By Moses Leos III
A 24-point first half blitz carried the Hays Rebels to a 45-23 win over the Lehman Lobos on Friday at Shelton Stadium.
Friday's victory marks Hays' ninth straight win over Lehman on the gridiron.
Hays’ run offense dictated the pace of play for the majority of the night. Guided by the Rebel offensive line, Hays jumped out to a 14-0 lead with 8:51 to go in the second quarter. Both touchdowns were scored by running back Cody Gandy, who finished with 169 yards and the two scores, one for 49 yards.
In total, Hays’ run offense gained 391 yards on 51 carries.
Hays continued their scoring pace, putting up ten points to close the half with a 24-0 lead.
Rebel junior quarterback Braeden Kent expanded Hays' lead with back-to-back touchdowns in the third quarter. Hays held a 38-0 advantage before the Lobos responded. Lehman went on a 9-0 run to close the third quarter. Senior quarterback Jeremy Schilhab ran in a five yard touchdown, cutting Hays’ lead to 38-9.
But the Rebels’ sizeable lead was too much for Lehman to rally back from. Lehman outscored Hays 14-7 in the final stanza, to no avail.
Schilhab led the Lobos with 220 total yards, 135 through the air, and two total touchdowns. Kent threw for 59 yards, while rushing for 63 and his two touchdowns. Lehman running back Brett Wagner gained 155 all-purpose yards and a touchdown.
For a detailed look into Friday’s crosstown showdown, be sure to pick up this week’s edition of the Hays Free Press.
