Hayfork hasn't had much luck against Loyalton recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Hayfork Timberjacks will be taking part in a tournament against the Loyalton Grizzlies at 2:30 p.m. Loyalton took a loss in their last match and will be looking to turn the tables on Hayfork, who comes in off a win.
Hayfork is headed in fresh off scoring the most points they have all season. They took their game on Tuesday with ease, bagging a 55-25 win over Dunsmuir. With the Timberjacks ahead 33-9 at the half, the contest was all but over already.
Hayfork found their leader in freshman Sidney Medellin, who posted 15 points and three steals. Another player making a difference was Kaelynn Bayley, who had 12 points and three steals.
Meanwhile, Loyalton came up short against Portola on Friday and fell 41-28. The Grizzlies have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Hayfork will have to contain Catherine Petterson as she made an impact in Loyalton's last game. She posted eight points in addition to five rebounds and four blocks. Petterson is also crushing it when it comes to steals: she's grabbed at least two every time she's taken the court this season. Another player making a difference was Josie Petterson, who had seven points and three steals.
Even though they lost, Loyalton smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 11 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 11 offensive rebounds in five consecutive matchups.
Loyalton now has a losing record at 3-4. As for Hayfork, the victory made it two in a row for them and bumps their season record up to 3-6.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Hayfork has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 30 boards per game. However, it's not like Loyalton struggles in that department as they've been averaging 30.9 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Hayfork took a serious blow against Loyalton in their previous matchup back in December of 2017, falling 56-18. Can Hayfork avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
