The Lockhart Lions will challenge the Hays Hawks at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams are strolling into their games after big wins in their previous games.
Lockhart is headed in fresh off scoring the most points they have all season. They blew past Cedar Creek 38-0 on Friday. The victory continues a trend for the Lions in their matchups with the Eagles: they've now won four in a row.
Kaidyn Brite was nothing short of spectacular: he rushed for 147 yards and three touchdowns on only eight carries. His longest rush was for an impressive 61 yards, which helps to explain his lofty yards per carry total.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Lockhart was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 202 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've posted since back in September of 2024.
Lockhart didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. In fact, those interceptions all came courtesy of defensive juggernaut Avery Ybarra.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Hays, who bounced back after a loss on the road on September 11th. They breezed past Cedar Creek to the tune of 59-7 last Friday. That 52 point margin sets a new team best for the Hawks this season.
Hays' win came from a few key players Lockhart will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Tacoma Ames, who threw for 160 yards and four TDs on only 13 passes. Gabriel Peach helped Ames out on the ground, rushing for 96 yards and one score on only five carries.
On the defensive side of the ball, a lot of the credit has to go to Hays' defense and their five sacks. Leading the way was Santiago Navea with two. Hays received some extra help from Joseph Cazares, whose fumble return for a touchdown made for one of the most unforgettable moments.
Hays' win bumped their record up to 3-1. As for Lockhart, their victory (their first of the season) made their record 1-4.
Things could have been worse for Lockhart, but things could have been a whole lot better as they took a 31-17 loss to Hays when the teams last played back in October of 2024. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of the Hawks' Anthony Hernandez, who rushed for 171 yards and a pair of touchdowns while picking up 7.4 yards per carry. Now that the Lions know the damage he can cause, will they be able to stop him this time? There's only one way to find out.
