A rumbling Hays Rebels run game amassed more than 400 rushing yards and six touchdowns in a key 45-37 road win Friday over Vista Ridge (4-4), inching the Rebels closer to a fourth place district finish and potential playoff bid.
The dynamic duo of senior running back Cade Powell and junior running back Thailand Mayberry was explosive behind an experienced offense line that continually opened up running lanes against the Vista Ridge defense.
Mayberry led the team in rushing on the night with 220 yards on 20 carries, while also adding 4 rushing touchdowns. Powell carried the ball 17 times for 132 yards and had one touchdown.
“We do the same game plan we do every week, we try to run,” Mayberry said. “We do what we are. We are always taught to. We play hard.”
Hays head coach Neal LaHue praised the offense line for getting the team rolling in the first half and giving Mayberry and Powell room to run. LaHue was proud of his team’s resilience after starting the season 1-5, and fighting their way back into the playoff hunt.
“Offensively we tried to run the ball and mix it up, throw it a little bit,” La Hue said about Hays’ game plan entering the game. “Thought we did a good job of that in the first half. We hit a big play in the second half, right off the bat,” he said.
That second half play was a 77-yard touchdown run by Mayberry on the opening play of the second half, making it Mayberry’s third touchdown of the night after scoring 11- and 13-yard rushing touchdowns in the first half.
“That’s all on the o-line and my other running backs blocking,” said Mayberry about the 77-yard touchdown run. “I had a great lead block by the center, it was a really good play. It was just wide open for me.”
Hays jumped out to a hot start in the first half on both offense and defense. After the defense caused a three and out on the first possession, Powell rushed for a 31-yard touchdown on the second offensive play of the game.
Following a 30-yard field goal and an 11-yard rushing touchdown by Mayberry to start the second quarter, junior quarterback Xavier Martinez added a 17-yard rushing score.
Martinez’s touchdown gave Hays a commanding 31-14 lead at intermission. Martinez finished with 51 yards on nine carries.
Hays’ only points in the second half came via a pair of rushing scores by Mayberry.
However, Vista Ridge didn’t back down and fought right back. Senior quarterback Jacob Taute, who had two rushing and two passing touchdowns led the Rangers on the night.
“It was hard there in the second half,” La Hue said. “Their quarterback is outstanding and made some great plays there at the end. We just didn’t do a good job on offense the last two series to get some first downs. But, I’m proud of our kids.”
Taute got rolling in the second half with a 52-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Naequwan White, followed by a 5-yard touchdown pass to senior running back Joe Goodwin in the fourth quarter. Goodwin led Vista Ridge in rushing with 88 yards on 17 carries, including two touchdowns.
Taute added another rushing touchdown late in the fourth quarter, which pulled the Rangers to within a touchdown.
Vista Ridge gained life by securing possession with only 26 seconds left, but time ran out on its final possession of the game.
“Defensively, you’re just trying to keep them from having the big play,” La Hue said. “They’re known for that. So I thought our defense did a pretty good job, at least slowing them down to an extent.”
Hays hosts Vandergrift (5-3) Friday at Bob Shelton Stadium for the final game of the regular season with playoff hopes on the line.
District 25-6A standings
- Westlake 4-0
- Vandegrift 2-1
- Lake Travis 3-1
- Hays 3-2
- Vista Ridge 2-2
- Leander 0-4
- Lehman 0-5
Teams in playoff contention:
- Westlake
- Vandegrift
- Lake Travis
- Hays
- Vista Ridge
On the bubble:
- Vista Ridge
How can Hays earn a playoff berth?
Win and in
- A Rebel victory over Vandegrift Nov. 3 would lock Hays into a playoff spot regardless of how Vista Ridge ends the season. Hays’ win Friday earned the Rebels a tiebreaker over Vista Ridge.
Loss and a little help
- A loss to Vandegrift won’t knock Hays out of the running for a playoff spot. However, the Rebels would need Vista Ridge to lose at least one of its last two games of the season. Vista Ridge closes the year against Westlake and Lake Travis.
