By Moses Leos III
In front of an electrified Shelton Stadium crowd, Hays High (1-0) opened the 2013 season with a commanding 61-7 demolition of San Antonio Burbank (0-1) on Friday night.
Excitement for the game began long before kickoff; the stadium was buzzing with fans eager to catch the home opener.
They also wanted to see the new Rebel team, with many faces seeing varsity action for the first time.
However, Hays may have been too eager to get things going. Hays received a procedure penalty on the first offensive snap of the year. They followed that up by turning the ball over on the first official play.
LaHue knows how devastating a moment like that can be for young players. He offered some advice.
“Good football teams overcome [those moments],” LaHue said. “You’re going to have some adversity in this game. It’s how you handle it. That’s the key.”
Hays’ defense quickly went to work. Under the guidance of new defense coordinator Jason Wagner, Hays forced a quick three-and-out from Burbank, a foreshadowing of what was to come.
Senior quarterback Jeff Jordan, who earned the starting nod, told his teammates to forget the previous mistake. The Rebel offense marched eight plays, going 60 yards, with Adam Castro punching in a four yard touchdown run to give Hays a 7-0 lead.
After another Burbank punt, Hays once again flexed its offensive muscle, concocting another eight play drive. Hays went 81 yards, with Castro pushing his way for a two-yard touchdown run. Hays led 14-0 after a quarter.
Castro, who finished with 26 yards and three touchdowns, credited his offensive line for the help.
“We executed right. It was not me, it was my blockers. Everything worked out perfectly,” Castro said.
From there, the Rebels opened the offensive floodgates, scoring 27 more points in the half. Sophomore running back Cody Gandy provided a 20-yard touchdown run. Senior quarterback Hayden Cagle, who entered the game early in the second quarter, tossed a 37-yard touchdown pass to senior tight end Banner Steele down the seam.
Hays capped it off by delving deep into their playbook. Jordan lobbed his only touchdown pass to Cagle, who lined up as a wide receiver. Cagle used his height to snag the 26-yard strike, giving Hays a 41-0 halftime advantage.
The play was nothing new for the duo, who connected for touchdowns earlier in their careers.
“It felt like we were in middle school again,” Jordan said. “It was a relief. I know he’s there, and he’ll make the play.”
Hays offense thrived in the first half. The defense was stifling.
Hays’ front seven smothered the Burbank offense. Bulldog quarterback Jeremy Sanchez, the primary run threat for Burbank, was unable to make a significant impact. The increased aggressiveness allowed Hays to beat the Bulldog offensive line, disrupting play.
Senior defensive lineman Daniel Minor, who recovered one of Burbank’s two turnovers, talked about the dominating play.
“We came out with so much explosion and intensity,” he said. “We play intense and we fly to the ball all the time.”
He credited Wagner’s scheme. While the team had a few breakdowns, Minor felt pursuit drills in practice helped the team recover.
Burbank did not see success until the third quarter. On the third play of the second half, Sanchez threw an 87-yard pass to Marcos Luna, cutting Hays’ lead to 41-7.
It took Hays only one play to respond. Senior running back Dylan Kasper broke through, rolling 63 yards to give Hays a 47-7 lead.
Hays eventually scored two more touchdowns, eclipsing the 60 point barrier in the win.
Jordan went 5 for 7, throwing for 107 yards and a touchdown. He added 14 more on the ground. Hayden Cagle was 2 for 2, throwing for 58 yards and a touchdown. Kasper finished with 92 yards on six carries; Senior running back Thorn Spears gained 36 yards on six carries.
From the player’s perspective, Adam Castro said the team wanted to show there was no drop off from last fall.
Overall, La Hue was pleased with the team’s effort. But hestill wants to go back and fine-tune everything, especially on offense.
“There were some assignment issues early,” he said. “We had a couple of turnovers early in the game. We have to tighten it up a little bit.”
He noted the continued progression of both senior quarterbacks, who saw meaningful playing time. However, until one makes significant strides for the starting spot, both quarterbacks will continue to split snaps.
Now the team focuses on their first of six road tests. They face off against Anderson next week at House Park in Austin.
For Jordan and the team, “practice makes perfect.” Hays will prepare to ready themselves for a hungry Anderson opponent.
“We have to go with the mistakes we made this week, and learn from them,” Jordan said.
Hays will play Anderson on Friday, Sept. 6, at 7:30 p.m.
