With 92 seconds left in their opening game in the Lady Redskins Tip-Off Tournament, Hayden coach John Simmons was standing on the court in the paint, hovering over junior guard Krista Stricklin. She had just made another drive down the lane — a move which she had repeated several times earlier in the contest with Madison County — and was on her back with a possible injury.

The injury turned out to be nothing, and Stricklin was on her feet momentarily. Simmons turned to the official and asked, “Can she shoot [the free throws] or do I have to send in a sub?”

“Offensive foul, coach. She charged,” replied the referee.

Simmons — who had battled over calls with the officiating crew almost since the opening tip — didn’t speak a word. But the look on his face clearly said, “Are you kidding me?”

Stricklin, who had paced the Wildcats the entire game, not only did not shoot, but she sat with five fouls.

And the Tigers took complete advantage of her absence, as they turned a seven-point deficit into a 62-60 comeback victory in the season opener for both teams.

Sophomore forward Hannah Nichols, the dominating force on the Madison County squad, scored seven of their 11 points after Stricklin’s foul-out. She was all over the court the whole way, finishing with a game-high 37 points.

Stricklin scored 28 points, 19 of them in the first half with many of those on transition breaks.

Senior center Madison Durham scored 14 points, and fed Stricklin on several assists in transition.

Guard Grayson Taylor, a seventh-grader playing in her first varsity game ever, scored 10 points for the Wildcats.

Hayden will play Plainview in their final game of the tournament Saturday at approximately 1:30 p.m.