By NICK McQUEEN

nmcqueen@dailynews.net

For the second time in his one-year plus one-game career at Fort Hays State University, senior Bryan Haynes impressed the likes of the voters in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association.

On the heels of Haynes' impressive game in the Tigers' 44-0 season-opening win over New Mexico Highlands University, Haynes was honored Monday as the MIAA Special Teams Player of the Week. It was the second time in two seasons Haynes earned the honor, and the second time he has had a kick return for a touchdown of 90-plus yards.

Haynes returned a kick 97 yards to open the second half in Thursday's rout of the Cowboys, boosting a solid second half where the Tigers put up 30 points. Haynes' last big return for a score came last season, a 93-yard run against Southwest Baptist (Mo.) University.

"It gets the momentum going," Haynes said of his big return. "Everyone gets the juices going, and we start playing at the high tempo that we like to play at."

The 97-yard scamper, which took just under 14 seconds, tied for the fourth longest in program history.

A University of Massachusetts transfer and the NCAA Division II indoor champion in the 200 meters, Haynes also had three receptions from junior quarterback Mike Garrison for 90 yards, including a 71-yard score in the third quarter.

"We knew we could go down the field,"¬ Garrison said. "There wasn't a corner that could keep up with him."

The 1-0 start for the Tigers was their second straight as they gear up for another former RMAC opponent in Colorado School of Mines. The Tigers will be in Golden, Colo. on Saturday for a 1 p.m. start.