By GERARD WELLBROCK
Hays Post
HAYS - Fort Hays State scored on all seven of their first half possessions, six of them touchdowns, and cruised to a 71-3 Homecoming win in front of 6,953 Saturday night at Lewis Field.
The Tigers (3-2) scored 30 points in the first quarter and led 47-0 at halftime as they picked up their 10th straight win over the Blue Tigers (0-5) who have now lost 30-straight games and 20-straight road contests.
It was the second straight home game the Tigers scored over 70 against Lincoln after a 72-0 win back in 2021.
The Tigers defense set the tone early when redshirt-freshman Jaxon Kolzow, who was making his first career start, intercepted a pass on the first play from scrimmage and returned it 29 yards to the Lincoln 31 yard line. FHSU scored their first touchdown four plays later on a on a two-yard Shane Watts run.
Jack Dawson connected with Jayden Horace on a 39-yard touchdown pass on the Tigers second possession pushing the lead to 14-0 a little over five minutes into the first quarter.
Travis Dixon hauled in a 12-yard touchdown pass from Dawson on the third possession.
The Tigers blocked a punt on Lincoln's next possession which rolled out of the back of the endzone for safety.
Horace caught his second touchdown pass with five seconds left in the quarter giving the Tigers a 30-0 lead.
FHSU added 17 points in the second quarter. Ja'Quan Tillis scored on a two-yard run, Jack Dawson a 28-yard run then Carson Arndt kicked a 27-yard field goal at time expired.
Redshirt-freshman Caleb Heavner started at quarterback in the third quarter and ripped off a 67-yard touchdown run on the Tigers second play.
Logan Heigele forced a fumble Lincoln's ensuing kick return which was scooped up by Michael Polley and returned 22-yards for a touchdown. Heigele would score on the next possession on a 61-yard touchdown pass from Heavner to push the lead to 68-0.
The teams traded field goals in the fourth quarter. Lincoln from 30-yards and FHSU from 29-yards off the foot of Arndt with 4:04 to play to round out the scoring.
The Tigers finished with a season-high 582 yards of total offense, to just 146 by Lincoln. Dawson completed 14-of-18 passes for 252 yards and three touchdowns to go along with a rushing score. Jayden Horace caught four passes for 91 and two touchdowns. Heavner went 3-of-3 through the air for 94 yards and a touchdown. He also led the Tigers in rushing with 68 yards on two attempts and a touchdown.
The Tigers gained 346 yards through the air and a season-high 236 on the ground.
Kaleb Pillow led had seven tackles and Parrish Terry had three tackles for loss to lead the defense.
UP NEXT
Fort Hays State returns to MIAA play next week on the road at Missouri Southern. Game time is set for 2 p.m. next Saturday in Joplin.