by JASON GORDON
Injuries have been one of the storylines of the non-district season for Hays High, as a number of starters have missed multiple games.
Fortunately for the Rebels, the list of walking wounded is dwindling.
Hays was counting on Taven Mayberry to be a big threat in the slot receiver position, but the junior suffered a hernia injury early on in two-a-day practices in August.
Mayberry will be suited up for action for the first time all season Friday night when the Rebels take on Lehman.
“Taven is one of those kids that has a chance to score every time he touches the ball – he’s that fast,” Hays head coach Blake Feldt said. “It’s been a long time since he’s been out there, but I like what I’ve seen in practice this week.”
Another Hays Rebel who is healing up is center Boone Feldt, who missed most of two games after suffering a concussion against Anderson. Boone returned to the field last week against Hutto.
“Having both Boone and Taven back in the lineup will be a great thing for us,” Blake Feldt said. “They are two of our impact players. Boone’s our best offensive lineman and we’re expecting really big things from Taven. Any time you have a player out it’s bad, but when you have impact guys like that missing time it can really hurt you.”
Other Rebel starters who have missed time this season due to injury are offensive tackle Josh Pesina, free safety JT Sivils, running back Jaxson Schaubhut, and linebacker Michael Pieprzica.
Whether Pieprzica and Sivils will play against Lehman is still a question mark.
“Michael Pieprzica is the captain of our defense,” Blake Feldt said. “He gets us lined up right and he’s a great player. We really need him out there.”
Feldt said he hopes the fact that Hays is slowly getting healthier as a team will help the Rebs as they begin their district run Friday night against the Lobos.
“We’ve been up and down as a team this year,” Feldt said. “Every game we’ve had stretches where we’ve looked really good and stretches we weren’t looking so good. I think we still have a long way to go, but getting guys like Taven and Boone back will certainly do nothing but help us.”
