Lehman (1-2) vs. Hays (2-1)
When: Friday, Sept. 27 at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Bob Shelton Stadium
Last game: Lehman def. Anderson 20-8; Rouse def. Hays 29-20
Last meeting: Hays def. Lehman 28-10
Hays offense: Multiple
Hays defense: 3-4
Lehman offense: Multiple
Lehman defense: 4-3
Players to watch:
Hays: QB Hayden Cagle, RB Cody Gandy, RB Dylan Kasper, QB Jeff Jordan, WR Luke Park, TE Banner Steele, DL Justin Diaz, DL Cole Carney, LB Hector (Trey) Solis, DB Mason Salinas, DB Jared Self
Lehman: QB Jeremy Schilhab, RB Paul Brown, QB/RB Paul Matthews, WR/DB Kelton Powell, WR/DB Malcolm Turner, TE/LB Conner Baird, RB/WR/LB Tyler Hyss, OL/DL Derick Chavarria,
Intangibles: It’s that time of the year again: Hays and Lehman duke it out for bragging rights on the field at Shelton Stadium. So far in the series, the Rebels have maintained dominance with a 7-0 record. Lehman hopes to change that. Of course, the game holds a higher sense of significance as it’s the first district game of the year. Both teams want to start off a tough district schedule on the right foot. At Hays, the Rebels look to shake off a tough defeat to Leander Rouse on Sept. 13. Hays rallied back despite miscues and mistakes, but were unable to pull off a win. A greater sense of ball security has been the talking point in Rebel practices. Against Rouse, Hays turned the ball over five times. The Rebels will have to alleviate that issue if they wish to keep the rivalry winning streak going. Offensively, Hays continues to work out some of the kinks in head coach Neal LaHue’s system. Players are learning, but production has not reached the level fans have seen over the past few years. It is especially difficult for quarterbacks Jeff Jordan and Hayden Cagle. LaHue has not ruled out using both quarterbacks. However, against Rouse, Cagle took the majority of the snaps. Whoever is in charge on Friday will have to push the Rebel progression on offense. Rushing the ball has been the strong suit for Hays. Running back Cody Gandy has been the high point on production, with running back Dylan Kasper and Cagle providing backup. Still, learning the new offense has somewhat hindered production. It has not stopped the tempo from increasing. Hays will continue to run a no-huddle, which may be effective against a Lobos defense that may lack depth. Defense has been the strong suit of the Rebels. While they did give up over 400 yards to Rouse, they limited the damage done by A.J Badour and the Raider rush game. Against Lehman, who holds a strong rushing attack, Hays will have to continue to stymie the rush. Forcing the Lobos to pass may work in Hays’ favor. At the Lehman camp, the Lobos got themselves in the win column against Anderson on Sept. 13. Lehman put together a concerted effort on both sides of the ball in a 20-8 win. Head Coach Todd Raymond was pleased with the execution on the offensive side. The Lobos gained confidence, with Raymond saying the team was able to showcase their big play ability. It will be imperative for the Lobos to continue that trend against a tough Hays defense. Leading the cause is the Lehman rushing game, directed by running back Paul Brown and quarterback/running back Paul Matthews. Both players’ running styles, which differ from each other, can help the Lobos keep the Rebel defense off balance. Lehman’s ability to keep their offense in motion will be another big key. Going into the Anderson game, Raymond had simplied the offense to help keep tempo going. It was successful enough for Lehman to thrive. They need to keep the ball rolling, especially with Hays’ increased offensive tempo. Defense is where the Lobos must maintain discipline. After a rough first two games, the Lobos defense stepped up and put a halt to Anderson. Lehman allotted only 66 rushing yards, 47 to running back Chris Ortiz. Lehman will be asked to do the same to the Hays rush game. One aspect not talked about is the passing game. The critical point of Friday night will be who can thrive through the air? At this point, Hays has the advantage. Hays has been helped by the exploits of wide receiver Luke Park, who’s been the Rebels’ go-to-guy with 222 total yards. So far this year, Park has gained more receiving yards than the entire Lehman wide receiving corps – they’ve only gained 141. The Lobos must have the pass game to compliment the run – to do otherwise will leave them woefully one-dimensional. Hays will have to work against a Lobos defense that has experience against two strong passing offenses in Cedar Ridge and Elgin. With Park earning the majority of Lehman’s attention, the Rebels may have to find someone else to step up. The last few years have seen this game stay relatively close. This year might not deviate. As always, expect high emotion from this cross-town rivalry game.
