By DUSTIN ARMBRUSTER
Hays Post
GREAT BEND - Hays High needed just 14 plays to score their first four touchdowns Friday night in Great Bend and cruise to a 33-7 win over the Panthers.
Malik Bah scored two of the four touchdowns, the first from 48 yards and the second on a 6 yard run. Kyreese Groen threw to scoring passes to Keamonie Archie. The first hookup was from 13 yards out and the second accounted for 75 yards.
Defensively the Indians forced four punts on the Panthers six first half series. Wyatt Waddell grabbed two interceptions in the second quarter. The first occurred in the red zone on the only drive that Great Bend crossed the 50 yard line in the first half. The second was an impressive pick when Waddell tipped a pass out of the quarterback's hands then dove to grab his own deflection.
Highlights
Hays held onto the ball for six minutes to open the second half while covering 66 yards in 13 plays when Groen scored from five yards out giving Hays a 33-0 lead.
The Indians spent the last 18 minutes of the game rotating in new players into the game.
Great Bend did manage their lone touchdown in the fourth quarter on a Cayden Scheuerman nine yard run that capped a seven play 61 yard drive.
Coach Tony Crough
Malik Bah ran for 212 yards and two scores on 19 carries, his second consecutive week rushing for over 200 yards. Groen threw for 108 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Hays compiled 492 yards offense, 373 on the ground.
The defense allowed just 182 yards, 97 rushing and 85 passing.
Hays improves to 2-0 on the season and starts the WAC race at 1-0. Great Bend falls to 0-2, 0-1 and has lost 19 straight games.
The Indians will host the Manhattan Indians next Friday at Lewis Field Stadium.