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Steamboat Springs — Any notion the Hayden football team might lack focus for its 1 p.m. showdown today at Delta High School against Dolores - a game the Tigers won last year, 48-14 - was shattered early in last week's game at Grand Valley.

Any notion those same Tigers might roll over after their first loss of the season, meanwhile, was shattered in the second half of that game.

Trailing 28-7 at halftime, Hayden (2-1) charged back to at least make the fourth quarter interesting. The team still lost, but coach Shawn Baumgartner hopes scoring 10 fourth-quarter points set the stage to rebound today.

"They're chomping at the bit to get the next game going," he said of the Tigers. "We are going to try to correct some of the mistakes we made and put that behind (us), and hopefully, we can do that by coming out and playing like we need to play."

Dolores has had a rough start to the season, dropping its three games against varsity opponents by a combined score of 129-27.

The team recently fell last week against Pagosa Springs, 47-6.

But, Baumgartner said what the Bears do plays right into what cost Hayden its first game last week.

The Tigers gave up two 50-yard touchdown passes in the first half. Those big and eventually game-deciding plays came on play-action passes that left the Hayden secondary guessing wrong and falling for the fake.

"We have to take care of those play-action passes," Baumgartner said. "We can't give up those deep passes. We can't put ourselves behind the eight ball like that."

To try and shore up that weakness, the Tigers spent the week working on their defensive alignment and run-pass recognition.

"We are trying to keynote linemen for a run-pass set, see how they're blocking, with either their helmets popping up or driving forward," Baumgartner said. "The secondary just has to realize their primary responsibility is pass first, then rally to the run."

Despite those costly lapses at Grand Valley, Baumgartner said the second half of that game told him a lot about his team.

Hayden stiffened on defense and didn't allow any more points. It came alive in the fourth quarter to pull within two scores.

That doesn't reflect on the team's now blemished record, but it did make a difference to the team's coach.

"We went into halftime down 28-7 and could have gone one of two ways. We could either fold and end up getting mercy ruled, but we came out and fought as hard as we could," he said. "That was the best half we've played all year and we're really trying to use that for confidence and as a springboard going into (tonight's) game."