October 30, 2004

Hays Scores Late to Beat Football

Back and Forth Game Goes to Tigers

            Kearney, Neb. – The Fort Hays State Tigers, led by McCook native Reed Gottula, scored 14 points in the final 3:39 to rally past Nebraska-Kearney, 42-30, Saturday afternoon at Foster Field.

            Hays (5-4, 4-3 RMAC) beats UNK for the second straight season and also picks up its first win in Kearney since 1990.

            The loss for UNK (4-6, 3-4 RMAC) ensures the team of its first losing season since 1996 (4-7). 

            UNK grabbed a 30-28 lead with 3:56 to go on a 37-yard field goal by sophomore Jessup Pfeifer (Northglenn, Colo.).

            The lead was short lived, however, as Gottula raced 76-yards down the right sideline just two plays later to give the lead back to the Tigers.

            Gottula, a junior quarterback, rushed for 208 yards and that one score on 28 carries. He also was 12 of 21 for 107 yards and two TD’s through the air.

             In the ensuing UNK possession, Hays sealed the victory when linebacker Dustin Dunn picked off junior Kevin Arbuckle (Moorpark, Calif.) and raced 38 yards to the Loper four-yard line

            The play setup the final score of the game, a four-yard run by freshman running back Jordan Hickel with 2:14 to go.

            The Lopers did get the ball back once more and moved it down to the Hays 22-yard line but four straight incomplete passes ended any chance of a miracle comeback.

            Hays, the top rushing team in the RMAC at nearly 240 yards per game, rushed for 293 yards and three scores on 52 carries (5.6 ypc).

            The Tigers ended the game with 400 yards of offense and had a huge advantage in time of possession (36:16 to 23:44).

            UNK had 340 yards of offense as senior running back Mike Miller (Littleton, Colo.) ran for 68 yards and Arbuckle was 23 of 39 for 267 yards and three TD’s via the air.

            Miller scored on a 27-yard pass play in the first half, pushing his career point total to 222, fifth most in school history and just two behind UNK legend Claire Boroff.

            Senior cornerback Deano Korecky (Northglenn, Colo.) brought back a kickoff 93-yards for a score to get the Lopers back into the game. His first career score helped UNK trail by just a 21-19 count early in the third quarter.

            UNK took its first lead of the game late in the third when Arbuckle hooked up with junior Richie Ross (six catches for 43 yards) from five yards out.

            That was Ross’ 29 TD catch in his career, tying the school record held by Trevor Weston.

            Hays took the lead back early in the fourth when defensive back Mike Wooten picked off Arbuckle and raced 30-yards down the right side line for a quick six.

            Defensively, sophomore safety Paul Jimenez (Chino, Calif.) had a team-high 11 tackles while senior linebacker Jered Butts (Colo. Springs, Colo.) had four tackles for loss and a total of eight stops.

            Finally, Lexington senior Garth Mins had 34 yards on five punt returns today and needs just five more yards next week to break Mike Smith’s season record of 384 (1990).