Let the intensity begin, and forgive the Great Bend High School Panthers football team if they’re fired up more than usual today on campus.
Great Bend plays Hays tonight in a Western Athletic Conference rivalry game — and then some.
Panthers head coach Bo Black has tried to keep his team low-key all week, but now it’s GameDay.
“That’s really been the big part of this week,” Black said. “We’re trying to stay low-key and trying to carry on the work week as normal as possible and concentrate on the things that we can control.
“This game is never a problem, worrying about our kids not being emotionally ready to play this one. It’s been kind of like pulling back the reins all week, until (today), to make sure that they don’t get too ‘up’ for this game too early in the week, and that’s always the big concern in playing this game.”
Last season, Hays pulled out a 43-42 home win at Lewis Field Stadium in overtime — one of the most memorable games in the longtime series between the nearby schools.
“One of the best football games that I’ve ever been a part of was last year,” Black said. “Every play was a battle and every mistake was magnified in a big game like this.”
Before Black came to Great Bend in 2001, Hays had dominated the series between 1989 and 2000, losing only once during that stretch (21-20 in 1995).
Black is 7-4 overall against Hays entering tonight’s game.

SERIES HISTORY
Great Bend vs. Hays
(1989-present)
2011 — Hays 43, GBHS 42
2010 — GBHS 17, Hays 6
2009 — Hays 20, GBHS 14
2008 — GBHS 37, Hays 11
2007 — GBHS 21, Hays 6
2006 — GBHS 52, Hays 29
2005 — Hays 29, GBHS 10
2004 — Hays 35, GBHS 13
2003 — GBHS 31, Hays 23
2002 — GBHS 31, Hays 0
2001 — GBHS 28, Hays 21
2000 — Hays 38, GBHS 14
1999 — Hays 19, GBHS 0
1998 — Hays 14, GBHS 7
1997 — Hays 14, GBHS 6
1996 — Hays 36, GBHS 6
1995 — GBHS 21, Hays 20
1994 — Hays 23, GBHS 0
1993 — Hays 23, GBHS 6
1992 — Hays 27, GBHS 12
1991 — Hays 13, GBHS 7
1990 — Hays 24, GBHS 0
1989 — Hays 33, GBHS 22