By Anthony Gorges
JC Post
On a windy night in Western Kansas, on an emotional day for the Hays community, the Hays Indians scored late to beat the Junction City Blue Jays 34–28.
(Earlier in the day, the Hays community laid to rest Police Officer Scott Heiman, who was killed in the line of duty last weekend.)
Junction City won the toss and deferred to the second half, kicking off to the Indians to begin the game. Hays had a big return and scored on their opening possession with a 3-yard run by senior running back Holden Lind.
Just 58 seconds later, Junction City responded, as the Blue Jays tied the game at 7–7 on a 16-yard pass to senior Lovell Autry with 7:14 to go in the first quarter.
After a three-and-out by both teams, Hays blocked a Junction City punt and took over 1st and 10 at the JC 13-yard line. On 4th and 5 from the 8-yard line, senior quarterback Zane Viegra threw a touchdown pass to wide receiver Jarek Purdy. The point-after attempt was blocked, and the Indians led 13–7.
The Blue Jay offense quickly responded again. On 2nd and 16 from the Indian 24-yard line, Gomez hit senior Lance Norris for a touchdown. JC led 14–13 with 11:12 to go in the first half.
Hays then drove down the field and had goal-to-go from inside the 5-yard line. After an unnecessary roughness penalty, the Blue Jay defense held on third down. Hays tried a 20-yard field goal from the left hash, but the kick was blocked.
Junction City took over at the Hays 14-yard line and drove down the field, with Norris capping the drive off on a 3-yard touchdown run to give JC a 21–13 lead with 3:45 left before halftime.
Hays answered, but had a touchdown called back on a holding penalty with six seconds left in the half. The Blue Jays held and went into halftime up by eight.
To begin the second half, both teams went three-and-out. On their second possession, Junction City had another special teams miscue, giving Hays the ball at the JC 13-yard line for the second time. The Indians scored and converted the PAT, cutting the Blue Jay lead to 21–20.
Junction City answered again, scoring on a 23-yard pass to Autry on 4th down late in the third quarter. JC extended the lead to 28–20.
Hays got the ball back, converted on a fake punt near midfield, and eventually scored. The PAT was no good, and Junction City led 28–26 at the end of the third quarter.
The Blue Jays stalled on their next drive, and Hays took over at their own 5-yard line. The Indians drove 95 yards, chewing up the clock, and scored on 4th and 6 from the JC 7-yard line with 2:38 to go. Hays converted the two-point try and took the lead, 34–28.
Junction City’s offense kept the game alive with two fourth-down conversions. With 45 seconds left, facing 4th and 9 from the Hays 27, Gomez looked for junior wide receiver Brody Boeckman in the end zone, but the pass fell incomplete. Hays held on for the 34–28 win.
This marks the fourth straight win for Hays over Junction City.
“We’ve got to be better in all aspects of the game,” Junction City Head Coach Randall Zimmerman said. “I am very proud of our players. They work very, very hard.”
Junction City falls to 3–2 on the season and plays at Topeka High next Friday night. (You can hear every Blue Jay game on 107.9 FM / 1420 AM KJCK Radio.)
“We have to find a way to get back on track next week,” Zimmerman said. “I love these kids and I know they are going to come to practice and work their tails off.”
Hays improves to 4–1 and will play at Dodge City next week.
Lovell Autry was named our Player of the Game on the KJCK Radio broadcast. (Blu Restaurant in Junction City is our Player of the Game sponsor.)