HAYTI -- Hayti football displayed exactly what led to its Class 1 No. 4 ranking.
In Friday's game against Malden, the Indians scored at least 68 points for the fourth time this season and earned their second shutout in a 70-0 shellacking of the Green Wave, its first win over Malden in six meetings.
Malden (2-4) showed no signs of quitting, but the stifling front seven of Hayti (6-0) held the Green Wave to a season-low 89 yards of total offense. Malden's longest play came from senior quarterback Tye Miller via a 20-yard burst in the first quarter on the team's second drive of the game.
Miller was held under 100 yards rushing for the first time all year, tallying 61 yards on 22 carries.
Malden head coach Kevin Collier was in the hospital for a medical procedure and unable to attend the game, so special teams coordinator and JV head coach Justin Peden filled his role Friday.
"They've got Division I prospects all over the field," Peden said. "We knew they were fast and we knew they were going to make big plays. We schemed it and we tried to just play hard, know your assignments and just get to where you need to be."
For Hayti, the big plays came in bunches, almost incessantly. Senior running back Ivory Winters scored four touchdowns on the night, finding the edge almost at will with solid blocking from the offensive line and receivers. Every score from Winters came from more than 20 yards out with sprints of 38, 44, 21 and 42 yards. He finished the night with 203 yards on just eight carries.
"We were going to give up big plays; it was going to happen, but our effort level was phenomenal. I'm very proud of the effort they put out," Peden said.
Winters almost had a special teams score to add to his stat sheet on the night, but a 60-yard punt return was negated by a running into the kicker flag that led to a rekick.
With a running clock, Hayti ran just seven plays the whole second half but scored four touchdowns.
Adreian Stevenson helped the special teams get in on the action with a blocked punt in the third quarter to set up a 36 yard pass from freshman quarterback Tray'von Thomas to senior Tylor Wooden after the running into the kicker flag.
Wooden caught four passes, all of which were touchdowns, for 90 yards.
"Our program is designed for success because our kids put in the grind," Hayti head coach Dominique Robinson said. "When you get that win it feels good because it's been about five years since we got a win against them, so when we get the opportunity, we're gonna take the W."
Thomas was on point all night for Hayti. He went 7 of 10 through the air with 215 yards and six touchdowns. His largest gain came from a screen pass with an 82-yard catch and run from Jerrod Covington.
Having 11 players flying around the field making plays can save a coach a lot of stress, and Robinson said that's been the case this year with his team.
"My job is super easy. I got great assistant coaches, and I got great leaders on the field, man," Robinson said. "I don't have to do much. I just have to motivate them a little bit, and my coaches take care of the rest.
"They're the ones that put together the schemes and the game plan, and my kids just execute. I'm excited."
The Malden defense was able to force Hayti into one fourth down on its opening drive, but Thomas completed a fourth and 8 pass to move the chains. Three plays later, Wooden caught a pass from Thomas and ran 18 yard into the endzone for the game's first score. After that play, Hayti only saw one third down the rest of the game.
Malden was able to cross midfield three times on the night, but Hayti picked off Miller on two of those occasions and the end of the first half stalled the third drive.
Playing such a stacked team provided the young Green Wave team with a learning experience moving forward.
"We found out what a couple players are capable of and what they'll do in a tough situation. We found out that if we keep going hard, we better ourselves, and that's really what tonight was more about than anything," said senior Gavin Bristow.