By GERARD WELLBROCK
Hays Post Sports
HAYS – The Fort Hays State football team is only two practices into preseason camp, but senior defensive end Gaven Haselhorst isn't taking any of it for granted.
"I'm just trying to soak in every day," Haselhorst said. "When I was a freshman looking at the seniors, they always said to soak it in because it flies by, and it does. So I'm just trying to soak in all the little moments and the last times with all these boys."
The Hays native enters his final season after earning unanimous All-MIAA First Team honors and Don Hansen Football Committee Honorable Mention All-America recognition in 2025. He led the Tigers with 6.0 sacks, 9.5 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles last season.
Now one of the team's veteran leaders, Haselhorst says he's focused on passing along what he has learned to the younger players in the program.
"I was just on the phone with (former FHSU standout Myles) Menges the other day, and I was like, 'Dude, it's crazy. I was just learning all this stuff from you, and now I'm in your shoes teaching all the freshmen and younger guys the things you taught me.'"
Fort Hays State finished 6-5 a season ago, with close losses to Central Oklahoma and Central Missouri proving costly. Haselhorst believes finishing games will be the difference if the Tigers want to contend for an MIAA championship this fall.
"When we're up, we've got to step on people's throats and put them to sleep," Haselhorst said. "We can't let teams hang around with us because we're in the MIAA, the best conference in Division II football. Teams are going to come back, and we've just got to put them away."