By Tyler Mayforth
Austin — Big plays will always hurt a football team.
It doesn't matter how good or bad the team is, momentum shifts with a double-digit gain. Hays found just how much leverage a big gain gives an opponent Thursday night.
The Rebels allowed four touchdowns of more than 25 yards and couldn't contain Austin-Anderson's three-pronged rushing attack. Hays fell to the Trojans, 35-14.
The Rebels contained Anderson early in the game, limiting the Trojans to seven first-half points. Hays recovered two Anderson fumbles and blocked a Trojan field goal to end the half, but the Rebels only managed seven points off the turnovers.
Hays took a 14-7 lead to begin the third quarter after Trace Gandy rumbled in from six yards. The Rebels set up the touchdown after recovering a third Anderson fumble.
Gandy punched the ball in the end zone, but Anthony Garza was the workhorse for Hays on the drive. Garza rushed three times for 24 yards, delivering punishing blows to the Trojan defense.
Nineteen seconds after the Rebels took the lead, Anderson tied the game on a 68-yard touchdown pass from Sam Wehmeyer to Stanley Kuruwune.
The Trojans were just getting warmed up.
Wehmeyer and Wheeler combined for three second-half touchdowns, two by Wheeler. Wehmeyer's jaunt went for 49 yards, while Wheeler punched one in from five yards out and another from 71.
Wheeler finished with a game-high 126 yards on nine carries. Wehmeyer completed 8-of-13 passes for 147 yards and a touchdown.
Gandy led the Rebels' triple option with 100 yards on 22 carries, while Garza chipped in 94 on 11.
Sam Breyfogle continues to shake off the rust as Hays' quarterback, completing nine of his 23 passes for 105 yards. Breyfogle was picked off twice.
