By DUSTIN ARMBRUSTER
Hays Post
HAYS - It came down the final seconds, but for a second week in a row for the Hays High football team won a game on the final play of the game, beating Great Bend 28-27 Friday night at Lewis Field.
All the first half scoring occurred in the first quarter. Hays opened the game with a touchdown scoring drive of eight plays that ended with Carter Graham finding Jarek Purdy for 37 yards. Graham, in at kicker this week, booted through the extra point.
Great Bend responded with a six play, 80 yard drive to tie the game on a 51 yard pass play. The Panthers picked off a deflected pass on Hays' next possession to set up a short field that quarterback Daxton Minton took advantage of on a 9 yard touchdown run.
Great Bend led 14-7 but for only 55 seconds. Malik Bah hit the left end for a 72 yard touchdown scamper and the Graham PAT tied the game at 14.
Neither team scored in the second quarter. Dalton Meyers picked of a Great Bend pass but Hays was turned away on fourth down and a half-yard on the ensuing possession.
The Hays defense forced another punt but the Indians could not convert it to points after moving the ball to the 24 yard line. The drive ended with less than a minute left before halftime on a second interception by Great Bend's Ian Premer. This interception occurred on a jump ball thrown to the end zone on fourth down.
It took nearly the entire third quarter for either team to light up the scoreboard. Great Bend back-up quarterback Cooper Ohnmacht threw a 15 yard touchdown on his only play at the position in the game.
Trailing 21-14 the Indians got the ball back with :47 left in the third quarter. They embarked on a 15 play, 80 yard drive that took just over five minutes. Ian McGuire capped off the lengthy drive with a three yard run for his first touchdown of the season. Hays converted on four third downs during the drive.
Great Bend followed suit with their on five plus minute drive to regain the lead. The Panthers covered 85 yards in 13 plays while converting on two third downs. A touchdown with 2:15 remaining gave the visitors a 27-21 lead, but the extra point was no good leaving the scoreboard the same.
Hays High used a long kickoff return to the Panther 44 yard line to set up their go ahead drive. The Indians covered the terrain in six plays and capped it on 4th and 8 with Bah to Johnny Cano touchdown pass. The Carter Graham extra point gave the Indians a 28-27 lead.
The drama was far from over. Great Bend returned the ensuing kickoff to the 49 yard line. The Panthers used a series of short passes to get to the 22 yard line. After missing on a shot to the end zone Great Bend set up for a 39 yard field goal with two second remaining. The kick was blocked and Mason Rodriguez recovered the ball for the 28-27 victory.
Malik Bah rushed for 225 yards and one score. Hays totaled 361 yards. Great Bend piled up 423.
Hays improves to 2-0 and 1-0 in WAC play. Great Bend is 1-1, 0-1. The Indians are on the road to Manhattan next week state ranked showdown.