Kansas’ first high school football game since the pandemic started was ... different
As Eisenhower kicked off the 2020 season, the cheers that accompanied resembled more of a recreation youth football game than the best game in the state Thursday night.
Hays High beat Eisenhower 19-10 in the inaugural game of the Kansas high school football season, but the environment was cut in half, at least. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, attendance to the game was capped to about 30%, and all spectators were required to wear masks.
Dots were placed in two rows along the sidelines to indicate where players should stand. Coaches wore masks throughout the game. Cheerleaders and dancers were there, and they, too, often wore face masks. At the end of the game, there was no handshake line; instead, the players stood at the hash marks and raised their helmets to one another.
One group of students was noticeably absent: the band. With no instruments playing throughout the game and other circumstances, it made for a relatively tranquil evening in Goddard.
“There’s really no words for it,” Hays coach Tony Crough said. “It’s just a weird deal trying to figure out what’s going to happen. I think the kids are always in limbo, and you could see that in the first half. ... The most important thing is keeping everyone safe, but it’s just weird, wondering what to do with your mask and all that good stuff. But these kids are resilient, and they adapt well.”
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But Thursday’s game was a day away from not happening at all.
Teams must practice for 14 days before football competition can begin, according to Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) rule. Wednesday was Hays’ 14th practice, Crough said.
And with the quality of football on display Thursday - with four turnovers, two fumbled snaps and a safety all in the first half - both teams looked rusty. Eisenhower coach Darrin Fisher said that was to be expected.
But putting the mistakes aside, Thursday’s game featured two of the most up-and-coming teams in Kansas. Eisenhower, still a comparatively new school, has been building its football program since its inception in 2012. The Tigers won four games through their first two seasons combined. Under second-year coach Darrin Fisher, Eisenhower is believed to make strides toward a playoff run.
On the other sideline, Hays High is going through what is widely considered its golden era. With three players on the roster with Division I offers and a few more who have that potential, the Indians are already in contention for a Class 5A postseason run.
Hays’ defense features two of those to-be Division I players. Senior defensive end Gaven Haselhorst is verbally pledged to Kansas State, and junior middle linebacker Gavin Meyers holds offers from K-State, Nebraska and Colorado. Together, they gave Eisenhower nightmares as Haselhorst finished with multiple sacks, and Meyers caught the game-clinching interception with a slick toe drag on the sideline.
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On offense, Hays wasn’t pretty, but junior receiver Jaren Kanak - who has offers from K-State and Kansas - reached the end zone twice, including a 50-yard seed from junior quarterback Dylan Dreiling. Junior running back Roy Moroni, who looks to a a college player as well, opened the Indians’ account in 2020 with a vicious hit at the goal line.
But Hays wasn’t the only team on the field. Eisenhower showed signs of what it is capable of, especially in the second half as senior quarterback Nick Hogan led the Tigers on an impressive drive that ended with their only score on a quick pass to junior reciever Owen Rush.
Both teams had their moments Thursday, but the circumstances surrounding the game made it definitely different. At the same time, both teams were just happy to have played given the level of uncertainty over the past few months.
“It was awesome,” Fisher said. “We’re still blessed. Regardless of the score, an opportunity to come out here and play football and compete, be out here with our team, it’s still a great experience for these guys, win or lose, because we just didn’t know if it was going to happen.
“If we could have pulled away with a win, that just would have been a bonus.”
This story was originally published September 3, 2020 at 11:47 PM.