When the Hays High Indians and Great Bend Panthers get together for a football game you are assured that there will be good football and Friday night was no different.
On the line was the WAC Championship, bragging rights, and oh ya it was the first game of district play as well.
Hays took all of the above in a 31-13 win moving to 6-1 on the season and finished 4-0 in conference play. Great Bend drops to 5-2 and finished 2-2 in the WAC.
Great Bend opened up the game with a 90 yard kick-off return for a touchdown, but holding was called bringing the six points off the board and the Panthers went three plays and punted the ball. Hays scored on their first possession of the game on a 10 play 66 yard drive capped off by an Emilio Mitchell five yard touchdown run. Hays led 6-0 after missing the extra point.
The two teams would trade punts and Great Bend fumbled setting Hays up with their best field position of the game and the Indians capitalized with a four play touchdown drive capped by a 32 yard touchdown pass from Alex Delton to Adam Deterding, their ninth touchdown hook up this season. Hays would fail to convert the two point conversion and lead 12-0.
After a Great Bend punt, Delton threw just his second interception of the season setting up Great Bend for a three play 48 yard drive and an extra point closing the gap to 12-7.
Hays would get one more crack at offense to close the half and score with just ten seconds left on a 40 yard Delton touchdown pass to David Cardinal. Hays again failed to convert the two point conversion for a 18-7 half time lead.
Hays started the second half with the ball and drove 92 yards on 10 plays burning 5:49 off the third quarter clock again scoring on a touchdown pass from Delton to Cardinal this time for 55 yards. The Indians converted on three third downs in that drive alone. Lane Clark’s extra point made the score 25-7.
Great Bend though answered right back in just :50 scoring on a Bryce Beck 21 yard scamper. Adam Deterding blocked the extra point leaving the score at 25-13.
The two teams then would trade fumbles, then punts until Hays orchestrated a four play 58 yard drive Great Bend turned the ball over on downs, the point extra was never attempted after a low snap forced a pass that was knocked down for the final score of 31-13.
Great Bend did drive to the Hays High four yard line having first and goal, but failed to score, giving the Indians the maximum 13 points allowed in a district win. The points matter if a tie needs to be broken.
Hays piles up 406 yards total. 279 yards on the ground and 127 through the air. David Cardinal ran 33 times for 173 yards and one touchdown. Alex Delton was 3-6, 127 yards, 3 TDs and 1 INT. Adam Deterding caught a touchdown pass and David Cardinal caught two touchdowns.
Hays gets Salina South who won in over time against crosstown rival Salina Central next week. Both teams are 1-0 in district play. It will be senior night for the Hays Indians.
Post Game Interview:
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Highlights:
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