Hayfork boys, girls take early league leads

The Hayfork High School Timberjacks survived a rough-and-tumble match against Maxwell with a strong second half en route to a hard-fought 69-56 victory Friday night at home against the Maxwell Panthers.

Earlier in the week the Jacks won in a laugher over Champion Christian 60-24, with three players in double figures. Ryan Gonzales led with 17 points followed by Donald Ferguson with 15 and Scott Harrison 10 points.

In the game against Maxwell, Harrison led all scorers with 17 points followed by Donald Ferguson with 14 and Ricardo Hernandez and Ryan Gonzalez with 12 each. Ray Eslick scored 7 and Jesse Ferguson added 3 points. Ben Jackson and Matt Carlo each scored a basket against the Panthers.

Harrison scored 5 of his points in the first quarter and Hernandez and D. Ferguson each scored 4 for a Timberjacks lead of 18-15 after one. Eslick added a 3-pointer and Gonzalez also had a basket in the first stanza.

The Panthers rallied to tie the game at 21-21 and 23-23 early in the second quarter and actually moved into the lead 30-29 late in the quarter. Free throws by D. Ferguson regained the lead at 31-30 and a free throw by Hernandez, followed by a Harrison basket gave the Timberjacks a 34-30 lead as the first half came to an end.

The Panthers scored the first 4 points of the second half to tie the game at 34-34. Baskets by Jackson and Harrison gave the Timberjacks 38-34 lead, but the Panthers responded with two baskets of their own to once again tie the score at 38. Hayfork regained the lead 40-38 on two free throws by Matt Carlo, but a 3-point basket by Maxwell gave them a 41- 40 lead.

The Timberjacks responded with an 11-point run with Harrison hitting a 3-pointer as did D. Ferguson, and Gonzalez made two free throws before another 3-pointer by Ferguson gave the Jacks a 10- point lead at 51-41. A basket by Maxwell as the quarter ended made the score 51-43 Hayfork.

The Jacks outscored the Panthers 18-13 in the final quarter for the 69-56 final score. Gonzalez scored 6 and Hernandez and Eslick each scored 4 points in the final stanza, with Harrison and Ferguson each scoring 2.

Jesse Ferguson, who had to be taken from the game in the second half on a stretcher, was diagnosed with a strained and bruised sternum but is expected to return to action.