Buhler football coach Steve Warner didn't mention Great Bend receiver Ian Premer by name, describing him as a receiver who's earned some college offers in a pregame interview.
Premer made sure Warner will remember his name with a school record five touchdown receptions from quarterback Daxton Minton in a wild 43-26 non-league football victory over the 4A Crusaders Friday. Premer caught scoring passes for 9, 18, 24, 30 and 86 yards for 167 yards. Premer broke Bryce Lytle's record of four touchdown receptions against Wichita Northwest (2016).
Buhler elected to play Premer with man-to-man defense rather than defending him with multiple players. Premer took turns burning multiple Crusader defenders.
"Ian was itching to get a breakout game," said Great Bend coach Erin Beck. "It was the first time Ian didn't see two guys all over him. Buhler played one-on-one and Minton and Premer made them pay. Dax threw the football beautifully, one of his best passing games. There was pressure in his face and we struggled with pass protection. The way Dax took shots and picked himself up was a sign of toughness."
Premer scored on an 18-yard strike before Buhler's Ben Clouse scored on a 31-yard run and a 14-yard pass from Brendan Scripsick for a 13-7 Crusader lead.
Linebacker Jacob Hall swung the momentum with a game-changing 57-yard interception return for a touchdown for a 14-13 lead when the Crusaders were ready to take a 2-score lead.
"Hall's interception was the shot in the arm we needed," Beck said. "What a wild game."
The Panthers closed the half with 86- and 9-yard scoring strikes to Premer after Carson Cash's 43-yard Buhler touchdown reception for a 29-19 halftime lead.
Hall's second-half recovery on Scripsick's fumbled pitch led to Premer's 24-yard touchdown reception and a 36-19 lead. Premer's wide open 30-yard reception closed out the scoring after Buhler's Mitchel McDaniel raced 57 yards with a Minton interception.
Premer capped his night with a highlight-reel tipped interception to himself on the Panther goal-line. Hall's two takeaways led directly to scores and he caught a 34-yard reception from Cooper Ohnmacht on a halfback pass play.
Great Bend (3-0) shut out Buhler's offense after halftime.
"Getting turnovers is huge," Beck said. "Our defense made unbelievable plays that second half. The way we played their option was a thing of beauty. Our outside linebackers forced their option play back inside. Our defense was in tough spots, but they kept responding."
Minton completed nine passes for 233 yards to help offset four rushing yards on 24 attempts that included four losses on a missed snap and killing the clock three times at the game's end.
Clouse rushed for 104 yards on 19 carries. Scripsick passed for 158 yards on 13 completions.
Great Bend 6 23 7 7 – 43
GB—Ian Premer 18 pass from Daxton Minton (kick fails); B—Ben Clouse 31 run (Jared Miller kick); B—Clouse 14 pass from Brendan Scripsick (kick fails); GB—Jacob Hall 57 interception return (Cooper Ohnmacht pass from Minton); B—Cash Carson 43 pass from Scripsick (pass fails); GB—Premer 86 pass from Minton (Ohnmacht pass from Minton); GB—Premer 9 pass from Minton (Omar Razo kick); GB—Premer 24 pass from Minton (Razo kick); GB—Mitchel McDaniel 57 interception return (Miller kick); GB—Premer 30 pass from Minton (Razo kick)
RUSHING—B—35-140; Clouse 19-104; Nick Gazaway 3-23; Scripsick 11-7; McDaniel 1-6; Max Harmony 1-3; GB—24-4; Ohnmacht 5-9, Schartz 6-3; Minton 8-4; Aiden Davidson 1-1; team 4-(-13)
PASSING—B—Scripsick 13-25-2, 158; GB—Minton 9-22-1, 233; Ohmacht 1-1-0, 34
RECEIVING—B—Carson 1-43; Quentin Pisano 4-33; McDaniel 3-28; Brady Gotti 1-18; Gazaway 1-14; Clouse 3-9; GB—Premer 5-167; Hall 2-56, Ohnmacht 3-44.
