By KLINT SPILLER

The Hays Daily News

HUTCHINSON -- It was still eight days before Halloween, but the Hays High School football team was left wanting a treat after Friday night's game.

In a battle against one of the best teams in the state the past five years, previously unbeaten Hays High simply couldn't scare up a win against Hutchinson, as the Indians were crushed 56-0 by the Salthawks in Class 5A, District 6 action.

Hays High first-year coach Ryan Cornelsen placed the blame squarely on his shoulders.

"I didn't have a very good plan," he said. "I didn't have a very good approach. I thought the kids did what I asked. I just didn't do a very good job of having them ready. I've got to do a better job."

Hutchinson (8-0 overall, 2-0 district) has won five consecutive state championships and is ranked No. 1 in Class 5A in the statewide media poll.

"They are as good as I've seen at this level, and I've been around some pretty good football teams," Cornelsen said.

The Indians' offense never crossed midfield as Hays High was outgained by the Salthawks 414-70 in total yards.

"We weren't prepared," Hays High sophomore running back Brad Desbien said. "I think we are just as good as them. They might outman us, but we weren't ready, and we didn't play hard enough."

Hays High (7-1, 1-1) managed two first downs, while Hutchinson had 20.

With the lack of offense, the defense was given several short fields. Hutchinson only started behind its own 40-yard line once in the game, helping the Salthawks score touchdowns on eight of their 11 drives.

The score could have been even more lopsided if Hays High wouldn't have recovered two Salthawk fumbles inside the Indians' 20-yard line during two of Hutchinson's first three drives.

"Our defense was just attacking and staying low on a couple of drives," Hays High junior Zack Gaughan said. "On a couple of drives we did it, but we just couldn't do it the whole game. I don't know why. We just didn't step up."

The Salthawks gained 347 yards on the ground. Senior running back Deveon Dinwiddie led Hutchinson in rushing with 115 yards and three touchdowns on 15 carries.

Hutchinson senior fullback Josh Smith added 71 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries before sustaining a knee injury in the second quarter and missing the rest of the game.

"Their backs were fast," Gaughan said. "They just got to the edge really well. We couldn't stop it."

Hays High posted all of its yardage on the ground, rushing for 70 yards on 39 carries.

Desbien led the team with 35 yards on 15 carries, while junior fullback Josh Balman added 24 yards on 10 carries.

Hays High senior quarterback Bryant Bombardier threw four incomplete passes, one of which resulted in a 22-yard interception return for a touchdown.

"We just weren't clicking," Desbien said. "You can't blame it on one person. We are a team. No one played."

Hutchinson scored only one touchdown in the first quarter as Smith scored on a 5-yard run.

However, the Salthawks poured it on during the second quarter, scoring four touchdowns.

Dinwiddie scored three touchdowns on runs of 2, 5 and 8 yards, and junior fullback Deshawn Dinwiddie scored on a 2-yard run.

Hutchinson senior defensive back Wes Warren picked Bombardier off and returned it 22 yards for a touchdown, and Deshawn Dinwiddie bulldozed his way 6 yards for the Salthawks' second touchdown in the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Hutchinson sophomore backup quarterback Lucas Munds faked a handoff and scored on a 3-yard run.

Cornelsen said there was only one positive thing to take away from the game.

"Don't play like that ever again. That is about all we can take away from that," he said.

Hutchinson coach Randy Dreiling said he was impressed with Hays High's progress, but said it will take time to make it to the next level.

"You can't expect them to turn the corner in basically a summer and five weeks, to catch up with what we've gained in 13 years," Dreiling said. "You just can't do that."

However, the Indians still control their destiny as they return home to face McPherson (7-1, 1-1) on Friday. McPherson won 49-10 at Great Bend (4-4, 0-2).

Hutchinson has clinched the district title, while the McPherson-Hays High winner gets the second playoff spot out of the district.

"We'll find out what kind of fight that we have in us," Cornelsen said. "If the kids have any fight in them, then they'll come back and not accept that type of performance."

If the Indians win Friday, they will make the playoffs for the first time since 2001.

"We've got to beat McPherson now to get into the playoffs," Gaughan said. "It is going to be a tough week of practice, but that is what we need to get back on track. We've got to go harder than ever if we want to beat Mac."