By Dustin Armbruster
It wasn’t easy…nor should it have been. Hays and Abilene were each coming off their first loss of the season and met up in week 2 of district play, both needing a victory to keep the best picture of the playoffs in front of them.
Things did not start well for Hays High as Abilene took the first play of the game 68 yards for a touchdown by quarterback Hartley Hazlett. Trailing 7-0 Hays reponded with a nine play 77 yard drive capped by a three yard Isaiah Blackmon run. The Indians missed the extra point and trailed 7-6.
Neither team could grab a first half stop. Abilene scored on a Tanner Hoekman 1 yard run answered by a Isaiah Blackmon 2 yard scoring run and with a two point conversion tied the game at 14.
Abilene took the lead again on a Hazlett touchdown pass to Hoekman from 76 yards out. Only to see Hays tie the game at 21 with a Alex Delton one yard quarterback sneak.
Abilene had the ball to end the first half and scored on a one yard dive by Hoekman to take a 27-21 lead after the Indians blocked the extra points.
Hays got the ball to begin the second half, but threw an interception just four plays into their drive. Abilene drove inside of the Indian’s five yard line, but lost the possession downs following a Brendan Ibarra tackle for loss on fourth down. The very next play Hays tied the game up on a 90 yard touchdown run by Delton. The extra point though hit the left upright to leave the game tied at 27.
Abilene scored on the ensuing drive again on a touchdown down pass from Hazlett to Hoekman. Hays again though blocked the extra point leaving Abilene with a 33-27 lead with 1:16 remaining in the third quarter.
The ensuing drive by Hays High looked to be stalled until Delton found Garrett Pfannenstiel for his first career reception. It was a 12 yard catch on 4th and 9. Delton capped off the 4:45 drive with a 17 yard run. Kyler Leiker extra point just made it past the cross bar to give Hays High their first lead at 34-33 with 8:38 remaining in the game.
Abilene drove to the Hays 23 yard line but couldn’t convert on 4th and 10. Hays took over and 12 plays later ran out the clock for the 34-33 win.
Alex Delton led the Indians on the ground with 257 yards and three scores on 24 carries. Isaiah Blackmon rushed for 40 yards and two touchdowns. Connor Rule ran for 41 yards and Hayden Kreutzer finished the game with 57 yards rushing. Hays ended the game with 484 yards of offense. Abilene totaled 402 yards. Hays was 9 for 10 on third downs and converted on the one fourth down they faced. Neither team punted in the game.
Hays with the win moves to 7-1 on the year and 1-1 in district play. Abilene is 6-2 and 0-2.
There are many scenarios that are set up for Hays to potentially make the playoffs, but it all comes down to winning. If Hays wins by 17+ points at McPherson and Buhler beats Abilene, the Indians are playoff bound. If Abilene beat Buhler, Hays only needs to beat McPherson by any margin to become district champions. McPherson moved to 2-0 in district play with a 44-42 in over Buhler. Hays lost to Buhler last week 55-21.