After a close start, the Hay Springs Hawks defeated Sioux County on the gridiron in a chilly Friday afternoon contest.
The Hawks were 3-3 entering the game, while Sioux County was 4-2. Hay Springs pulled away in the second half for a 57-18 victory.
Sioux County struck first in the contest, with Jack Hunter recovering a Hawk fumble after going three and out. Cy Hughson connected with Will Skavdahl moments later to put the Warriors on the board 6-0. Hughson nabbed another Hay Springs fumble almost immediately, only for the Warriors to lose it on the next play with a fumble of their own, recovered by Cutter Scott. Dylan Raymer rushed for a Hay Springs touchdown from inside the five-yard line to tie the contest after Shane Gluth blocked the extra point kick for Sioux County.
Scott found the end zone for the Hawks nine seconds into the second quarter, rushing for 44 yards to make it 12-6 in favor of Hay Springs. Three minutes later, Hughson connected with Gluth on a 16-yard touchdown pass to tie the game once again. Hay Springs had an answer a minute later with a 45-yard touchdown run by Gage Mintken and then Hunter McDonald intercepted Hughson to set up Scott for a one-yard scramble just before half-time to make it 30-12 for the Hawks.
Raymer scored the only touchdown of the third quarter midway through the period. Sioux County recovered another fumble by Hay Springs, and the Hawks intercepted another Hughson pass.
Hay Springs scored twice in less than 30 seconds at the start of the final period. Scott scrambled in from eight yards, and a Hawk recovery of a Warrior fumble set up Jordyn Anderson for a touchdown to make it 51-12. Sioux County finally added another score to board on a six-yard run by Hunter, but Hay Springs wasn’t done yet. Eli Scott connected with Tripp Buettner on a 30-yard pass with just over 2:30 remaining for the 57-18 score. The contest ended with the teams trading fumble recoveries.