STAFF REPORT
Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Other times you tempt the snake and get bruised.
The Hays Hawks suffered that fate Friday night by conceding more than 600 total yards to the San Marcos Rattlers in a 62-49 defeat on homecoming. It’s a result that all but eliminates Hays from the playoff picture.
At the center of Hays’ woes was San Marcos star running back Jaidyn Brown who rushed for more than 300 yards and tallied five touchdowns. His speed and agility regularly and routinely flummoxed Hays’ defense all evening long.
But let’s be frank, anyone who enjoys video game style football got their $8 worth.
Hays and San Marcos traded punches in a game that was gritty as it was exciting, harkening back to the rivalry days of yore.
Hays leaned heavily on running back Kyree Payton who ran for 72 yards and three scores and Zach Obara’s 83 yards and a touchdown. Surprisingly, Hays also turned to an aerial assault to keep in contention with Tyler McInvale tossing the rock for 316 yards and two touchdowns. Hays wide receiver Marcus Taylor caught a career high 12 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns.
However, all the offense in the world wasn’t enough for Hays. Defensively, those hard fightin’ Hawks had no answer for the ragin’ Rattlers.
Tied at 35-35 early in the third, San Marcos pulled away and scored 20 unanswered points to take a 55-39 lead. San Marcos seemed to have the game in hand.
Hays fought back with a 14-point tear, cutting San Marcos’ lead to 55-49 midway through the fourth quarter and giving life to a possible comeback story.
San Marcos ended those dreams rather quickly with a late fourth quarter score.
Hays hosts Westlake, the No. 1 ranked team in 6A, on Thursday at Bob Shelton Stadium.
