BY JAYCEE DALE
A tough first-round playoff game in the Class 5A state playoffs wasn’t a good thing for the Hays High School football team Thursday night.
It resulted in a 33-12 loss to Maize South at Lewis Field Stadium, ending the Indians season at 5-3.
Maize South came out swinging, scoring an early safety in the game, then following it up with a touchdown to take control with a 9-0 lead.
Hays High failed to get anything going offensively, being shut out during the first quarter.
The Mavericks, a team HHS lost to by one point two weeks earlier, weren’t going to stop there, adding another TD in the second quarter. The lead ballooned to 23-0 at halftime.
The Mavericks’ defense continued to dominate in the third quarter. Hays High failed to gain any ground on offense, and Maize South scored again to make it 30-0.
The Indians finally found the endzone on a run by junior Jaren Kanak, trimming slightly into the margin.
But penalties didn’t help the Indians’ chances at a comeback. Maize South added a field goal to push the advantage to 33-6.
A long pass play from Jordan Dale to Carson Kieffer helped the Indians march down the field in the fourth quarter. It helped lead to another HHS score late.
The Indians recovered an onside kick, but an interception ended any hopes of a miracle comeback against the Mavericks.
The loss ended the season for HHS, which won the Western Athletic Conference title earlier this year, which was the first time the Indians accomplished that feat in six years.
