An early run gave the Great Bend High School girls’ basketball team all the lead they needed on Friday night against Dodge City.
The Lady Panthers kept pace with the Lady Demons for a Western Athletic Conference win, 50-43, at the Panther Fieldhouse during Winter Homecoming.
“We knew that Dodge City was going to be a tough opponent,” GBHS head coach Carrie Minton said. “We knew they were going to come out and be really aggressive. We knew they were going to be very athletic, so this was the type of game we were expecting.
“We always felt like we were in control, but we could never get that lead to continue to spread. It seemed like we would get a big lead, and they’d force their way back into it a little bit.”
Great Bend is off to a strong start of the season. With the win, the Lady Panthers improve to 7-1 overall, 3-0 in WAC action.
“The WAC is tough, and we know everybody is going to bring their ‘A’ game,” Minton said. “It’s nice for the girls to be able to jump out into that early lead in the WAC race.”
It wasn’t pretty to start with. Both teams had six turnovers after just four minutes, but Great Bend made the most of them.
The Lady Panthers started the game with a 9-2 run.
Morgan Harwood started things off for Great Bend with a layup, followed by Regan Unruh driving the baseline for two points.
Dodge City’s Katrina Roenfeldt, who scored a game-high 18 points, broke up the run with a bucket on the other end.
Harwood picked up a bucket and a foul, but was unable to complete the three-point play. Kylee Spray pulled up for a jumper and Lauren Welsch went to the line, making 1 of 2 free throws.
Great Bend held a decent lead throughout most of the first half. A 7-1 run for the Lady Demons late in the second quarter closed the gap, but Great Bend led 29-20 at halftime.
Great Bend had nine players score in the game, led by McKenna Mauler, who finished with nine points.
The margin stayed the same throughout the third quarter, with Dodge City trailing 37-28 with eight minutes remaining.
The Lady Panthers kept pace with Dodge City in the final period, and held on for the WAC win.
Kaylie Doll and Tarynn Stueder each finished with eight points, and Harwood scored seven.

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
Western Athletic Conference

GIRLS

Friday

At Great Bend
Panther Fieldhouse

Great Bend 50, Dodge City 43
DODGE CITY (3-4, 0-2)
     Brianna Bradshaw 1 3-4 5, Rachel Durler 1 2-3 4, Tiua Bradshaw 4 0-0 8, Jessica Harshberger 2 0-1 2, Katrina Roenfeldt 5 7-8 18, Baily Shelor 1 2-2 4. Totals 14 14-18 43.
GREAT BEND (7-1, 3-0)
     Lauren Welsch 0 3-4 3, Hannah Hildebrand 2 1-3 5, Kelsie Doll 2 1-2 5, Kylee Spray 1 0-0 2, Regan Unruh 1 1-2 3, Kaylie Doll 2 4-5 8, McKenna Mauler 3 2-3 9, Tarynn Stueder 4 0-0 8, Morgan Harwood 3 1-3 7. Totals 18 13-22 50.
Dodge City     6    14    8    15  —  43
Great Bend    13    16    8    13  —  50
      Three-point goals — Dodge City 1 (Roenfeldt); Great Bend 1 (M. Mauler).