Panthers deliver upset special
BY JIM MISUNAS
SALINA – Thanks to scoring sensations Dani Franco and Chiny Sanchez, the Great Bend Panther soccer team has officially shocked the world.
Franco scored two goals and Sanchez converted Tuesday’s game-winner to upset No. 1 5A seed Salina Central 3-2. The game was played in ideal 70-degree temperatures and 10 mph wind.
“This is our best team win,” said Great Bend coach Jesus Loera. “We’ve seen what these guys are capable of. When you beat a quality program like Salina Central, you’ve proven that your guys believe in themselves.”
The Panthers trailed 1-0 and 2-1, but kept battling with high intensity. David Grammer scored two Salina Central goals.
“We played with everything we had,” Loera said. “Our skilled players showed intensity and desire. Salina Central was expecting a tough game, but they never thought they’d lose.”
Franco scored both goals off breakaways in transition. He tied the score with a curving shot and passed to Sanchez with the game-winner with seven minutes left.
“We had to put the ball behind their defense and beat them with speed,” Loera said. “We play our best when we play the ball with our feet.”
The Panthers scored all three goals off transition.
“We knew we’d have a good opportunity to score if we put the ball behind their defenders,” Loera said.
The Mustangs (13-4) outscored the Panthers 6-3 in the season opener. So, the Mustangs started the Panthers’ season with a victory and the Panthers ended the Mustangs’ season.
The Panthers (8-10) return to Salina Stadium for a 6 p.m. second-round showdown against Salina South (10-7).
5A WEST REGIONALS
SALINA—Great Bend 4, Newton 1; Great Bend 3, Salina Central 2; Salina South 3, Valley Center 2, OT; THURSDAY—Great Bend 8-10 at Salina South 10-7
ANDOVER—Arkansas City 3, Goddard 2; Andover Central 7, Arkansas City 0; Wichita Kapaun Mt. Carmel 3, Wichita Heights 1; THURSDAY—Kapaun-Mt. Carmel 9-7-1 at Andover Central 15-1-1
MAIZE—Maize South 4, Wichita Northwest 0; Goddard-Eisenhower 3, Maize 1; THURSDAY—Eisenhower 13-4 at Maize South 14-3
MCPHERSON—McPherson 1, Hays 0; Wichita Carroll 3, Andover High 0; THURSDAY—Wichita Carroll 13-4 at McPherson 13-4
5A EAST REGIONALS
EMPORIA—DeSoto 1, Emporia 0 (5-3 penalty kicks); Blue Valley Southwest 10, Topeka West 0; THURSDAY—DeSoto 7-9-1 at Blue Valley Southwest 12-4
KANSAS CITY—Bonner Springs 1, Highland Park 0; KC Washington 6, Bonner Springs 0; Spring Hill 2, KC Turner 0; THURSDAY—Spring Hill 11-6 at KC Washington 15-1
PITTSBURG—Pittsburg 3, KC Schlagle 2; St. Thomas Aquinas 6, Topeka Seaman 0; THURSDAY—St. Thomas Aquinas 12-5 at Pittsburg 12-3-1
TOPEKA—Basehor 4, Lansing 0; Shawnee Heights 5, Basehor 1; Lenexa St. James 3, KC Sumner 0; THURSDAY—St. James 8-8-1 a Shawnee Heights 14-3
6A WEST REGIONALS
DODGE CITY—Dodge City 3, Wichita West 0; Campus 4, Wichita North 0; THURSDAY—Campus 12-4-1 at Dodge City 15-2
LIBERAL—Liberal 4, Lawrence High 0; Derby 2, Lawrence Free State 1 (6-5 penalty kicks); THURSDAY—Derby 13-4 at Liberal 14-3
MANHATTAN—Hutchinson 7, Junction City 0; Manhattan 9, Hutchinson 0; Garden City 3, Topeka High 0; THURSDAY—Garden City 12-5 at Manhattan 15-2
TOPEKA—Wichita South 5, Gardner-Edgerton 1; Washburn Rural 5, Wichita South 1; Wichita East 3, Wichita Southeast 0; THURSDAY—Wichita East 11-5-1 at Washburn Rural 15-1-1
6A EAST REGIONALS
OLATHE—SM North 1, Blue Valley North 0; Olathe Northwest 1, SM North 0; SM Northwest 2, KC Harmon 0; THURSDAY—SM Northwest 10-4-3 at Olathe Northwest 14-2-1
TOPEKA—SM South 4, Olathe North 2; Mill Valley 3, SM South 2; SM West 3, Olathe South 2, (2 OT); THURSDAY—SM West 11-5-1 at Mill Valley 14-3
OLATHE—Olathe West 3, Blue Valley 2; SM East 1, Blue Valley West 0; THURSDAY—SM East 10-3-4 at Olathe West 13-3
OLATHE—Olathe East 3, Blue Valley NW 1; Leavenworth 5, KC Wyandotte 1; THURSDAY—Leavenworth 11-4-1 at Olathe East 13-3-1
WESTERN ATHLETIC
Liberal 7-1 14-3
Dodge City 6-2 15-2
Garden City 4-4 12-5
Great Bend 3-5 8-10
Hays High 0-8 6-11
LIBERAL (7-1, 14-3)—W Lamar, Colo. 10-0; W Great Bend 10-0; W Wichita Trinity 7-2; W Wichita Heights 2-0; L Salina Central 2-3; L Dodge City 1-2; W Garden City 3-2; W Wichita Classical 10-0; W Hays High 4-1; W Garden City 2-1; W Hays High 5-3; L Wichita East 1-2; W Wichita Trinity 4-2; W Wichita Heights 6-2; W Great Bend 7-1; W—Dodge City 3-1; W—Lawrence High 4-0; Thursday—Derby at Liberal
DODGE CITY (6-2, 15-2)— W Lamar, Colo. 10-0; W Wichita East 3-0; W Derby 2-0; W Wichita Carroll 1-0, OT; W Liberal 2-1; W Hays High 3-0; W Garden City 3-0; W Great Bend 2-1; W Garden City 2-1; W Hays High 3-1; W Hays-TMP 4-0; L Great Bend 1-2; W Lawrence Free State 1-0; W SM South 4-1; L—Liberal 1-3; W—Wichita West 3-0; Thursday—Campus at Dodge City
GARDEN CITY (4-4, 12-5)—W Hays High 1-0; W Buhler 1-0; W Goddard 6-0; W Eisenhower 3-2; W Hays-TMP 3-2; L Liberal 2-3; L Dodge City 0-3; W Hays High 2-1; W Great Bend 3-1; L Dodge City 1-2; L Liberal 1-2; W Great Bend 2-1; W Wichita North 1-0; L Wichita Heights 0-1; W Wichita Trinity 1-0; W—Hays-TMP 2-1; W—Topeka High 3-0; Thursday—at Manhattan
GREAT BEND (3-5, 8-10)—L Salina Central 3-6; L Liberal 0-10; L Wichita Heights 0-2; L Wichita Trinity 2-3; W Wichita South 4-0; W Hays High 2-1; W Hays High 2-1 L Dodge City 1-2; L Manhattan 1-6; L Garden City 1-3; W Hays-TMP 5-2; L Garden City 1-2; W Wichita Independent 10-0; W Dodge City 2-1; L Liberal 1-7; L—McPherson 3-4 (OT); W—Newton 4-1; W—Salina Central 3-2; Thursday—at Salina South
HAYS HIGH (0-8, 6-11)—L Garden City 0-1; W Wichita Classical 4-2; W Topeka West 2-1; W Circle 4-0; L Wichita SE 0-3; L Great Bend 0-3; L Dodge City 0-3; L Great Bend 1-2; L Buhler 1-2; L Garden City 1-2; W Junction City 7-0; L Liberal 1-4; L Dodge City 1-3; L Liberal 3-5; W—Wichita Independent 9-0; W—Hays-TMP 3-1; L—McPherson 0-1
