By JIM MISUNAS
WICHITA – Great Bend quarterback Koy Brack completed five touchdown passes and the Panthers gained 487 yards.
However, the No. 2-ranked 5A Wichita Northwest Grizzlies battled past the Panthers 56-34 in Friday’s football showdown with eight touchdowns and 610 yards offense.
Iowa State commit Breece Hall rushed for 253 yards and three touchdowns keyed by a powerful and elusive running style. Hall constantly bounced off would-be tacklers to gain positive yards after contact.
“Hall is one of the best. Hats off to him,” said Great Bend coach Erin Beck. “We did a good job getting guys to the football, but he makes that first tackler miss.”
The Grizzlies scored touchdowns on eight of 12 possessions, including six of eight to build a 42-14 halftime lead. The Grizzlies ran 93 offensive plays with a fast-paced style in perfect 80-degree weather.
“It’s a scary thing to get into a shootout with a team like that,” Beck said. “Our defense was on the field too much. They really wore us out.”
After trailing 14-0 and 49-14, the Panthers showed the heart and fight that Beck liked to see. The Panthers outscored the Grizzlies 20-14 after halftime. The Panthers also went scoreless after a first-and-goal opportunity in the fourth period.
“The loss hurts. A team that doesn’t give up and fights can get better,” Beck said. “I’ll take that every day. We were there to battle. We didn’t go away. The defense got a couple stops and we got a couple more scores. You love to see that out of your kids.”
Panther receiver Alex Schremmer torched the Grizzlies for 77- and 84-yard scoring strikes and finished with a school record 205 yards receiving. Brack completed 17 passes for 351 yards, including touchdown passes to Dalton Miller, Calan Haberman and Peyton Duvall.
“As coaches, we stay pretty calm and the kids saw that confidence in us,” Beck said. “We figure how out to fix things. I love how they fight and compete every day.”
Great Bend right tackle Andrew Wettengel performed admirably against University of Oklahoma commit Marcus Hicks, who had one sack. The Panthers’ offensive front of center Kaden Schroeder, guards Payton Doll and Marcus Schmeidler and tackles Wettengel and Tate Murray provided Brack with solid protection against an attacking defense.
“We took what they were giving us and got the football out of Koy Brack’s hands pretty quick,” Beck said. “Our offensive line did a good job attacking them quickly. They did a pretty good job.”
The Grizzlies roared to a 14-0 lead keyed by Percelle Finch’s fumble recovery on the opening kickoff. Hall and halfback Roy Johnson scored touchdowns.
“That was a nightmare-way to start against the state’s best 5A team.” Beck said.
Great Bend responded with a 77-yard touchdown strike to Schremmer, who eluded Northwest’s Jared Givens. Miller spun away from defenders Malcomb Bell and Darrius Cooper for a 73-yard touchdown strike for a 14-14 tie.
“We showed our fight with a score and a stop,” Beck said.
Northwest dominated the next 20 minutes with five touchdowns for a 49-14 lead. Grizzly quarterback Reagan Jones scored two touchdowns and completed a 23-yard touchdown strike to Zion Jones. Hall and Johnson rushed for touchdowns for a 35-point lead.
But Great Bend’s offense answered with three consecutive touchdown passes by Brack. Calan Haberman caught a 6-yard touchdown after Gage Fritz’s 56-yard run.
Peyton Duvall converted a 9-yard touchdown pass on fourth down after a fumble recovery by Alex Olivas. The Grizzlies committed a 15-yard penalty and Nick Wondra caught a 17-yard pass on the 64-yard drive.
Schremmer burned the Grizzlies’ secondary again with an 84-yard touchdown strike to draw the Panthers within 49-34 with 58 seconds left in the third period.
The Grizzlies answered with an 80-yard scoring drive, keyed by a third down 29-yard conversion to Roy Johnson.
GRIZZLIES 56, PANTHERS 34
Great Bend 14 0 20 0 – 34
Wichita NW 21 21 7 7 – 56
NW—Breece Hall 1 run (Carson Arndt kick)—10:46
NW—Roy Johnson 2 run (Arndt kick)—8:25
GB—Alex Schremmer 77 pass from Koy Brack (Brock Blessing pass from Brack)—7:48
GB—Dalton Miller 73 pass from Brack (kick blocked)—4:43
NW—Reagan Jones 8 run (Arndt kick)—1:27
NW—Zion Jones 23 pass from R. Jones (Arndt kick)—11:30
NW—Hall 14 run (Arndt kick)—8:41
NW—R. Jones 1 run (Arndt kick)—1:51
NW—Johnson 8 run (Arndt kick)—9:50
GB—Calan Haberman 6 pass from Brack (Franco kick)—7:56
GB—Peyton Duvall 9 pass from Brack (Franco kick)—2:43
GB—Schremmer 84 pass from Brack (kick failed)—0:58
NW—Hall 1 run (Arndt kick)—7:20
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—GB—24-136; Gage Fritz 12-116; Brack 10-17; Miller 2-3; NW—77-467; Hall 30-253; Roy Johnson 24-121; Reagan Jones 18-74; Bolden 4-17; Patterson 1-2.
PASSING—GB—Brack, 17-30-1, 351; NW—Jones 8-16-0, 143.
RECEIVING—GB—Schremmer 7-205; Miller 3-80; Duvall 3-20; Haberman 3-24; Nick Wondra 1-22; NW—Patterson 1-54; Zion Jones 3-41; Johnson 2-33; Hall 1-15; Cupps 1-10.
CLASS 5A WEST
Maize High 3-0 39
Wichita Kapaun 3-0 32
Wichita Northwest 3-0 27
Wichita Carroll 2-1 25
Salina Central 2-1 13
Valley Center 2-1 10
Great Bend 2-1 8
Andover 2-1 8
Emporia 1-2 5
Liberal 1-2 5
Wichita Heights 1-2 (-13)
Newton 1-2 (-14)
Goddard-Eisenhower 1-2 (-14)
Hays High 1-2 (-20)
Maize South 0-3 (-36)
Salina South 0-3 (-36)
WESTERN ATHLETIC
Great Bend 1-0 2-1
Hays High 1-1 1-2
Dodge City 0-0 2-1
Liberal 0-1 1-2
Garden City 0-0 0-3
WEEK 1—Great Bend 35, Andover 12; Liberal 41, Guymon, Okla. 0; Derby 49, Garden City 6; Junction City 56, Hays High 31; Campus 47, Dodge City 9
WEEK 2—*Great Bend 15, Hays High 7; Wichita North 13, Liberal 6; Valley Center 41, Garden City 20; Dodge City 27, Salina South 17
WEEK 3—Wichita Northwest 56, Great Bend 34; *Hays High 21, Liberal 20; Hutchinson 28, Garden City 24; Dodge City 49, Wichita Heights 27
WEEK 4—*Dodge City at Great Bend; *Hays High at Garden City; Liberal at Wichita Southeast
