The stage was set for the Hay Springs Boys Basketball team as they took care of business in the opening round of the Class D2-12 Sub-District Tournament and earned a berth into the championship game.
Awaiting the Hawks was a familiar foe, the Cody-Kilgore Cowboys, with a trip to District Final on the line for both teams.
To get to that game, the Hawks ousted the Sioux County Warriors on Tuesday, February 20.
The home team would control throughout that game, taking a 31-4 halftime lead.
The bench players got plenty of action in the second half and the final score ended at 49-23 in favor of the Hawks.
That set the stage for the Sub-District Championship on Thursday, February 22.
The Cowboys made the trip for the highly anticipated contest between the rival schools.
The first half was tightly contested with the Hawks clinging to a small lead heading into the break, 29-27.
When the scoreboard switched the quarter over to the 3rd, the Hawks would come alive.
35 points poured in for Hay Springs in that quarter as the offense awoke, stunning the Cowboys to a 64-46 deficit.
The momentum would continue in the fourth quarter as the home team would secure the Sub-District Championship, 80-60.
Junior Dylan Young led the scoring with 22 points.
Senior Gage Minkten and junior Hunter McDonald chipped in 19 points a piece as well.
Mintken dished out 8 assists and McDonald stole 7 balls as well in the win.
The Hawks secured their spot with the victory in the Class D2-6 District Final.
The opponent would be the same as the year previous, the Wynot Blue Devils.
The teams would meet up in Ainsworth, Neb. to play the contest on Monday, February 26.
Just as the year previous, the Blue Devils overwhelmed the Hawks from the tip.
When the final horn sounded, Wynot was headed to State with a 74-34 win.
Individual statistics were not available at the time of print. A full season recap will be printed in next week’s issue.
The Hawks finish the 202324 season with a 16-7 overall record.