BY JIM MISUNAS

jmisunas@gbtribune.com

Linebacker Trenton Kern sparked Great Bend's throwback defensive performance for the Panthers' first Western Athletic Conference championship since 2018.

Time-after-time, Kern delivered a defensive play to ignite a hard-fought 21-0 shutout of challenger Hays High that clinched the WAC title. No. 1 seed Great Bend (7-0, 3-0 WAC) is the lone unbeaten 5A Western team. The Panthers play at Garden City next week.

"We've never shut out a talented offensive team like that. When we needed an offensive play, or a stop, the guys made them," said Great Bend coach Erin Beck. The guys were locked in all week and executed all night. Hays' game plan was to run the football. It's the best offensive line we've seen. But our guys didn't want to give up an inch."

 A supportive Senior Night crowd provided the Panthers with their expected home-field advantage.

Quarterback Daxton Minton delivered a perfect 25-yard touchdown pass to Cooper Ohnmacht on 4th-and-20 for a 7-0 lead. Ohnmacht set up the Panthers with an alert 20-yard punt return to the Indian 15-yard line.

"Daxton threw a perfect ball and Cooper drug one foot in the endzone," Beck said.

The Panthers delivered huge defensive plays to preserve a 7-0 halftime lead. The trio of Trenton Kern, Kale Kern and Aidan Davidson dropped Holden Lind for a 2-yard loss to the Panther 4-yard line. Hays lost 10 yards on a blocking penalty against Cooper Ohnmacht at the 3-yard line. Ian Premer deflected a halfback pass by Brayden Moeckel away on 4th-and-goal from the 13-yard line.

"We made plays to get a stop right before halftime," said Beck. "Trent kept making play-after-play. Kale (Kern) was doing the same thing. We played smart in the secondary. Our safeties Ian Premer and Cooper Ohnmacht filled in on the run."

Premer weaved through Indian defenders for a dazzling 49-yard touchdown run for a 14-0 lead. Premer gave teammate Hayden Kelly a gentle push, and Kelly proceeded to throw two blocks.

"Ian's a pretty special kid with pure determination," Beck said. "I believe you've got to get your best players the football. "Hayden Kelly threw one of the best blocks I've seen. Jacob Hall and Kelly were blocking downfield."

Minton delivered the finishing touch on a 63-yard touchdown dash on a quarterback draw for a 21-0 lead. Minton rushed for 108 yards and Premer gained 90 yards. Tackles Blaine Ensley and Owen Kaiser, guards Trenton Kern and Davidson and center Karter Brown paved the way for 229 rushing yards.

"Daxton played a gutsy game and made unbelievable decisions," Beck said. "He was critical in our run game."

Hays High's hard-running Holden Lind rushed for 144 yards. Hays gained 170 rushing yards and 80 passing yards. Critical offensive penalties helped prevent the Indians (4-3, 2-1 WAC) from scoring.

Key penalties cost the Indians 83 yards in first-half field position. The first flag cost the Indians 53 yards in field position on a punt. Hays lost 30 yards after a 23-yard completion to Johnny Cano was nullified on a offensive lineman downfield.

The Panthers threw for 63 first-half yards and rushed for 34 yards. The Indians managed 84 yards rushing and four yards passing.

Hays High 0 0 0 0 — 0

Great Bend 0 7 7 7 — 21

GB—Cooper Ohmnacht 25 pass from Daxton Minton (Diego Soto kick); GB—Ian Premer 49 run (Soto kick); GB—Minton 63 run (Soto kick)

RUSHING—H—35-170; Holden Lind 25-144; Ian McGuire 4-14; Carter Graham 6-14; GB—30-229; Minton 13-108; Premer 7-90; Jace Schartz 7-25; Cooper Ohnmacht 2-0; Conner Holladay 1-(-2); tea, 2-(-2)

PASSING—H—Graham 7-12-0, 80; Brayden Moeckel 0-1-0; GB—Minton 8-16-0, 85

RECEIVING—H—Johnny Cano 2-31; Lind 3-26; B. Moeckel 2-23; GB—Jacob Hall 1-27; Holladay 1-16; Premer 2-14

5A WEST PROJECTED

1 Great Bend 7-0 (+84) vs. Emporia 0-7 (-91)/Newton 0-7 (-91) 

8 Andover 4-3 (34) vs. Hays High 4-3 (19)

4 Goddard 6-1 (+39) vs. Salina South 1-6 (-65)

5 Liberal 5-2 (+44) vs. Valley Center 1-6 (-53)

2 Topeka Seaman 6-1 (+65) vs. Emporia 0-7 (-91)/Newton 0-7 (-91)

7 Maize South 5-2 (+29) vs. Salina Central 3-4 (+5)

3 Goddard Eisenhower 6-1 (+64) vs. Topeka West 1-6 (-66)

6 Hutchinson 5-2 (+39) vs. Wichita Carroll 2-5 (-39)