By RANDY GONZALES

rgonzales@dailynews.net

Payton Walker scored almost as many points as Wheatland-Grinnell all by herself.

In Friday night's semifinals of the Class 1A Hays sub-state, Walker scored 24 points for Weskan in a 46-25 win over Wheatland-Grinnell at Felten Middle School. Weskan was scheduled to play Wilson in Saturday night's title game. Wilson defeated Thunder Ridge, 25-17.

"She's such a good player, my go-to guy," said first-year Weskan coach Troy Okeson of Walker, a 5-foot-10 senior forward who also had a game-high nine rebounds. "She's there whenever we need a basket.

"All-around great player," he added.

Okeson preaches to his players the need to get off to a fast start. That's what the Coyotes did both offensively and defensively to start the game.

Walker scored the game's first two baskets, and Weskan's defense put the clamps on Wheatland-Grinnell.

"What I told them, first two minutes of the first half and first two minutes of the second half are key for me," Okeson said.

Weskan (22-2) shot 71 percent (5-of-7) from the floor in the first quarter while holding Wheatland-Grinnell (10-14) to 17 percent shooting (1-of-6) to take an 11-2 lead.

The Coyotes made five out of their last six shots in the second quarter, including a 3-pointer from Walker with five seconds left, to take a 25-10 halftime lead.

Weskan made its first two shots of the third quarter for another fast start, but made three free throws the rest of the period while missing its last six shots from the field and turning the ball over seven times. The Thunderhawks couldn't take advantage, scoring just five points in the period. Weskan led 32-15 entering the fourth quarter.

Walker ended the game with a flourish, scoring 10 points in the fourth quarter. She finished shooting 8-of-9 from the floor as Weskan made 50 percent of its shots (17-of-34).

Wheatland-Grinnell shot 22 percent (9-of-41) for the night. The Thunderhawks got nine points from sophomore Megan Heier.

Okeson knew his team had already beaten Wheatland-Grinnell twice this season, and that his squad had the best record at the sub-state. But all that didn't matter to him.

"You've got to come out and play all 32 minutes, no matter who you're playing," Okeson said.

Wilson 25, Th. Ridge 17

Both teams had trouble scoring, but Thunder Ridge had to foul late, and Wilson made 5-of-9 free throws in the final 1:35 to hang on for the victory.

Wilson (16-8), which didn't make a basket in the third quarter, got a bucket from junior Taylor Rena Schoenhofer at the 7:53 mark of the fourth quarter to give the Dragons a 19-16 lead.

Thunder Ridge (12-12) got a free throw from junior forward Sammy Krueger with 6:23 left to get within 19-17, but the Longhorns wouldn't score again.

Wilson sophomore Sarah Lanter made a free throw with 5:20 left, then neither team scored until the Dragons started going to the line late in the game. Senior Megan Zelenka made three foul shots and Schoenhofer canned a pair of free throws in that stretch.

Schoenhofer finished with a double-double, scoring 10 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. Wilson made 22 percent (8-of-37) of its shots for the game.

Krueger led Thunder Ridge with 11 points as the Longhorns had just two players score. Thunder Ridge shot 17 percent from the floor (5-of-30).