BY JIM MISUNAS
Great Bend tailback Cody Miller will gladly thank his offensive linemen after a 198-yard, 5-touchdown performance that sparked a 55-0 football victory over Wichita Southeast.
Miller scored on a pair of 2-yard runs and added 3, 6 and 38-yard rushing touchdowns with perfect cutback runs on the Panthers’ zone run attack. It was exactly the type of offensive execution that Great Bend football coach Erin Beck wanted.
Center Tatum Harper, LG Matthew Johnson, LT Trenton Kern, RG Aidan Davidson, RT Owen Kaiser and TE Colton Brack paved the way for 306 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. Harper replaced an injured Karter Brown at center and Davidson stepped up as the fifth offensive lineman.
“Getting Aiden Davidson back was huge because he’s a tough, hard-nosed football player,” said Great Bend coach Erin Beck. “Our left side with Johnson and Kern we never worry about. Those five along with Colton Back did a great job blocking for Cody Miller. Our ability to run the football was so nice to see. Our offensive line opening up gaps was a thing of beauty.”
The Panthers drove 44 yards and 18 yards after a 20-yard punt return by Maddox Spray for a lightning-quick 14-0 lead. Trent Kern blocked a Buffalo punt to set up Jacob Hall’s run-and-catch on a 31-yard touchdown strike from Daxton Minton for a 21-0 lead.
After the Buffaloes drove 55 yards on runs by Ronelle Slaughter and Kyng Jones, Davidson forced a fumble on Buffalo back Ronelle Slaughter that teammate Cooper Liles recovered.
“Our guys never gave up,” Beck said. “Aidan Davidson’s caused fumble was beautiful, a pure hustle play. That’s what you love to see from your defense.”
The Panthers proceeded to score three touchdowns to close out the first half. Miller scored on a 3-yard run.
Jace Schartz recovered a bobbling kickoff on the next play. Minton flipped a lateral to Maddox Spray, who completed a 30-yard touchdown to a wide open Ian Premer for a 35-0 lead. Miller closed the half on a 38-yard score for a 41-0 halftime lead.
The Buffaloes showed some talent. Jones rushed for 65 yards and Slaughter had 32 yards. Quarterback Fiscus threw for 41 yards. The Panthers (2-2) earned their first shutout of the season heading to a showdown against Dodge City next week.
Trenton Kern and Premer each contributed three tackles and three assists. Davidson had four tackles and Lyles had five assists.
“We felt our defense could so something like that,” Beck said. “Hats off to our defense. They’ve kept us in games when they fly around.”
Great Bend tacked on two second-half touchdowns to trigger a running clock. Miller added a 1-yard scoring run and Conner Holladay scored his first varsity touchdown on a 1-yard run.
If was left to the Kern brothers for the final highlights. Punter Trenton Kern rumbled and stumbled 16 yards for a first down from punt formation. Younger brother Kale Kern gained 15 yards on two carries.
Wichita Southeast 0 0 0 0 – 0
Great Bend 21 20 14 0 – 55
GB—Cody Miller 2 run (Diego Soto kick)
GB—Miller 2 run (Soto kick)
GB—Jacob Hall 31 pass from Daxton Minton (Soto kick)
GB—Miller 3 run (Soto kick)
GB—Ian Premer 30 pass from Maddox Spray (Soto kick)
GB—Miller 38 run (kick fails)
GB—Miller 6 run (Soto kick)
GB—Conner Holladay 1 run (Soto kick)
RUSHING—SE—21-78; Kyng Jones 5-65; Ronelle Slaughter 12-32; Kendrick Harrison 1-(-4); Micah Fiscus 2-(-8); team 1-(-7); GB—42-311; Miller 23-198; Minton 5-60; Holladay 3-26; Trenton Kern 1-16; Kale Kern 2-15; Birney 4-15; Galindo 2-(-6), team 2-(18).
PASSING—SE—Fiscus 6-17-0, 41; Eli Henson 1-2-0, 12; GB—Minton 6-12-0, 69; Spray 1-1-0, 30.
RECEIVING—SE—Natavius Matthews 1-24; Will Obar 1-12; Montraey Roberts 3-11; Zion Young 1-6; Jones 1-2; GB—Hall 2-37; Premer 2-44; Spray 1-13; Miller 2-5
WESTERN ATHLETIC
Liberal 1-0 4-0
Garden City 1-0 3-1
Hays High 1-1 2-2
Great Bend 0-1 2-2
Dodge City 0-1 2-2
9-29—*Dodge City at Great Bend; *Liberal at Garden City; Ulysses at Hays
9-22—Great Bend 55, Wichita Southeast 0; *Garden City 24, Hays High 21 (OT); *Liberal 21, Dodge City 7
9-15—Buhler 20, Great Bend 14; Garden City 35, Wichita West 6; Dodge City 27, Wichita South 20; Manhattan 49, Hays High 7; Liberal 51, Topeka High 13
9-8—*Hays High 28, Great Bend 27; Liberal 47, Emporia 14; Junction City 52, Dodge City 35; Garden City 70, Wichita North 15
9-1—Great Bend 29, McPherson 16; Liberal 23, Holcomb 17; Hays High 21, Junction City 15; Wichita Heights 20, Garden City 19; Dodge City 13, Wichita West 8
