By Tim Huether Bennett County and Hay Springs played back to back girls and boys varsity high school basketball games in the Warrior Center in Martin on Saturday and both games had the crowd on the edge of their seats as they both came down to the last shot of the game.
The girls escaped with a one point win but the boys fell just short as freshman Shooter Frederick’s last second shot was just off the mark and Hay Springs escaped with the two point, 68-66 win.
The crowd was loud and proud at the end of the night with exciting basketball all night long.
Bennett County led most of the first half going on top 16-13 after one quarter with Shooter Frederick knocking down 9 points in that period.
In the second, it was tight all the way with Hay Springs taking their first lead of the game at 30-29 with 2:32 remaining on the clock in the second quarter.
A Blair Louden three pointer put Bennett County up 37-32 but the Hawks finished the half on a 7-2 run to lead 3938 at the half.
The teams play neck and neck in the third and the visiting Hawks were up by one at 53-52.
Hay Springs went up 6054 in the fourth but Bennett County came back and went ahead at 66-62 with 2:30 to play on a Christin Poor Bear basket.
Unfortunately, the Warriors would not score the rest of the game, with Frederick’s desperation shot giving them one last chance, but it was not meant to be as the Hawks held on for the win.
Freshmen Rush O’Neill and Shooter Frederick led the way with 17 and 14 points respectively for Bennett County. Christian Poor Bear added 11 and Hayden Risse 10. Blair Louden added 7, Devon Featherman 5 and Wyatt Huber 2.
Risse had a strong game off the bench for the Warriors.
The JV boys picked up a 40-24 win, led by Hayden Risse’s 12 and 10 from Billy Waln. Wyatt Huber scored 8, Jonathan Tallman 6, Malcolm Herman 2 and Ben Theurer 2.