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Yankee Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra once made the now famous comment, “It’s déjà vu all over again.”

While Berra was referring to repeated back-to-back home runs from Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris, the expression could very well be applied to the Hays-Junction City football game on Sept. 6.

A year ago, Hays built a substantial lead, only to watch the Bluejays come back and win in overtime.

On Friday, the Indians jumped out to a two-touchdown advantage, and once again Junction City came back to take the lead. This time, however, Hays managed to recover and earned a hard-fought 27-22 victory in its season opener at Lewis Field Stadium.

After a slow start from both squads, the Indians got things rolling at the end of the first quarter when they began a 61-yard drive that was capped by an eight-yard touchdown pass from junior Alex Delton to junior Adam Klaus. Senior Lane Clark added the extra point to give Hays a 7-0 lead with 10:26 left in the second quarter.

Hays got the ball right back after Junction fumbled the kick-off, but a 35-yard field goal attempt a few plays later missed its mark.

Junction moved the ball down the field and also tried a field goal, but a 38-yard attempt sailed wide.

With 4:06 left in the half, Hays put together an impressive 80-yard drive that was capped by a Delton two-yard run into the end zone.

The key play on the drive was a 41-yard pass play from Delton to Clark, who also added the extra point to make it 14-0 at the half.

After the break, the two teams exchanged fumbles on the first two plays from scrimmage. The Bluejays took advantage of the Hays miscue by putting together a 55-yard drive to pull within a touchdown at the 9:40 mark in the third.

After a Hays punt, Junction again marched the ball down the field and scored with 6:24 on the clock. The extra point attempt was blocked, however, leaving Hays with a 14-13 lead.

That didn’t last long as a high punt snap on the Indians next possession sailed into the end zone, which led to a safety and a 15-14 lead for the Bluejays.

What followed was a big play from Clark, who teed the ball up at the 20 and kicked it 80 yards for a touch back, which forced the Bluejays to start from their own 20. On the next play, senior Clayton Riedel picked off a pass and that seemed to put the brakes on Junction’s momentum.

On its next possession, Junction fumbled the ball away, setting up a 25-yard touchdown run from senior Preston Weigel and a successful kick from Clark to make the score, 21-15 with 1:06 to play in the third quarter.

Hays scored again at the 6:51 mark in the fourth quarter when senior Ty Whittington ran it in from 14 yards out to make it 27-15.

Many thought the game was in hand at that time, but as TV college football analyst Lee Corso often quips, “Not so fast my friend.”

Just over a minute later, the Bluejays reached paydirt to make it 27-22 with 5:22 still left in the game.

After the ensuing kick-off, Hays burned a couple minutes off the clock but had to punt it away at the 3:35 mark. Junction found a wide open receiver on a halfback pass for a good gain and then followed that with a couple of more plays to move the ball to the Hays 36 before turning the ball over on downs.

Individually, Weigel had 106 yards on 20 carries, while Whittington added another 86 yards on 10 carries. Delton was 7 of 17 for 73 yards through the air and added 22 yards on the ground.

Although Junction City outgained the Indians 373 to 287 in total yards, turnovers and key defensive plays from the Indians proved to be a difference maker.

The Indians, 1-0, will host McPherson, 1-0, on Sept. 13 in a 7 p.m. start at Lewis Field.