Hays football coach Bob Shelton made most of his living through the years from the wishbone. Now, his Hays Rebels must defeat the wishbone to stay alive in the Class 4A high school football playoffs.

Following the predictable Hays trouncing of Lehman Friday night at Bob Shelton Stadium, the future is actually fairly bright for Lehman, a young team that improved this year and looks forward to incorporating its winning freshman class. For Hays, the future is more immediate, starting with a home playoff game next Friday night against Magnolia.

As they line up tonight for their last game of the regular season, the Hays Rebels and Lehman Lobos really aren’t rivals. Instead, they’re football teams going in very different directions.

The Hays Rebels clinched a district high school football championship for the first time in ten years Friday night with a 30-22 win against Del Valle.

The Hays Rebels could clinch their first outright district title in ten years with a win tonight against Del Valle at Bob Shelton Stadium. Just as important, the Rebels appear to be rounding into shape as they approach the playoffs.

The Hays Rebels asserted themselves with a 51-13 win at Manor Friday night, taking over first place in District 17-4A and clinching a playoff berth behind 170 rushing yards and four touchdowns from sophomore running back Torrance Smith.

The Hays Rebels go to Manor Friday night, not just trying to break a first-place tie in District 17-4A, but to deal with a speedy opponent, which figures to be one of their top playoff challenges.

The Hays Rebels celebrated another moment of their peculiar, proud aura Friday night, lifting head coach Bob Shelton to his 300th career victory with late-game heroics that have characterized most of their wins in recent years.

Once again, the Hays Rebels snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, forcing overtime on the road with a miracle touchdown before beating Elgin, 26-20, in the District 17-4A opener for both teams.

The Hays Rebels haven’t won a district football championship outright since 1998. Friday night, the Rebels will take their first crack at District 17-4A, where they are favored.