Hays slot receiver Taven Mayberry fights for extra yards during the Rebel spring football game May 23 at Shelton Stadium. Injuries to Mayberry and fellow starter, linebacker Devin Jennings, on the same play in the second quarter of the contest dampened the spirits of the team on an otherwise festive evening. (Photo by Judy Cooper)
By JASON GORDON
If only one play could be erased from the Hays spring football game Wednesday night, Rebel coaches and players would have left the field at Shelton Stadium with big smiles on their faces.
Unfortunately, the first spring football game in school history – which saw one side of the stadium filled with fans and a band that played the team’s fight song all evening long – included a play that saw two Rebels injured in the blink of an eye.
With Hays’ first-team offense driving on its first-team defense late in the first half, middle linebacker Devin Jennings went to the ground with what turned out to be a serious leg injury. He was helped off the field by trainers in obvious pain.
Just a few yards away, Hays’ speedy slot receiver Taven Mayberry was kneeling on the field after suffering a bad shoulder injury.
Mayberry was one of Hays’ main offensive threats in the game up to that point, and had runs of 15 and 17 yards, and a catch from quarterback Caleb Kimbro for 24 yards to help get the Rebs into scoring position.
Jennings was one of Hays’ defensive standouts who helped limit the Hays first-team offense to only 14 points during the game.
Both Mayberry and Jennings are expected to recover from their injuries in time for the first day of summer practice August 13.
“The one thing that had been going so well for us this spring other than a few bumps and bruises is that we managed to stay injury free,” said Hays head coach Blake Feldt. “The only good thing about getting injured this time of the year is you know they will be back in time for the season. Taven and Devin are obviously two of the kids who mean a lot to our offense and defense.”
During the game, in which four 10-minute quarters were played and the first-team offense went against the first-team defense, and the second-team offense went against the second-team defense, big plays were made on both sides of the ball.
Starting cornerback Christian Rodriguez picked off Kimbro twice in the game, including once on fourth-and-goal from the 2-yard line, but only one counted as a defensive holding call negated one of the interceptions.
Both the Hays first and second team defense rose up multiple times to make key stops. Defensive linemen Kyle Cox and Daniel Minor, and cornerback Jared Rodriguez and safety Adam Castro, all helped lead the first-team charge. Emory Cuzze and Cole Carney recorded multiple tackles for the second-team defense.
Mark Solis’ 31-yard run led to a 2-yard Jeff Jordon quarterback sneak for a score for the second-team offense.
Kimbro’s longest pass of the game came when he was rolling left and hit Granger Studdard, who set the school’s single-season reception record in 2011, for a 34-yard gain.
The first-team offense’s two touchdowns came after halftime, as Kimbro sprinted just inside the left pylon in the end zone late in the third quarter. Beau Reed’s 30-yard run was the key play in the drive.
On the last play of the game, Kimbro scored from 3-yards out after making a juking move to free himself from a would-be defender in the backfield.
“We have a tough defense, and it showed out there tonight,” Kimbro said. “I didn’t think the offense played poorly, I just think the defense showed it has a chance to be one of the best around.”
Christian Rodriguez agreed the Hays defense was on its game for most of the night.
“I think we do have the talent to be one of the best defenses in the area,” Christian Rodriguez said. “We have more strength and speed than we did last year. Now we have to carry the same work ethic we’ve had all spring into the summer so we will be even better once the season starts.”
Cox said Chris Ellis, who was the team’s secondary coach last season, has made the transition to defensive coordinator a smooth one. Ellis, a former head coach at Class 3A Iowa Park, is taking over for the retiring Doug Ragsdale.
“We just stuck with our game plan tonight and did what Coach Ellis taught us to do,” Cox said. “I think the strength of our defense is how well we are able to get to the football as a team. Everyone knows what they are supposed to do and where they are supposed to be on the field.”
After summer workouts officially begin August 13, Hays will scrimmage New Braunfels Canyon at Shelton Stadium on August 24. The regular season starts for the Rebels on Saturday, September 1, at San Antonio Burbank.
