Hays High hosted Dodge City on Friday for their homecoming game at Lewis Field Stadium.
The Indian’s defense allowed just 65 yards in the first half and forced the Red Demons into four punts on just three plays. Hays opened the game on a nine play seventy-six yard drive that ended in a Palmer Hutchison eight yard pass to Hayden Brown for a score.
Neither team threatened to score for the remainder of the first quarter. Just two plays into the second quarter, Hutchison combined with Mason Ibarra on a 64 yard passing score for a 13-0 lead. Hays again marched down to the Red Demon eight yard line but did not score following an incomplete pass after a low snap on a field try. Hays then started at the 33 yard line of the Red Demons but lost the ball on four downs.
Following that series, Hutchison picked off a pass near midfield and returned it for a score. The extra point put Hays up 20-0 at halftime.
Highlights
Beau Foster and Jaiel Johnson account for over 75% of the Dodge City offense and they turned the tide in the second half. The Red Demons scored on their first drive of the third quarter then added another score following a Hays fumble on the first play of the Indian’s drive. In less than six minutes, Dodge City cut the lead down to 20-14. The Indians though answered to establish a 19 point lead early in the fourth quarter.
After Hays recovered a blocked punt that hit a Dodge City player past the line of scrimmage, Palmer Hutchison scored from three yards out. On the first play of the fourth quarter Hutchison hit Hayden Brown on a screen play, scoring from 48 yards out and pushing the Hays lead to 33-19.
Coach Tony Crough
The final minutes were all Dodge City. The Red Demons scored 20 unanswered points in just seven minutes to take a 34-33 lead. The final score coming on hook and ladder play, the first play of the drive with 3:34 left in the game.
Hays drove to midfield but fumbled the ball with 2:19 left and then would get the ball back one last time but lose the ball on downs.
Hays falls to 2-4 on the year and finishes 1-3 in the Western Athletic Conference. Dodge City moves to 3-3 and 1-1.
Hays will host Buhler next Thursday for Senior Night at Lewis Field Stadium