By Moses Leos III.
For the third year in a row, the Hays High Rebels can call themselves 27-4A district champions – this time, they don’t have to share the title.
Timely defense and a stout run game helped Hays defeat Alamo Heights in a 35-28 thriller.
Hays advances to the Division I bracket of the 4A playoffs. They will play San Antonio Brackenridge from District 28-4A in the bi-district round at Shelton Stadium at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.
At top, Rebel running back Cody Gandy (28) bursts through the line late in the fourth quarter, scoring the eventual game-winning touchdown over Alamo Heights on Friday. Hays defeated Heights 35-28, claiming the 27-4A championship, the third consecutive district title won by Hays High. (Photo by Lincoln Ramirez) |
The Rebels began Friday’s game by recovering a Heights fumble on the second play of the game. A 21-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jeff Jordan to wide receiver Hayden Cagle put Hays ahead 7-0.
Hays’ offense was primed to burst out of the gates, but execution issues stymied progress. Hays scored only one more touchdown in the first half.
“We had a couple of problems in execution. We were shooting ourselves in the foot a little bit,” offensive lineman Connor Lanfear said. “We got those mistakes corrected, and got our business done.”
Heights offense responded in the second. Quarterback Dalton Banks tossed a five-yard touchdown to wide receiver Scott Uhl to tie it at 7-7. Hays and Heights were tied at 14 going into halftime.
But the Rebels struggled to contain Banks, especially in the second half. Banks, who threw for 408 yards in the game, began to work the underneath routes. He consistently found wide receiver Jake Osborne, who led the Mules with 134 receiving yards.
This allowed Heights to draw up long, methodical drives. Heights took the lead off a two-yard touchdown run by Banks, which capped off a long 16-play drive.
Hays linebacker Daniel Minor said Banks’ quick throwing motion was tough to stop.
Hays’ offense couldn’t break the momentum.
Jordan said the Heights explosiveness off the ball contributed to some offensive woes. They were able to break through and cause havoc.
Hays looked to their defense for guidance; it came through late in the third.
Defensive back Emory Cuzze stepped in front of a Banks pass, and seemed to have a game-changing 92-yard pick-six. A block in the back penalty negated the score, but Hays regained its momentum.
From there, the Rebels began to pound the ground. Two plays after the interception, running back Cody Gandy pinballed his way for 25 yards to tie it at 21-21. Gandy led all rushers with 80 yards on 12 carries for three touchdowns.
For LaHue and his offense, running the ball was necessary. The critical point was the offensive line and its aggressiveness.
“We pride ourselves in being the most physical offensive line in our district. We refuse to believe we will let another player be [more] physical than us,” Lanfear said. “We pin our ears back, and go to work with a blue collar work ethic that galvanizes the community.”
However, Hays and Heights were tied at 28-28 with less than four minutes to go in the game.
Needing a stop, the Hays defense stepped to the challenge.
Linebacker Aaron Johnson made the play of the game, grabbing a crucial interception at the Heights 21 yard line.
“I was dropping back in coverage. I got burned earlier. I wasn’t going to let it happen (again),” Johnson said. “I looked up, saw the ball and grabbed it.”
Five plays later, Gandy punched in a six-yard score to take the lead for good.
Heights had one last chance, but the Rebel defense snuffed it out and celebrated another district title.
Lanfear felt the team found a way to prove the doubters wrong. For LaHue, the win was special not only for him, but his players, who underwent a big transition during the season.
“Anytime you win district, it’s special for the kids,” he said. “They did everything we asked. I’m proud of them.”
For the seniors, the district title meant much more. It was one chance to claim glory with their teammates.
“These guys are my family,” Jordan said. “I don’t know what I’d be doing without them.”
