The Hays Hawks will head out on the road to square off against the Lockhart Lions at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Hays is headed into the game after thoroughly thrashing Cedar Creek: they outscored them in every quarter. Given that consistent dominance, it should come as no surprise that the Hawks blew the Eagles out of the water with a 59-7 final score. With the Hawks ahead 42-7 at the half, the matchup was all but over already.
Hays' win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them 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 touchdown on only five carries.
Hays was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 254 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 246 rushing yards in three consecutive contests.
Hays' defense stepped up as well, laying out the QB five times. Santiago Navea refused to say out of the backfield, picking up two sacks all by himself. Hays received some extra help from Joseph Cazares, whose fumble return for a touchdown made for one of the most unforgettable moments.
Meanwhile, while Lockhart put up plenty of points on Friday, the same can't be said for Cedar Creek. The Lions blew past the Eagles, posting a 38-0 victory. Considering the Lions' offense had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.
Hays better keep an eye on Kaidyn Brite. He was instrumental in Lockhart's win, rushing for 147 yards and three scores on only eight carries. Brite's longest rush was for an impressive 61 yards, which helps to explain his lofty yards per carry total.
Lockhart didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. Avery Ybarra was the real danger to the passing game, picking up three interceptions all by himself. Lockhart got some further help from Ybarra: he made three total tackles and defended four passes in addition to snagging three interceptions.
Lockhart's first win this season bumped their record up to 1-4. As for Hays, their record is now 3-1.
Hays strolled past Lockhart in their previous meeting back in October of 2024 by a score of 31-17. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Hawks since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
