By Dustin Armbruster
Hays Post Sports
Great Bend, KS - The 90th meeting between Hays High and Great Bend came in the quarterfinals of the 5A playoffs. The second playoff meeting between the two longtime rivals went to Great Bend 29-22.
Hays (8-3) held the opening possession for 6:47 but couldn't score. The drive lasted 12 plays and included two fourth down conversions. Three flags on the last set of downs forced a punt by the Indians.
The short punt set up Great Bend (11-0) on the Hays 47 yard line. The Panthers also converted on fourth down to keep their possession going. Ian Premer scored on a 31 yard run with 2:06 left in the first quarter for a 7-0 lead.
The teams traded punts into the second quarter. Hays struck for the first time on a drive that started on their own 45. Five plays later Zane Viegra threw the first of his two first half touchdown passes. A 22 yard post route found Jarek Purdy in the back of the end zone with 6:18 left before halftime. The Carson Moore extra point tied the game at seven.
Great Bend held the ball until there was less than a minute left in the second quarter. A fourth down touchdown pass from Daxton Minton to Cooper Ochnmach on fourth and goal from the three gave the Panthers a one score lead again at 14-7.
The Indians returned the squib kick to the 39 yard line. With no timeouts remaining Hays found Purdy for a five reception and then Holden Lind burst free for a 41 yard run. Viegra then threw his own fourth down touchdown pass, finding Lind for a nine yards. Moore's extra point tied the game with eight seconds left before halftime.
Highlights
Each team punted to begin the second half. However, after the ball was spotted following the Indians' punt a penalty was called that forced Hays to punt a second time. This one was blocked out of the back of the end zone for a touchback and a 16-14 score.
Minton found Premer on fourth and six for a 21 yard score and 23-14 lead with 55 seconds left in the third quarter.
Hays drove a season long 16 plays on the next drive. The Indians though were turned away from the end zone at the three yard line. A high snap on the next play was fumbled by the Panthers and recovered by the Indians' Johnny Rigler at the goal line. Braxton Basgall scored two plays later. Basgall then threw a pass on the two-point conversion to Lind for a 23-22 game with 5:35 remaining in the game.
Great Bend grabbed the onside kick and scored just three plays later on a 51 yard pass. The extra point was blocked for a 29-22 game with 4:00 left.
The Indians embarked on their final drive from their own 13 yard line. Hays drove the field with every yard coming on the ground. The drive though came up short by four yards. The Indians had first down and goal from the eight but couldn't manage a final score as the final pass was knocked down in the end zone.
Coach Tony Crough
Holden Lind ends his career with 357 carries 3,866 yards for school records in both categories. He ended the night with 204 yards rushing. The Indians outgained the Panthers 352 to 297.