Hays (4-2, 2-0) at Great Bend (6-0, 2-0)
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BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
The Western Athletic Conference football title has run through Hays the past four years. Great Bend won its last WAC football championship in 2018 when they beat the Indians 15-7.
As rivalries go, it'll be high-level intensity when Great Bend (6-0, 2-0 WAC) and Hays (4-2, 2-0 WAC) meet at Memorial Stadium. Hays has lost 40-7 to No. 1 6A Derby and 34-30 to No. 2 6A Manhattan.
"Hays is our biggest rival, our closest WAC school," said Panther receiver Ian Premer. "When you play WAC teams every year, they have athletes, which is a challenge. They're competitive games. The league games are important."
Hays averages 224 yards rushing keyed by back Holden Land (734 yards, 5 TDs). Carter Graham has thrown for 571 yards, a 95-yard average. Panther Trenton Kern has 73 tackles. Aidan Davidson and Conner Holladay each have 8 tackles for loss.
The Indians have earned the Panthers' respect.
"Hays is the best football team we've played," said Premer. "Hays is a physical team up front, a big team. Our goals are to stop their running game and stop their pass rush.
"We're excited. It'll be a packed house. Home-field is huge for us. Our crowd supports us every game. It'd be big to win WAC, which is our first goal when we start the football season."
The Panthers have handled every challenge with a one-game-at-a-time approach.
"We've proven we're a good football team, and have maintained a next-game mentality," Premer said "We've stayed grounded, ready to compete every week. We want to end the football season like we want to."
Josue Bustamante has replaced injured Brody Schnoebelen on offensive snaps with Owen Kaiser, Karter Brown and Blaine Ensley taking extra defensive snaps
"We've done a good job with the next-man up mentality," Premer said. "Everyone goes to practice preparing whether you're starting or you're a back-up. When someone goes out, the next guy is ready. Our backup guys are ready.
The Panthers are averaging 181 yards passing and 150 yards rushing led by Jace Schartz (513 yards). Daxton Minton has 12 touchdowns passing with Premer (427 yards, 7 TDs), Cooper Ohnmacht (317 yards, 3 TDs) and Jacob Hall (193 yards, 3 TDs) the primary targets.
Great Bend coach Erin Beck is 3-5 against Hays, beating the Indians in 2016, 2018 and 2019. Hays football coach Tony Crough understands the Hays/Great Bend rivalry from both sidelines. Crough led the Panthers in 2014 and 2015, going 1-1 against Hays.
