Redskins Win Cliff Hanger Over Hays

The Liberal Redskins win over Hays for the first time since 2016.  Friday night, the Redskins topped the Hays Indians 20-19.  Landon Martinez stripped the Hays quarterback before scooping up the ball and racing into the endzone for the Liberal lead with 2:41 to play.  Liberal coach Bryan Luetters called it the biggest win since he’s been at Liberal.

Hays scored first.  Indian quarterback Carter Graham hooked up with Johnny Cano for a 38 yard play on the Hays sideline.  Graham found Cano in the back of the end zone two plays later from five yards out for the 6-0 lead at the :58 mark of the first quarter.  A bad snap foiled the point after.  Tevin Fieser lofted a 74 yard touchdown pass to James Fieser  to tie the game at 6-6 with 1:39 to play in the half.  A bad snap also caused Liberal’s extra point to be fruitless.  On the same play, Cotter connected with Fieser again for a 90 yard bomb with 6:40 to play in the third.  Cotter found Xavier Porras on a swing out pass for the two point conversion and a 14-6 Redskin lead.  Hays rallied as Carter Graham found running back Holden Lind for a 12 yard touchdown with 3:00 remaining in the third to make it 14-13 LHS after the point after.  Liberal had the ball at the Hays 47 with momentum on Liberal’s side.  However an injury to Ayden Juarez swung the momentum back to the Indians as Graham hit Cano for a 29 yard touchdown for a 19-14 lead with 6:40 to play after the two point conversion failed.  Hays had the ball third and nine before Liberal’s Landon Martinez came up with a  strip six.     LHS went for two but the two point conversion failed.

Hays out gained Liberal 365 to 262.  James Fieser had three catches for 180 yards and two touchdowns.  Tevin Cotter was 7-10 for 218 yards and two touchdowns.  Ayden Juarez was Epic Touch Player of the Game with 15 tackles and four tackles for loss.  Xavier Tafoya had 15 tackles.  Landon Martinez had 10 tackles and two tackles for loss to go along with the decisive strip and touchdown.

Hays is 4-4 and finishes 2-2 in the WAC.  Liberal is 6-2 and finishes 2-2 in the WAC.  Liberal is the five seed in 5A West and hosts 2-6 Bishop Carroll Friday night at 7pm with Redskin Pre-game at 6pm on 1270 and 92.3.  Kids will be admitted for free.