By DUSTIN ARMBRUSTER
Hays Post
HAYS - Hays honored their 21 seniors on the roster thirty minutes before kickoff. The Indians had more points than seniors by the end of the first quarter on their way to a 56-12 win over Liberal.
The win secured the outright Western Athletic Conference title. It is the third consecutive season the Indians have won or shared the title. That is a first in program history.
Hays scored on their first six drives of the first half. Malik Bah scored on a ten yard run. Carter Graham threw to Wyatt Kirkpatrick for two points after a botched snap/hold. Kyreese Groen scored on a six yard run and Bryce Salmans from five yards for a 22-0 lead after one quarter.
Bah scored twice more in the second quarter on runs of 26 yards and 20 yards. In between the scoring runs Groen found Johnny Cano on a 23 yard pass. The Indians had the ball at the Liberal one yard line before letting the first half clock run out leading 43-0.
The defense allowed just 66 yards and Liberal did not cross the 50 yard line before halftime. Deondre Broom intercepted a pass and Slade Salmans forced and recovered a fumble in the first half.
Highlights
The second half opened with a long kickoff return by Trent Summers to set up the Indians at the Liberal 33 yard line. Hays started a continuous clock second half when Carter Graham ran in the first of his two second half touchdowns from 13 yards away and a 50-0 lead.
Liberal scored the first of their two touchdowns on their next touch of the ball when Brooks Kappelmann hit Izzy Rotolo on a 69 yard pass. Graham added his second touchdown of the night on a fourth down run of four yards.
Liberal's Trystian Juarez finished off the scoring with a 54 yard touchdown run.
Coach Tony Crough
Hays gained just 337 yards for the 56 points as they started nearly every possession in Liberal territory. Liberal gained 210 yards, 123 on their two touchdowns.
Malik Bah ran for 112 yards and three scores. He now has 1180 yards rushing and 18 rushing touchdowns.
The Indians improve to 6-1 and finish conference play 4-0. Liberal falls to 2-5, 0-4.