Hays held Valley Center to under 100 yards of total offense on a cold night at Lewis Field Stadium on the way to a 28-6 win Friday night.
The Hays defense forced a punt on the first series of the game, the offense scored five plays later on a Kyreese Groen for a 6-0 lead. The extra point turned into a two-point attempt on a botched snap-hold. It is the eighth consecutive game that the Indians scored on their opening possession.
The score remained the same until Hays executed their first passing play, on the first play of the second quarter when Groen hit Keamonie Archie for a 43 yard strike. The Teegan Turnbull extra point was good for a 13-0 lead.
Valley Center took advantage of great field position at the Hays 33 yard line to score their first touchdown. Running back Dai'Mont Mucker took direct snaps four consecutive plays and scored from nine yards out for a 13-7 game.
The teams traded fumbles on their next possessions. Hays lost the fumble at the Hornet four yard line. Deondre Broom recovered a fumble at the Valley Center 35. Hays looked poised to score before halftime with second and goal from just inside the one yard line but lost yards on the next two plays and had a fourth down pass deflected.
Highlights
Bryce Salmans scored twice in third quarter as he got the reps at running back for Malik Bah who was injured the week before. Salmans scored from 59 yards and 5 yards, both on 3rd down. Hays converted for two points after the first touchdown and Turnbull booted the extra point through on the second score for a 28-6 lead. That extra point tied Kyler Leiker and Jack Fields at a school record of 39 extra points made in a single season.
There would be no scoring for the remainder of the game and the result, Hays tying the school record for wins in a single season.
Coach Tony Crough
Hays held Valley Center to 81 total yards. Hays gathered 346 yards, 275 on the ground. Groen ran for 160 and Salmans had 118.
Hays is 9-1 on the season, they host Salina Central next Friday. The Mustangs ended Great Bend's seven game losing streak 40-35. Elsewhere in 5A West Maize beat Kapaun 43-14 and Hutchinson topped Bishop Carroll 14-7.
Valley Center's season ends at 7-3, a season after going 2-7.