Story by MAYAN PAZ Photos by PARKER NISBETH and LEXI HASELHORST
Tiger Media Network
At Fort Hays’s homecoming game, a large crowd of 8,211 people watched the Tigers and the Missouri Western Griffons battle in a close game that went to the wire. In a back-and-forth game, the Tigers found extra energy in the fourth quarter and won the game 31-23. As FHSU’s passing game struggled against the Griffons’ defense, the rushing game, led by Curtis Douglas and Joshua Clark, separated the teams and gave the Tigers the win.
In the second quarter, Douglas found his first touchdown of the game, rushing for 6 yards to cap off a 75-yard drive and giving the Tigers a temporary 14-10 lead. Besides that play, the running game, like most of the team’s first half, didn’t go as planned, but that was only the appetizer for the second half, and particularly the fourth quarter.
Down 23-17, with 14:43 minutes left in the game, the Tigers started a drive in which Joshua Clark carried the ball three times, including an 18-yard rush, to give the Tigers a touchdown and the lead.
FHS Head Coach Chris Brown spoke about how Clark made a change in his mentality in the second half.
“During the season and the game, you talk to him and encourage him a little bit,” Brown said. “You tell him that he can be our guy. And he ran like an animal that is physical, aggressive, sees holes well, and trusts his offensive lineman, the things we’ve been asking him to do, and he’s just now starting to get really comfortable in our offense.”
Clark continued to take over the game, taking responsibility for most of the team’s plays in the next two drives, and finishing the game with 12 carries for 70 yards, the vast majority coming in the final quarter.
Then, with a one-point lead and less than three minutes remaining, Douglas found the spotlight again, breaking through tackles and rushing for 59 yards for another touchdown, sealing the game’s final score.
Douglas carried the ball only four times, but rushed for 73 yards and 2 touchdowns, making the most out of his opportunities. After the game, he spoke with Tiger Media about his ability to make his chances count.
“It’s not about how many plays you get, the reps you get. It’s about the thought behind it, the intentions behind it,” Douglas said. “You know, I treat every play the same, go hard, give it everything I’ve got, and also do it in practice. So when a game comes, it’s really no different.”
Brown also mentioned that Douglas showed higher commitment than usual in practice the week before the game, and that it helped him be at his best against the Griffons.
“We saw him come to the film room, watching with the offensive lineman. And those little things matter, because they get on the same page, understand where double teams are. They understand when the line is going to come off and get to the second level. He trusted his blocks tonight,” Brown said. “In previous games, he didn’t, but tonight, he trusted where it was going to be. He got downhill, ran physical, and ran through some tackles, and as we get to the open field, the kid can go. So now I’m very proud of him. Hopefully, this gives him some confidence,” he said.
FHSU combined for 203 rushing yards, their most this season, and over 50 yards more than their season average. Brown was proud of his running backs and what they provided the team with.
“Those two really got out tonight and showed me what kind of running backs we truly do have in those two young men, and I’m very proud of them,” he said.