CORVALLIS As far as a senior’s final college home football game dreams go, they don’t go as well as Oregon State kicker Everett Hayes’s.
With 26 seconds left, Hayes onto the field at Reser Stadium with composure, his sights set on a 55-yard field goal and a victory. Hayes made the difference in the Beavers’ 41-38 victory over Washington State with a kick that was the second longest of his career.
Although it was the fourth-longest field goal in Oregon State history, considering the circumstances, it was unquestionably the most significant. Hayes’ 55-yard field goal put the Beavers (5-6) in the running for bowl eligibility and helped snap a five-game losing streak.
The play took six seconds to run, but Hayes knew the result in that short amount of time. According to Hayes, he knew it was good the moment his foot touched leather.
I grinned a little when the ball was still in the air, and the other kickers were kind of making fun of me for it. Hayes stated, “They knew I knew it was going in.” You kind of know when you hit it right because you kick a lot of balls during the offseason.
A few weeks ago, Hayes expressed his hope that he will have another opportunity to win a game during his career. In 2021, Hayes’ only other game-winning performance was in a 27–24 victory over Washington. Hayes started preparing for the occasion as the fourth quarter went on.
I kind of watched the clock when we tied it at 38 and thought, “All we need to do is get one stop and just get me in range.” “I’ll make the kick if we can finish that,” Hayes added.
Hayes had a six-year career filled with highs and lows, so the winning kick held special significance for him. In 2021, Hayes made 12 field goals that season, including a school-record 60-yarder against Colorado. However, due to an injury, Hayes has struggled for the last two seasons and lost his job to Atticus Sappington, who has since moved to Oregon.
Hayes is 9 of 14 on field goals this season, which makes it appear to be less than stellar. Coaches, however, claimed that Hayes’ early season absences were more due to subpar special teams play than to his accuracy. Hayes has made eight of his previous nine field goal attempts, demonstrating that both the kicking unit and individual performance have improved.
When I got out there (for the opening kickoff), I was a little emotional, if I’m being honest, but I had to kickoff, so I was a little cautious, Hayes said. It had great significance. I believe that all of the ups and downs have improved me as a person and as a kicker. I simply appreciate all of the opportunities I’ve been given here.
The contact information for Nick Daschel is 360-607-4824, [email protected], or @nickdaschel.
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