Hayden 28, West Point 21: Wildcats get region win at last

Published 12:40 am Saturday, October 8, 2011

Hayden won its first region game of the season with a 28-21 decision over visiting West Point.

The Wildcats got on the board first when Corey Ward connected with Jared Hargett for 30 yards and a touchdown early in the second quarter.

After forcing a West Point punt, the Cats drove to the 23-yard line before a fumble foiled a score.

The Warriors then drove 77 yards for a score to tie the game, as Tate Duckett capped the drive with a 1-yard run. After a good kickoff return to the 37 by Adam Carlton, the Cats wasted no time in scoring their second touchdown of the night. Ward found his second Hargett of the night – Lee, Jared’s twin brother — on a 39 yard pass.

West Point tried a 25-yard field goal as time expired in the first half, but it failed. The Wildcats carried a 14-7 lead into the dressing room at halftime.

Neither team scored until the Warriors tied the game late in the third quarter on a 5-yard run by freshman quarterback Bryant Farley. After the teams swapped punts, Hayden would take the lead at 21-14 when Adam Carlton recovered a Wildcat fumble in the end zone for the score midway through the final quarter.

West Point then punted to Hayden’s Clay Hogeland. who had a nice return going until he fumbled and the Warriors’ Jeb Griffin picked up the fumble and ran for 25 yards. Then Griffin also fumbled, but teammate Dalton Wren finally would up the ball and West Point was in business at the Hayden 25-yard line. Brandon Addison capped the drive on a 4-yard run, tying the game at 21-21 with only 4:28 left.

Hayden drove 65 yards for the winning score, as Jared Hargett scored his second touchdown of the night on a 13-yard run. West Point’s last effort ended when Casey Speakman intercepted a Farley pass with less than a minute left.