Hayes Center advances in D2 state playoffs

Ann Fornoff/Courtesy photo Keifer Messersmith (11) of Hayes Center tries to sneak past Spalding/Spalding Academy defender Cory Valasek (30) during Class D2 football playoff action Wednesday at Spalding, Messersmith scored three touchdowns to lead the Cardinals to a 42-8 victory. [Click to enlarge]

SPALDING -- A strong second half and a strong running game propelled Hayes Center to a 42-8 victory over host Spalding/Spalding Academy Wednesday afternoon in the second round of the Class D-2 state high school football playoffs.

Keifer Messersmith and Tyler Clifford each scored a pair of second-half touchdowns to boost Hayes Center. The Cardinals led 15-0 at halftime.

Hayes Center rushed for 228 yards and held Spalding to 82 yards on the ground.

Grant Strunk/McCook Daily Gazette Eustis-Farnam defenders Jerod Strong (3), Jacob Widick (14) and Drew Wetovick (11) swarm Palmer running back Dillon Glause. Palmer advances in the Class D1 state football playoffs with a 60-26 win over the Knights Wednesday. [Click to enlarge]

"I thought we did a great job of increasing our level of play against a very physical Spalding/Spalding Academy team," said Hayes Center head coach Scott Jorgensen. "We did a great job of neutralizing their running game, which put us in a position to do good things on offense."

Messersmith had 129 rushing yards to lead the Cardinals. Keifer ran for touchdowns of 8, 40 and 25 yards. Clifford added 99 yards and had scoring runs of 18 and 17 yards.

Tyler Rehbein passed to Adam Lawson for a 18-yard TD pass for the other score for Hayes Center.

Hayes Center had 38 passing yards, as quarterback Rehbein, Messersmith and Clifford each completed passes. Spalding Academy gained 157 yards through the air.

Messersmith led the Hayes Center defense with 15 tackles and an interception.

Hayes Center, 9-1, advances to the D2 playoff quarterfinals next Tuesday against Chambers. Chambers, 8-2, claimed a 26-22 road victory over Anselmo-Merna in second-round playoff action Wednesday.

"We will need to continue to increase our level of play against a very good Chambers team on Tuesday," Coach Jorgensen said.

Hayes Center is the top seed in the west bracket of the D2 playoff field, while Chambers is seeded fifth.

CLASS D-2 STATE PLAYOFFS

Wednesday at Spalding

Hayes Center 8 7 13 14 -- 42

Spalding/Sp. Academy 0 0 2 6 -- 8

HC -- Adam Lawson 18 pass from Tyler Rehbein (Tyler Clifford pass from Keifer Messersmith).

HC -- Messersmith 8 run (James Mate kick).

HC -- Messersmith 40 run (kick failed).

SSA -- Safety, Hayes Center tackles in end zone.

HC -- Clifford 18 run (Mate kick).

HC -- Messersmith 25 run (Mate kick).

SSA -- Drew Kasperbauer 62 pass from Tyler Bernt (run failed).

HC -- Clifford 17 run (Mate kick).

Hayes Center statistics leaders

Rushing -- Keifer Messersmith 24-129, Tyler Clifford 18-99.

Passing -- Tyler Rehbein 2-4-1 31 yards, Keifer Messersmith 1-2-0 5 yards, Tyler Clifford 1-1-0 2 yards.

Receiving -- Brady Rosno 3-20, Adam Lawson 1-18.