Photo by Visual Sports Network of San Antonio

Hays football fans gather in full force and show off their Rebel spirit while tailgating before a recent football game. (Photo by Lincoln Ramirez)

by JASON GORDON

During each of the past four seasons the Hays and Lehman varsity football teams have squared off over the brief history of the rivalry, the Lobos have gotten closer each year. That said, the narrowest of those defeats was a 20-point Hays win in 2009. Here are the top three reasons the Rebels will once again beat the Lobos Friday night:

HISTORY:
The scores in the Hays-Lehman series read as follows: 56-0 in 2006, 50-13 in 2007, 42-7 in 2008 and 27-7 in 2009. Lehman players have to truly believe they have a chance to win if they are going to finally break through against their cross-town rivals. Although Lobo players have said exactly that before each and every one of the previous four games, the results on the football field have told a different story. Hays has jumped out to an easy halftime lead in each contest and has never looked back. If the Rebels are able to light up the scoreboard early at Shelton Stadium Friday night and have the Lobos looking up at a deficit once again, history will repeat itself and Hays will coast to victory.

TOO MANY WEAPONS:
While everybody on the Lehman sidelines is rightfully hyping running back Levi Medley, who has burst onto the scene over the last couple of weeks, Hays has multiple weapons on offense that can score from any spot on the field. Running back Torrance Smith has rushed for 338 yards, running back Tony Garza has rushed for 252 and caught a 55-yard touchdown pass in Hays’ season opener, and lightning-quick Michael Romero is a triple threat. Romero has caught six passes for 170 yards, has rushed for more than 100 yards, and has been a special teams star, with the highlight being his 75-yard punt return against Hutto last Friday night. While Lehman’s play at quarterback has been getting better, Hays has had much more consistent play out of its two rotating signal-callers Mason Cervenka and Caleb Kimbro, who have combined to throw only one interception. Kimbro has rushed for 130 yards and passed for 219 yards, while Cervenka has passed for 161 yards. The fact Hays can capitalize on a defensive breakdown with so many different players will make the Rebel offense hard to stop Friday night.

STRENGTH OF COMPETITION:
Hays has played three Class 5A opponents and a strong Class 4A team in Hutto. Both the Hippos and Anderson will likely make the playoffs. Despite losing both ballgames, the Rebels had a chance to beat both Hutto and Anderson, both of which remain undefeated on the season. Akins, Anderson, Hutto and San Marcos each had talented athletes and were good tests for the Rebels heading into District 27-4A play. Winning three games in a row at any level is an impressive feat, but the three teams the Lobos have knocked off the past three weeks have a combined 1-9 record. The fact the Rebels have faced off against teams in non-district play that will be around in the Class 4A and Class 5A postseason should give them an advantage against Lehman Friday night at Shelton Stadium.