ANNISTON — The Hayden boys basketball team saw its season end on Tuesday night at No. 6 Anniston by a count of 85-44.

The Bulldogs never trailed and strung together a 9-0 run in the first quarter followed by an 8-0 run to help them secure a 35-24 halftime lead. Hayden couldn’t keep pace with a strong Anniston offense that caught fire in the final frame.

The Bulldogs connected on ten of their 17 fourth-quarter shots to swell a 56-31 game into an 85-44 final in the opening round of the state playoffs.

Anniston’s Quintarius Croft ended the evening 4-of-9 from beyond the arc to bolster a 22-point outing. Willie Thomas pitched in with 16 and DeQuan Ross added another 15 points to the host’s cause.

For the Wildcats, Colton Shirley led the way with 16 points, 12 of which came courtesy of 3-point makes. Ryan Sanderson also got in double figures, ending the game with ten points.