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BUDA — The Elgin Wildcats varsity football team fell 43-13 to the Hays Hawks in its season opener Thursday, Aug. 28, at Bob Shelton Stadium.
Despite the lopsided loss, head coach Rich Lucero pointed to the team’s unity as a highlight of the night, and a foundation the roster can build from.
“We have to stay together,” Lucero said. “That’s the biggest positive — this group is together. They are united, and when you have that, it’s the biggest thing.”
Junior utility player Trey Flores started at quarterback for Elgin but struggled to move the ball through the air. Lucero praised Flores’ leadership and said the Wildcats will continue evaluating the position.
“He did well. He hasn’t played quarterback since his freshman year,” Lucero said. “He’s just a great leader and someone the guys rally around and believe in. We still have some other players we’re looking at, and we’ll eventually get them in.”
Both teams went three-and-out on their opening drives, but the Wildcats nearly had a punt blocked deep in their own territory, setting up Hays at the Elgin 16-yard line. The defense held, forcing a 38-yard field goal attempt that missed wide left.
The Hawks struck first with a 28-yard rushing touchdown to go up 6-0 after a failed extra- point attempt. Elgin answered quickly when senior utility player Michael Mejias broke free for a 61-yard touchdown run, giving the Wildcats their only lead of the night at 7-6.
Mejias finished with more than 100 rushing yards and two touchdowns, as the Wildcats’ ground game proved a bright spot, averaging 4.6 yards per carry.
Hays responded with a 45yard touchdown run to make it 12-7 on the first play from scrimmage following a long kick return to the Elgin 45. From there, the Wildcats couldn’t keep pace, outscored 28-0 through the remainder of the half to trail 40-7 at the break.
Special teams mistakes piled up for Elgin, with multiple errant snaps on punts and poor kickoff coverage setting up short fields for the Hawks.
“We’ve got to be cleaner in the kicking game,” Lucero said. “Practicing situational football and making sure those things are being taken care of. We have three new coaches and a lot of new players, so we have a lot of work to do — not just in special teams but in offense and defense.”
Mejias added Elgin’s second touchdown on a 15-yard run in the second half to cut the deficit to 40-13, but Hays sealed the win with a late field goal.
The Wildcats will be back in action Friday, Sept. 5, facing Austin Anderson at 7:30 p.m. in House Park Stadium.
