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Hays Rebels footballPosted September 15, 2007, 11 a.m.
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Hays Highway Editor
BUDA – The Friday night lights weren't all they're cracked up to be at Bob Shelton Stadium, where the lamps popped off at 9:15 p.m. to stop the game as the homestanding Hays Rebels moved the ball.
Sadly for the Hays faithful, the Rebels didn't work up that good of a solution for Cedar Park running back Hunter Dixon, who blasted over their defense for 226 yards in just 13 carries, including a 73-yard touchdown romp through the middle right before the night went dark. The lights came back up 20 minutes later to reveal that Cedar Park was every bit as dominant as before. The lights went back down again after the Timberwolves started home with a 35-7 victory.
By the time Dixon's breakout run gave Cedar Park a 21-7 lead 4:15 into the second half, the general theme already emerged. Cedar Park rolls with a legitimate big-school running game, taxing a Hays defense with only one returning starter from last year because of an injury to free safety Michael Kauffmann.
Cedar Park totaled 459 offensive yards against the Rebels, who are working several underclassmen in their defensive platoon. One supposes that, in time, the Rebels can be refined and together enough to check a big, fast, experienced offense, but that night wasn't going to be the second night of the season.
The Rebels haven't taken such a beating on their own field since the last time Cedar Park came to town for a 31-7 win in the first round of the 2004 Class 5A playoffs. If we really wanted to dig hard for a silver lining, bend way over backwards to be positive, we would point out that the Rebels have responded well to their last two loud losses against Cedar Park. Following the 2004 playoff loss, the Rebels won their first nine games of the 2005 season. After losing at Cedar Park last year, 28-10, the Rebels won their next five.
Since Hays and Cedar Park started playing in 2002, Cedar Park has blown past Hays in enrollment. A reporter who covers Cedar Park said the enrollment there is heading for 2,900 as it contends in District 14-5A. The school is growing since its Oct. 2005 snapshot enrollment of 2,154 for the University Interscholastic League (UIL). Hays still hasn't scraped 2,000. The difference in those numbers shows up on the football field. Starting with the 2004 playoffs, Hays has lost eight football games, three of them to Cedar Park.
It's safe to say the kids wearing blue Friday night have never played against a running attack that good, and they must have a new appreciation for the varsity game. Of course, the Rebels get another one next Friday, when they go to Bastrop, then the District 26-4A season begins on Sept. 28 at Lockhart.
"We couldn't stop them," Hays coach Bob Shelton said after watching Cedar Park have its way offensively. "They're very good. They've got some good backs and a good offensive line. We've got a lot of work to do, no doubt about that. You know that old cliche. We have to look at the film. I thought we played hard. They were just better than us tonight."
The Rebels were going to have to way outfight and outwit Cedar Park, which certainly didn't show up to lose. Yet, glimmers of hope presented themselves for about 15 minutes in the middle of the game as the Rebels kept themselves within a break or two.
A short pop-up kick-off by Hays and a penalty against the Rebels started Cedar Park at the Hays 42 to begin the game, which meant the Timberwolves needed only six plays to score a touchdown. After Cedar Park quarterback Michael Cochran threw a 13-yard score to Pat Cummings, Travis Johnson kicked the point to give the visitors a 7-0 lead only 2:09 into the game.
The Hays defense fought off another surge the next time Cedar Park played offense, stopping Cochran for a two-yard loss on fourth down from the Hays three. The Rebels proceded to move the ball out to midfield before punting Cedar Park back to its own five to begin the second quarter.
But then, as if to mock the very idea that this game could come down to field position, Cedar Park thundered down field. At one point on the drive, Dixon and running mate Dedrick McKnight combined for first downs on four consecutive rushing plays. The 11-play march ended with Dixon's six-yard touchdown run. To remark about this 95-yard drive would understate Cedar Park's proficiency, because the Timberwolves actually traveled 105 yards, needing to make up for two five-yard illegal procedure penalties.
Down 14-0, the Rebels took the ball at their own 20 trying to jump back into the game. A penalty for roughing the passer helped with 15 yards to the 38 and a first down, then Hays quarterback Clayton Rogers later broke out of the pocket for 23 yards to the Cedar Park 11.
The Rebels faced third and 12 from the 13 when Rogers ranged all the way back to the 30 trying to evade the pass rush, then heaved a wobbler to wide receiver Paul Breyfogle in the end zone. Breyfogle outjumped a Cedar Park corner and caught the ball, suddenly putting the Rebels back in striking distance with a touchdown.
Though only 1:30 remained in the half, the Rebels couldn't bank on going to intermission down only 14-7. Indeed, Cedar Park's Jamie Knight ran behind Hays corner Luke Guerrero for a 52-yard catch and run to the Rebels 13 as a minute remained.
But the Rebels responded with a play. On second-and-ten, Hays linebacker Jose Carrizales surged behind the line to wrap up Cochran, who chanced a throw on his way down. Hays safety Justin Ortuno made a diving interception at the five, and the Rebels dodged another bullet near the goal line.
Hays received the second-half kickoff with a chance to actually tie this game and moved to the Cedar Park 42 before Rogers collapsed to the ground in pain. Rogers needed assistance to leave the field, though he soon ran off whatever bothered him and later returned.
Meanwhile, junior Trey Berry moved in at quarterback facing third-and-10 on his first play. Berry responded with a 14-yard pass to Breyfogle on the right sideline, setting up first down at the Cedar Park 28. But the Rebels bogged down and gave up the ball on downs at the Cedar Park 27.
And then, as if to mock the very idea that the Rebels would come within 27 yards of tying this game, Dixon blew through the middle on the next snap and took it all 73 yards in the other direction. Suddenly, Cedar Park led, 21-7.
After Cedar Park kicked a touchback, the Rebels gave the ball to fullback Nikki DeSantiago, who ran for four of his 106 rushing yards. Just as the Rebels were about to run their next play, the stadium went dark.
Sandy Clauss, a 25-year veteran of the Hays program who coaches junior high kids and takes the Rebels' end zone film, said the lights went out in the stadium 23 years ago when the Rebels were playing Westlake. Shelton said he couldn't remember that, but he did remember the lights going out when the Rebels played in Boerne in 1977.
Once play resumed Friday, the Rebels went on another nice drive. On third and 17 from the Hays 37, Rogers completed a 15-yard pass to Ryan Slaughter. On fourth and two, Rogers completed a 34-yard pass to Berry, putting Hays on the Cedar Park 14.
Three plays later, on third and six, Rogers threw inside the five to DeSantiago, who bulldozed his way to the end zone. However, the Rebels were called for illegal motion, nullifying the touchdown. Rogers threw incomplete on the next two downs and thus, basically, the game was finished with 1:42 left in the third quarter if the Rebels couldn't stop Cedar Park.
They couldn't. Cedar Park needed only nine plays to cover 85 yards, with McKnight scoring the touchdown from a yard out as 10:19 remained in the game. The Timberwolves tacked on another touchdown later in the fourth quarter, capping an impressive performance.
The Timberwolves now are 2-0 by a combined score of 69-7. They're fast, they're experienced, and they've got an interesting future in their tough north suburban district. Not including the last-minute knee, Cedar Park took seven offensive possessions against Hays, scoring five touchdowns and advancing to the Hays three and the Hays 13 on its other two tries.
"I was very pleased with the kids' performance tonight," Cedar Park coach Chris Ross said. "Anytime you can beat a good team like Hays on the road, we're going to feel good about it. I'm pleased with where the kids are, but it isn't (District) 14-5A yet."
The Rebels are 1-1 and, as has been the case for most of the last 20 years, it took a pretty good team to beat them. The Rebels moved the ball well, gaining 279 yards against a Cedar Park defense that allowed 106 yards in last week's 34-0 win against Harker Heights. But the Hays defense, widely credited for last week's 20-12 win against Boerne, now becomes a point of emphasis.
"We just couldn't stop them," Shelton said again. “We've got to correct things and get better."
It's either that, or turn out the lights.
| Cedar Park | 7 | 7 | 7 | 14 | — | 35 |
| Hays | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | — | 7 |
CP — Pat Cummings 13 pass from Michael Cochran (Travis Johnson kick), 9:51.
RUSHING: Cedar Park — Dixon 13-226, McKnight 12-115, Dollahite 3-20, Kevin Ely 1-3, Landan Dockery 1-0, Cochran 2- (-4). HAYS — Nikki DeSantiago 21-106, Erick Pena 8-43, Rogers 9-26, Trey Berry 2 - (-1), Brandon Lawrence 1 - (-7).
PASSING (Att-comp-yards-TD-Int): Cedar Park — Cochran 5-11-99-1-1. HAYS — Rogers 9-16-98-1-0, Berry 1-5-14-0-0.
RECEIVING: Cedar Park — McKnight 2-34, Jamie Knight 1-52, Cummings 1-13, Dixon 1-0. HAYS — Lawrence 4-21, Breyfogle 2-27, Berry 1-34, Ryan Slaughter 1-15, Kody Smith 1-14, Pena 1-1.
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CP — Hunter Dixon 6 run (Johnson kick), 7:53.
H — Paul Breyfogle 13 pass from Clayton Rogers (Alex Perez kick), 1:30.
CP — Dixon 73 run (Johnson kick), 7:45.
CP — Dedrick McKnight 1 run (Johnson kick), 10:19.
CP — Scott Dollahite 1 run (Johnson kick), 5:53.
Cedar Park HAYS First downs 21 14 Rushes 32 41 Rushing yards 360 167 Att-comp-TD 5-11-1 10-20-1 Passing yards 99 112 Had intercepted 1 0 Returns-yards 2-12 6-89 Punts-average 0-0 3-40.0 Fumbles-lost 1-0 1-0 Penalties 5-35 2-10 Time of possession 17:01 30:59
