The Abilene Cowgirls won for the first time in three years at Clay Center Friday night 30-21.  Abilene ranked #4 in Class 4A improved to 8-0, 5-0 on the season while Clay Center, who is ranked #2 in 3A fell to 7-1, 4-1.  In the second game of the night the Cowboys defeated the Tigers 61-37. It was the 18th straight victory in the series for Abilene.

It was all defense in the girls game.  Abilene was outscored 4-0 in the first quarter but turned the tables as they held the Lady Tigers scoreless in the second quarter.  The Cowgirls would take a 8-4 lead into halftime.  The two teams shot a combined 5-32, 16% in the first half.

Clay Center went on a 9-0 run to start the third quarter, that was capped by a Sophomore, Clara Edwards bucket to make it 13-8 with 3:22 to play in the quarter.  Abilene would close the quarter on an 8-2 run and the game was tied at 16 entering the 4th.

In the fourth quarter the two teams would exchange baskets before Abilene would take the lead for good on a basket by Senior, Sydney Burton, to make the score 22-21with 4:07 to play.  Abilene would win the game at the line and close the contest on a 10-0 run. The Cowgirls were 10-18 at the line in the final quarter with most of the damage being done by Burton and fellow Senior, Hannah Willey.  Willey would finished strong with 7 of her game-high 14 points coming in the final quarter.  She finished 8-11 at the line.  Burton totaled 12 points and collected 7 rebounds and was 6-8 on free-throws.  Edwards finished with 8 points on the night for the Lady Tigers, which was 8 points under her season average.

The boy’s game was never close.  Abilene would lead 17-7 at the end of the first, 35-11 at halftime and 47-25 after three quarters.  The Cowboys led by as many as 30 in the game, and the second half the starters played limited minutes. The Tigers fell to 1-7, 1-4 with the loss.

Abilene will play Thursday in the Salina Invitational Tournament.  The Cowgirls are the #2 seed and will play #7 Andover at Salina Central at 3 PM.  The Cowboys are the #1 seed and will play Salina South at South at 8:15.