Football · Preview · Class D6
No. 12 Hay Springs at No. 5 Red Cloud: what decides this Class D6 first-round game
No. 5 Red Cloud (7-1) hosts No. 12 Hay Springs (5-3) in the Class D6 first round Fri., Oct. 30. Stats, charts, players to watch, history and keys to the game.
Publication check, Oct. 28: Current NSAA seeds, records and point averages checked; kickoff and host details synchronized with the verified site schedule. Season statistics and chart reporting remain the dated Week9 draft snapshot, not a new full-season audit.
Seeds, records and point averages: NSAA's official bracket, Oct. 24, 2026. Scores: NSAA finals. Player stats: MaxPreps game reports through Week 9. Coaches poll: Hurrdat Sports, Oct. 18.
The Class D6 playoffs start with No. 12 Hay Springs (5-3) traveling to No. 5 Red Cloud (7-1).
The game is Friday, Oct. 30, at 2:30 PM CT. Host: Red Cloud. Current Game Center and source links →
The matchup at a glance
Red Cloud finished 2.0000 points ahead of Hay Springs in NSAA's point averages. Red Cloud scored 44.2 and allowed 14.2 points a game; Hay Springs scored 35.7 and allowed 37.9. Red Cloud's opponents went a combined 30-34, and Hay Springs's went 38-26.
| Red Cloud | Hay Springs | |
|---|---|---|
| Seed | No. 5 | No. 12 |
| Record (NSAA) | 7-1 | 5-3 |
| NSAA point average | 43.0000 | 41.0000 |
| Coaches poll (Oct. 18) | No. 8 | Not ranked |
| Points scored / game | 44.2 | 35.7 |
| Points allowed / game | 14.2 | 37.9 |
| Average margin | +30.0 | -2.1 |
| vs. playoff teams | 2-1 | 1-3 |
| vs. winning teams | 2-1 | 1-3 |
| One-score games | — | 1-0 |
| Opponents' combined record | 30-34 | 38-26 |
| Last 3 games | W 58-18, W 44-0, W 54-27 | W 64-6, W 46-26, W 44-40 |
| Streak | Won 6 | Won 4 |
How Red Cloud got here
Red Cloud finished the regular season 7-1, scoring 354 points and allowing 114. Its only loss came against a team with a winning record: Southwest (5-3), 51-20. Its best win by opponent was an 18-6 win at Diller-Odell (7-1), a playoff team. Against teams that made this year's playoff field, it went 2-1. It comes in on a 6-game winning streak, capped by a 54-27 win at Grand Island Lutheran (4-4) in Week 9. The defense posted three shutouts.
How Hay Springs got here
Hay Springs finished the regular season 5-3, scoring 250 points and allowing 265. All three losses came against teams with winning records: at Garden County (7-1), 57-0; Wallace (7-1), 50-22; Stuart (8-0), 48-14. Against teams that made this year's playoff field, it went 1-3. It comes in on a 4-game winning streak, capped by a 44-40 win at Crawford (5-3) in Week 9. Its record also includes one 1-0 result (forfeit), left out of the scoring numbers.
By the numbers
Players to watch
Season totals from MaxPreps game reports through Week 9. Not every game has a report, so treat these as minimums.
Red Cloud
- J. Heldt (QB): 339 passing yards, 20 of 32, 6 TD, 1 INT
- J. Bolin: 523 rushing yards (9.5 per carry), 7 TD
- M. Bolin: 18 catches, 276 yards, 7 TD
- M. Bolin: 64 tackles, 5 for loss
- D. Zimmerman: 6 sacks
- L. Dack: 3 interceptions
MaxPreps game reports cover 8 of its 8 games.
Hay Springs
- T. Buettner: 868 rushing yards (11.0 per carry), 12 TD
- B. Spicer: 33 tackles, 1 for loss
MaxPreps game reports cover 6 of its 8 games.
Historical program and playoff-series claims are withheld pending school-identity verification. Current-season reporting above is unaffected.
Keys to the game
- Can Hay Springs slow Red Cloud's offense? Red Cloud averaged 44.2 points; Hay Springs allowed 37.9. Red Cloud scored 30 or more in 6 of 8 games.
- Hay Springs's answer. It scored 35.7 a game, and Red Cloud's defense allowed 14.2. In its losses, though, Hay Springs averaged 12.0.
- Tested against playoff teams. Red Cloud went 2-1 against this year's playoff field; Hay Springs went 1-3.
- If it's close late. Red Cloud hasn't played a one-score game (8 points or fewer) this season. Hay Springs is 1-0 in them.
- Stopping T. Buettner. Hay Springs's top rusher has 868 reported yards and 12 touchdowns. Red Cloud allowed 14.2 points a game.
- Momentum. Red Cloud has won 6 straight and averaged 52.0 points over its last three.
What's next
The winner plays the winner of No. 4 Diller-Odell vs. No. 13 Sterling in the quarterfinals Friday, Nov. 6. In D6, hosting after the first round follows NSAA's alternating rule: a team that was the visitor in its previous game hosts a team that was home; otherwise the higher point average hosts. The Class D6 state final is Fri., Nov. 20, 7 p.m., Cope Stadium, Kearney.
Game center: kickoff, live score and bracket path → · Full Class D6 bracket →
Verified state finals schedule → · Class bracket →
Red Cloud team center → · Hay Springs team center →
Nebraska football scores and schedules → · Football playoff tracker →
Result note: a 1–0 entry is shown as listed by NSAA. It is not treated as evidence of an on-field score or a confirmed forfeit.