By RANDY GONZALES

rgonzales@dailynews.net

After Tuesday's playoff win over Great Bend, the players on the Hays High School girls' soccer team huddled together at midfield and shouted in unison: "14-4!"

Indeed, the Indians are now 14-4 on the season after beating the Panthers 3-1 at the HHS field in South Central Regional 3 of the Class 5-1A State Championships.

No. 4 seed Hays High (14-4) moves on to play No. 3 Wichita/Kapaun-Mt. Carmel (16-2) at 6 p.m. Thursday at Friends University in Wichita. The Crusaders defeated Valley Center 8-0 on Tuesday.

Hays High, now 4-9 in postseason games in program history, has advanced to three previous regional title games and lost each time. A win Thursday would be another achievement in a record-breaking season.

"After today, only 16 teams left in the state," Hays High coach Chris Michaelis said. "Just go out, play hard -- don't be in awe of who we are playing."

Great Bend (8-10), a Western Athletic Conference rival which had lost both earlier meetings with HHS this season, played the Indians tough. Sophomore Alicia Segura scored in the 38th minute to make it a one-goal game at halftime, 2-1.

Great Bend thought it had the equalizer early in the second half, but senior goalkeeper Lindsey Dinkel came up with the big save in the 45th minute.

Great Bend junior Larami Klein, who was in goal the first two times the teams played this year, played in the field on Tuesday. Her hard shot from 20 yards out seemed destined to beat Dinkel to the near post, but the HHS keeper made a headlong dive to her left, and with her outstretched hands deflected the ball away from the goal.

"That may have been the best save of her career," Michaelis said. "That was huge; that would have been a 2-2 game."

Hays High made it a two-goal game again in the 56th minute. Junior Elisha Schultz's blast from 20 yards out beat Panther junior keeper Karla Garcia and deflected off the near post and into the net. It was Schultz's eighth goal of the season and the team's 42nd of the year, breaking the old record of 41, set in 2001.

Junior forward Kelsey Hedlund had two good scoring opportunities to break the single-season individual record for goals; she has 13, as does Emily Disney (2005). But Hedlund's hard shot hit the cross bar in the 41st minute, and the left-footed striker used her right foot for a weak shot in the box in the 80th minute that Garcia had no trouble making the save on.

Hedlund did have an assist, on the game's second goal. In the 20th minute, Hedlund delivered a through ball to senior forward Betsy Dreiling, who was in a race with Garcia, who came off her line. Dreiling beat the Great Bend keeper to the ball and chipped it over the diving Garcia. Dreiling was flying through the air after tumbling over Garcia as the ball went through the net for her eighth goal of the year.

Hays High opened the scoring in the 11th minute. Dreiling made a run on the right side, then served the ball into the box. Sophomore Jessie Steffen got the first touch on the ball, which then went off a Great Bend defender and into the goal. It was Steffen's sixth goal of the season.

"I don't care what athletic event it is, if you score early -- first at-bat, touchdown -- momentum is huge," Michaelis said.

After getting the early lead, the HHS back line maintained it, despite the one breakdown late in the first half which led to the Great Bend goal which prevented the Indians from setting a new single-season record for shutouts in a season. Hays High still has nine, tied with the 2005 team.

A big part of the Indians' success on defense has been junior Liz Shelton, who has had to learn a new position this spring.

Shelton is more comfortable now, but at the beginning of the season ...

"At first, I was really nervous," Shelton said.

The Indians' sweeper said "speed and communication on the field" have been integral in the defense's success this year. HHS has now allowed 16 goals this year; the record of 19 goals allowed was set in 2000.

Throw in the steady play of the two returning starters in back, Dinkel in goal and junior Jennifer David, and Hays High is in position to break the mark for fewest goals allowed.

"Not very often you set records for goals scored and goals allowed in the same year," Michaelis said.

Hays High 3, Great Bend 1

Great Bend (8-10) 1 0 -- 1

Hays High (14-4) 2 1 -- 3

First half

Hays High -- Steffen (Dreiling), 11th minute.

Hays High -- Dreiling (Hedlund), 20th minute.

Great Bend -- Segura, 38th minute.

Second half

Hays High -- Schultz, 56th minute.

Goalkeepers -- Garcia, Great Bend; Dinkel, Hays High. Saves -- Garcia, 6; Dinkel, 3.