Hays High School coaches, administrators and families celebrated the Indians' successful 2021 football campaign at a banquet Tuesday.
Hays High finished 8-3, advancing to the final eight in Class 5A, losing to Maize 48-36.
Eagle Radio's Dustin Armbruster, the Voice of the Indians, served as emcee of the event and recognized a long list of individual and team accomplishments both for a single season and all-time in Hays High history.
The individual awards for the 2021 season were plentiful:
All WAC
2nd Team Offense
Jr - Kyreese Groen, WR
Sr - Jordan Dale, WR
Sr - Karson Russell, OL
2nd Team Defense
Jr - Connor Dreiling, DB
1st Team Offense
Jr - Bryce Salmans, TE
Sr - Roy Moroni, RB
Sr - Gavin Nutting, OL
Sr - Jaren Kanak, QB (Off POY)
1st Team Defense
Jr - Remy Stull, DB/LB
Jr - Carson Spray, DL
Sr - Iden Baalman, DL
Sr - Gavin Meyers, LB (Def POY)
Western KS Top 11 - Hill Bros Football
Gavin Meyers, LB
Jaren Kanak, QB (Brook Berringer POY)
KFBCA - All Senior Teams
5A All State & Super 11 - Gavin Meyers LB, Jaren Kanak QB
5A All State & Super 11 - Gavin Meyers LB, Jaren Kanak QB
Sports in Kansas
Honorable Mention (Bryce Salmans, Remy Stull, Kyreese Groen, Connor Dreiling, Roy Moroni, Gavin Nutting, Jordan Dale)
5A All State - Gavin Meyers and Jaren Kanak
5A Def POY - Gavin Meyers
Top 11 All Classes - Jaren Kanak
Hays High also amassed all-time team records, including total yards (4,608), total rushing (3,603) and scoring (428).
Several individual season records also were established in 2021:
Kanak set a school record in rushing yards (1,615) and scoring (142), while Moroni finished third all time in scoring (108). In his senior season, Meyers had the second-best tackling season in school history with 124, edging out his sophomore year total of 121 — good for third on the list.
Iden Baalman finished fifth all time for tackles for a loss in a season with 15, and Jack Fields tied for most extra points made in a season with 39.
All-time Hays High career records were also established:
Kanak finished third all time in rushing yards (2,072), followed by Moroni in fourth (1,869). Kanak also finished third all time in scoring with 216 points.
Meyers established what could be an untouchable record in career tackles with 385 — 131 more than No. 2 in the list. Two-way player — and team MVP as chosen by the players — Gavin Nutting finished fifth all time in career tackles with 192.
Meyers career records also included second for career tackles for loss with 43, second for career sacks with 11 and first in career fumbles forced with seven. Fellow linebacker Dalton Dale finished tied for fourth all time in fumble recoveries with five.
Fields finished second all time for extra points made with 55, as well as second for most consecutive extra points with 29.
Two individual game marks were also set, including the longest play in Hays High history — a 98-yard pass from Kanak to wideout Jordan Dale. Iden Baalmann also finished fifth all time for tackles for a loss in a game with five against Wichita East to start the 2021 campaign.
Team honors were also announced (as voted on by the players):
Team MVP: Gavin Nutting
Offensive MVP: Jaren Kanak
Defensive MVP: Gavin Meyers
Offensive Interior MVP: Bryce Salmans
Defensive Interior MVP: Carson Spray
Offensive Skill MVP: Roy Moroni
Defensive Skill MVP: Remy Stull
Varsity Offensive Newcomer of the Year: Malik Bah
Varsity Defensive Newcomer of the Year: Iden Baalmann
Freshman MVP: Carter Graham
JC MVP: Ben Pfeifer
Game Attitude Award: Jarrett Lyon
Indian of the Year – "Indian who displays great character and/or perseverance that best represents our program": Johnny Fitzthum