Hay Springs Rolls Potter-Dix, 88-53

POTTER--Lately, there's been a rivalry between the Hay Springs Hawks and the Potter-Dix Coyotes, but the Coyotes have been the team that has had the edge in the contests. But that trend came to a screeching halt last Friday, as the Hawks descended upon Combs Field in Potter and clawed up the Coyotes, 88-to-53. The final score does not indicate how one-sided the game was, as the Coyotes were able to tack on some points late in a game that was pretty much decided by the end of the first quarter.

Hay Springs started with the ball in good field position and made quick work of the Potter-Dix defense with Hawks sophomore Tripp Buettner racking up big yards to drive deep into Coyote territory. The visitors cashed in with a short touchdown run, and after a bad snap on the extra point kick, a pass was converted for one point to give Hay Springs an early 7-to-0 lead. Potter-Dix started their first drive on their own 15-yard line, and their first play turned disastrous as junior quarterback Dylan Tabor was unable to handle the shotgun snap, and the ball bounced into the end zone. Hay Springs recovered the ball and converted the extra point kick to take a quick 15-to-0 lead.

Potter-Dix settled down on their next drive, moving the ball to midfield. On a fourth down and two attempt, Tabor took a pitch and scrambled 48 yards for a touchdown. The extra point attempt was no good, and the Coyotes cut the Hawks lead to 15-to-6. The Hawks fired back quickly. Starting their drive on their 25 yard-line, senior Dylan Raymer outran the Coyote defense for a long touchdown sprint, and after a failed extra point attempt, the Hawks led 21-to-6 with 6:19 left in the first quarter. On Potter-Dix's next possession, Tabor again fumbled a first-down snap and Hay Springs recovered the ball on the Coyote's 20-yard-line. Hawks senior Dylan Young took the first down snap, swept to the right and cut back up the middle for a touchdown. The extra point kick was good, and the Hawks extended their lead to 27-to-6.

Potter-Dix started to drive again, but a Tabor pass was intercepted by Young at the Coyotes' 32-yard line. Buettner then ran the ball down to the Potter-Dix six-yard line, and then senior Talan Smith ran the ball up the middle for another touchdown, extending the Hay Springs lead to 35-to-6 with 5:11 remaining in the first quarter. Potter-Dix was able to squeeze in another touchdown during the Hay Springs first-quarter onslaught, but when the period finally expired, which took over 50 minutes in real-time, the Coyotes were down 51-to-12. Hay Springs piled on another 24 points in the second quarter while Potter-Dix managed just one score and a two-point conversion.

Hay Springs brought in their substitutes for nearly the entire second half, and Potter-Dix was able to gain some traction, but they were too far behind at that point to change the outcome of the game. Although Tabor's speed and scrambling made him dangerous, the bad first quarter doomed the Potter-Dix boys, and the game ended in an 88-to-53 loss. The Coyotes only managed 93 yards in the air, but did well rushing the ball for 246 yards. Tabor scored two touchdowns rushing, and senior Dawson Monheiser, junior Kolby Labeau, and freshman Callen McConnell all had touchdown runs. Junior Landon Gasseling had the lone touchdown reception for the Coyotes. Tabor also had a kickoff return for a touchdown in the loss. Although Hay Springs only had 9 yards passing, their rushing attack of 478 yards overwhelmed the Coyote defense. Potter-Dix looks to get back on the winning track as they travel to Harrison to take on the Sioux County Warriors for a noon Friday matchup.