Craig Daily Press / Tigers basketball breaks into regional tournament

Archive for Saturday, March 7, 2009

Caitlin Mahanna’s steal gives Hayden girls overtime win

March 7, 2009

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)

Steamboat Springs — The game had been over for nearly four hours, but Hayden girls basketball coach Eric Hamilton's emotions still were so raw late Friday night he had trouble even remembering exactly what had happened.

"That," he said, pausing, "that was awesome."

Hayden High School advanced to today's regional championship basketball game at Standley Lake High School in Westminster with a 48-46 overtime victory against the region's No. 1 seed, Lutheran Parker.

Hayden scored late in regulation to tie what had been a back-and-forth game, then took a lead late in the overtime period after senior guard Caitlin Mahanna stole the ball at half court and coasted in for a layup with five seconds remaining.

"We just hung in there," Hamilton said. "Our girls never gave up. That was an awesome steal Caitlin made."

Mahanna led the team with 13 points, but her last two were by far the largest. Nothing was going Hayden's way early in the extra time. Senior Holli Salazar, who finished with 10 points, fouled out, and the Tigers fell behind by three.

Sophomore Delanie VeDepo cut through the lane for a layup to cut the lead to one. After the Lions added one free throw, Kylee Sweetser sank a pair of free throws to tie the game.

Mahanna came up with her steal as Lutheran Parker tried to work the ball up the court and break the tie.

"We gutted it out," Hamilton said.

The win set up a showdown today against Limon for a chance to advance to the eight-team state tournament.

Limon, the third-seeded team in the four-team regional, also pulled an upset in advancing past second-seeded Holyoke.

"They are a very aggressive defensive team," Hamilton said. "We will have to take care of the basketball and hopefully use our size advantage to score with our post players.

"It will be another tough game."

4th quarter dooms boys

The Hayden boys basketball team hung with Lutheran Parker for much of Friday's regional playoff game and trailed by just two points as the final quarter started.

The Lions rode a wave of free throws over an exhausted Tigers team, however.

Lutheran Parker won the game, 70-48, at Standley Lake High School in Westminster, ending Hayden's season.

"It was a combination of us running out of gas and them playing very well and hitting their free throws," Hayden coach Mike Luppes said. "We were really pleased with the effort by our team tonight. They did a great job all year, and I was glad we were able to get this far."

Lutheran Parker, the top seed in the four-team regional, attacked Hayden with a taller lineup, but the Tigers found success throughout the game driving into the lane and drawing fouls.

Senior Zach Barnes made nine of 11 free throw attempts and finished with a team-high 13 points.

Graig Medvesk added nine points and scored six in a third quarter in which Hayden cut a six-point halftime deficit to just two points, 44-42.

"We were able to push the ball a little bit and got some fast breaks," Luppes said. "We took it at them and forced the action to make them adjust."

The Lions' adjustments in the fourth quarter made all the difference. They made 11 of 14 free throws in the last eight minutes alone. Once Hayden started fouling, Lutheran Parker was able to turn a close game into a comfortable win.

"We played for three quarters, as well as we have played all season," Luppes said. "They were just a little more fresh at the end, and we weren't able to respond."