The Hays High football team had a great season, winning five games in a row and earning the Western Athletic Conference title for the first time since 2014. Coming into Week 9, head coach Tony Crough and company were excited to coach the Indians in the school’s fourth home post-season game in school history.

On Thursday, Oct. 29, the Indians met the Maize South Mavericks again, only 13 days from their Week 7 match-up at Maize, which the Mavs won, 21-20.

Maize South came out with a great game plan, shutting down the Indians in all aspects of the game. The Mavericks’ offense moved the ball with ease, while the Mavs’ defense stopped the Indians, as the option, jet sweeps and diesel packages earned little yardage for Hays High.

Early in the game, the Mavs pinned the Indians back at the Hays High one-yard line and flustered junior Jaren Kanak, giving Indian opponents three safeties over the course of the season. Mavericks’ running back Evan Cantu then found the endzone, pushing the score in the Mavericks’ favor, 9-0.

On the Mavs’ next possession, Maize South’s quarterback, Colin Shields, passed to an open wide receiver for another Maverick touchdown, making the score 16-0. Before halftime, Shields found wide receiver Jake Johnson wide open, passing the ball 61 yards to make it 23-0 at half time.

On the opening drive of the second half, Shields passed for another Maverick touchdown. The Indians followed up with their only touchdown of the night coming from Kanak, but the Mavericks ended up kicking another field before the end of the game to win, 33-6.

The Indians ended the season with a record of 5-3.

21csanders@usd489.com