BY CAYDEN SANDERS
Hays High traveled to Dodge City High to take on the Red Demons on Friday. Coming into the game both the Indians and the Red Demons had a 4-1 record. HHS’s loss came at the hands of Garden City who Dodge City will take on this Friday night. Dodge City’s loss was to Bishop Carroll, one of the big 5A west contenders when the playoffs begin in early November. When it was all said and done, Hays High had no trouble taking care of the Demons winning 39-17.
Dodge City started their first drive of the game with a touchdown; however, HHS quarterback Jaren Kanak and the Indians answered back with a score of their own, evening the score 7-7.
In the second quarter, the Demons kicked a 50-yard field goal that was one yard shy of the school record of 51 yards. The ball went through the uprights and gave the Demons a 10-7 lead. Hays High answered back with another touchdown from wide receiver Kyreese Groen. The Indians missed the point after, as the Indians now lead the Demons 13-10.
The Indians marched the ball down the field one more time before the end of the half, as tight end Bryce Salmons had a highlight of a catch on a slant route to push the Indians lead to 26-10 at the half.
Coming out of halftime the Indians ran a QB power run to the left giving the Indians another touchdown to add to their lead 33-10. The Indians found the endzone one more time from Roy Maroni to go up 39-10. The Indians gave up a touchdown and a field goal to end the game.
“The win is so important, more than likely at five wins will give you home-field advantage in the postseason. Crazy things can happen, as we are going to compete against the two best teams on our schedule,” Head Coach Tony Crough said. “It was a good win for us and a needed win, but now we got to focus on what comes next in Maize South.”
Hays High finished their season against Western Athletic Conference opponents 4-1 and overall improved to 5-1 on the season. Dodge City, on the other hand, moves to 4-2 on the season and takes on their cross-state rival Garden City. Hays High needs Dodge to win over Garden to have a 3-way tie for the WAC championship, as the Indians are looking to have two straight WAC titles.
Going into week six of the season the Indians dropped to the 5th seeded team in the 5A west division. With this win over Dodge and some of the top teams in the division losing, the Indians are at the top of the 5A west with only two weeks to go in the rest of the season.
With big competition left in the rest of the season as the Indians take on the Maize South Mavericks for homecoming and then travel to take on the 5A west champion last year in Wichita Northwest.
“We have gotten ourselves where we want to be and in the position, but these games are going to be brutal. If we win both of these games then we deserve the number one seed. 5A ball is big boy football and these next two weeks we will see if we are big boys.” Crough said.