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 — The Hayden High School girls basketball team left the floor Friday night as a gymnasium packed nearly full with their fans gave them an ovation like they haven't heard all year, an entire side of the gym standing to salute the best high school girls basketball team the town has fielded in years.

Unfortunately for the Tigers, the sendoff was in appreciation of the team's perfect 10-0 start to the season, not the 11-0 record a win Friday would have brought. The undefeated streak was snapped in Hayden with a 54-49 loss to Paonia.

The applause did little to help soften the blow.

"Some people said maybe it would help us to lose one game," Hayden senior Elaine Cromie said afterward. "We didn't need to lose this one."

A disastrous second quarter in which Hayden relinquished the lead, picked up a collection of costly fouls and went nearly eight minutes without a field goal proved too much for the team to overcome.

The squad played much better in the second half, eating into a deficit that swelled to as many as 9 points. A string of turnovers caused by a vicious Eagles press and a series of timely Paonia baskets spoiled any chance at a comeback.

The Tigers missed on several opportunities to tie the game within the last minute. A 3-point shot fell away after balancing on the rim when Hayden trailed, 52-49. The team also turned the ball over four times in the final 80 seconds.

Hayden's leading scorer, Holli Salazar, missed much of the second and third quarters because of foul trouble. Although she still finished with 11 points and tied with Rachael Koehler to lead the team, Paonia was successful in slowing her down.

"We didn't handle their pressure defense very well," Hayden coach Eric Hamilton said. "They played really tough defense on Holli, and we didn't get a lot of perimeter shots to go down. Paonia played a great game."

Hayden trailed by seven points at halftime, but it fought back in the third quarter. Cromie scored seven of her nine points in the quarter, pulling her team within two after she was fouled while scoring in the lane. The ensuing free throw made it 40-38.

Still, Paonia repeatedly came up with answers. Jordyn Rienks hit a pair of 3-point shots in the third quarter, part of her game-best 16 points.

"This will be a defining moment for our team," Cromie said. "We're going to show everyone we can take a loss and have it make us better."

Boys take out Eagles

The Hayden boys basketball team allowed Paonia 11 points in the first quarter. The Eagles wouldn't manage double digits in a quarter again as Hayden built a quick lead and never looked back, winning easily, 65-33.

"Our defense has been improving every game. That's helped us all the way around," Hayden coach Mike Luppes said. "If we keep showing up and playing like that, we'll be in pretty good shape."

Sophomore Graig Medvesk led all scorers with 19 points, connecting on four 3-point shots. In all, eight Tigers got on the board as the team's fast-paced attack and full-court pressure turned the game into a rout in the third quarter. The team improved to 7-4.