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DODGE CITY —
Did anyone catch the license plate on that bus?
The one that just ran through Dodge City to the tune of a 56-14 beatdown over the defending Western Athletic Conference champs.
On Friday night at Memorial Stadium, the DCHS football team took on Hays High School in a battle of WAC title contenders.
The breeze was blowing in hard, making the game of field advantage very important.
As the game got underway, Hays took their opening possession 80 yards with David Cardinal punching it in for the Indians.
The Demons, with the wind to their back, failed to do anything on their possession, turning it over on downs deep in Hays territory.
Hays smelled blood in the water and jumped at the opportunity.
They would score once again, thanks to big runs and missed tackles.
Mistakes would prove to be fatal for Dodge, as the kickoff return team failed to yield pop-up pooch kickoffs two times in a row, resulting in great field position for the Indians. Those turnovers would lead to Hays coming away from the first quarter with a 28-0 lead.
The Demons would find their way onto the board into the second quarter after Parker Davis plunged his way across the goal line from two yards out. An unsuccessful two-point conversion left the score 28-6.
But DCHS could not stop the vaunted rushing attack that Hays brings to the table.
On the night Hays would rush for 482 total yards, with Cardinal producing 150 of those on just 11 carries and two touchdowns. Quarterback Austin Unrein rushed eight times for 113 yards and two scores, including an 82-yard scamper late in the first quarter, and Marck Mathis shoveled in 133 yards on seven carries and two touchdowns.
Dodge City would find surges of positive plays throughout the second half, but would stall near midfield.
Quarterback Kellen Newton, called in for his passing ability, threw the ball for 173 yards on 12-for-21 passing and a touchdown to Dakota Duckett as the third quarter expired. Duckett finished with 95 yards receiving on four catches and the one score.
Overall the Demons were outgained 278 yards to 531, with Hays averaging an astounding 9.8 yards per play.
Head Coach Dave Foster says his team has no one to blame but themselves.
"Those turnovers really killed us in the first quarter," Foster said. "I told my guys to not point the finger at anyone else, but to look at themselves in the mirror and figure out what's wrong. You have to give credit to Hays, they were a much more physical team and much more focused."
The loss knocks the Demons out of the WAC title chase, and leaves the team sitting at 3-3 struggling to find out who they are as a football team.
"We need to find our identity," Foster said. "My biggest concern is our mental status — we don't have any confidence. We haven't been very physical on defense and we need to find something that fits that personality, which is difficult in this game."
Luckily for the Demons, only the last three weeks determine you're spot for the state playoffs, something Foster has made clear to his players.
"I took the chalkboard in the locker room and wiped it clean, which is what I told the players to do," Foster said.
Next up for Dodge is a meeting with Goddard on the road to regain some of the swagger that had this Demon team flying high at 3-1.
But for now, it's time to regroup and refocus, and prepare for the final three games.
"We deserved to get beat tonight when we make those kind of careless mistakes," Foster said. "We have to get back our confidence."
Did anyone catch the license plate on that bus?
The one that just ran through Dodge City to the tune of a 56-14 beatdown over the defending Western Athletic Conference champs.
On Friday night at Memorial Stadium, the DCHS football team took on Hays High School in a battle of WAC title contenders.
The breeze was blowing in hard, making the game of field advantage very important.
As the game got underway, Hays took their opening possession 80 yards with David Cardinal punching it in for the Indians.
The Demons, with the wind to their back, failed to do anything on their possession, turning it over on downs deep in Hays territory.
Hays smelled blood in the water and jumped at the opportunity.
They would score once again, thanks to big runs and missed tackles.
Mistakes would prove to be fatal for Dodge, as the kickoff return team failed to yield pop-up pooch kickoffs two times in a row, resulting in great field position for the Indians. Those turnovers would lead to Hays coming away from the first quarter with a 28-0 lead.
The Demons would find their way onto the board into the second quarter after Parker Davis plunged his way across the goal line from two yards out. An unsuccessful two-point conversion left the score 28-6.
But DCHS could not stop the vaunted rushing attack that Hays brings to the table.
On the night Hays would rush for 482 total yards, with Cardinal producing 150 of those on just 11 carries and two touchdowns. Quarterback Austin Unrein rushed eight times for 113 yards and two scores, including an 82-yard scamper late in the first quarter, and Marck Mathis shoveled in 133 yards on seven carries and two touchdowns.
Dodge City would find surges of positive plays throughout the second half, but would stall near midfield.
Quarterback Kellen Newton, called in for his passing ability, threw the ball for 173 yards on 12-for-21 passing and a touchdown to Dakota Duckett as the third quarter expired. Duckett finished with 95 yards receiving on four catches and the one score.
Overall the Demons were outgained 278 yards to 531, with Hays averaging an astounding 9.8 yards per play.
Head Coach Dave Foster says his team has no one to blame but themselves.
"Those turnovers really killed us in the first quarter," Foster said. "I told my guys to not point the finger at anyone else, but to look at themselves in the mirror and figure out what's wrong. You have to give credit to Hays, they were a much more physical team and much more focused."
The loss knocks the Demons out of the WAC title chase, and leaves the team sitting at 3-3 struggling to find out who they are as a football team.
"We need to find our identity," Foster said. "My biggest concern is our mental status — we don't have any confidence. We haven't been very physical on defense and we need to find something that fits that personality, which is difficult in this game."
Luckily for the Demons, only the last three weeks determine you're spot for the state playoffs, something Foster has made clear to his players.
"I took the chalkboard in the locker room and wiped it clean, which is what I told the players to do," Foster said.
Next up for Dodge is a meeting with Goddard on the road to regain some of the swagger that had this Demon team flying high at 3-1.
But for now, it's time to regroup and refocus, and prepare for the final three games.
"We deserved to get beat tonight when we make those kind of careless mistakes," Foster said. "We have to get back our confidence."
