HOME SWEET HOME
Miller’s play sparks Panthers’ victory
By JIM MISUNAS
Dalton Miller showed why he’s Great Bend’s featured two-way player.
Miller scored three touchdowns and delivered the game’s two signature defensive plays in a 35-15 Western Athletic Conference football victory Friday over Dodge City on a perfect fall 70-degree evening.
Dodge City was primed to move ahead when defensive safety Miller intercepted a pass by Dodge City quarterback Beau Foster. Miller snapped the 7-7 tie with a dazzling 87-yard interception return keyed by a crushing block by Jeffery Spragis for a 14-7 halftime lead.
“That was a phenomenal run. There’s a reason why we get the ball in 16’s hands because he has big-play capability,” said Great Bend coach Erin Beck. “We saw that on defense.”
A final desperation drive by the Red Demons (1-3, 1-1 WAC) was spoiled when Miller tackled halfback Jaiel Johnson on fourth down at the Dodge City 28-yard line. The Panthers (3-1, 2-0 WAC) iced the 20-point Western Athletic Conference victory on Koy Brack’s 5-yard touchdown.
“I was proud of the way we grinded it out and earned a good team win on Homecoming night,” Beck said.
Panther linebacker Brock Blessing and cornerback Townshend Kurth also intercepted passes.
Dalton Miller had 13 tackles and linebacker Blake Penka had 10 tackles. The Panthers’ key was limiting Foster to 57 yards on 21 rushing attempts against Dodge City’s quarterback run scheme. Alan Miramontes and Eric Vasquez sacked Foster. Dodge City gained 113 yards rushing and 156 yards passing.
“Our defense earned three takeaways, put a score on the board and gave up 15 points,” Beck said. “You’re going to win games doing that.”
The Panthers rushed for a season high 231 yards. Brack gained 90 yards, Miller 87 yards and Gage Fritz 74 yards.
“Our offensive line proved to themselves that we could run the football,” Beck said. “We turned to our ground game. It was an uplifting game for our offensive line.”
Miller ignited an 87-yard rushing night with a 26-yard score on the Panthers’ first drive. Dodge City responded with a 55-yard scoring drive capped by Jaiel Johnson’s 2-yard touchdown.
In the third quarter, Brack delivered one of the game’s signature plays with a line-drive 71-yard punt into a north wind that stopped at the Dodge City 2-yard line. The Red Demons missed three pass attempts.
“When Koy Brack flipped the field position, that was huge point in the game,” Beck said. “
The Panthers converted a 47-yard scoring drive on Miller’s 6-yard scoring pass from Brack for a 21-7 lead. Fritz rambled 15 yards for a first down and Alex Schremmer earned a hard-fought first down on an 8-yard catch.
The Panthers converted Blessing’s interception into a 41-yard scoring drive for a 28-7 lead. Miller spun 16 yards for a first down and Fritz’s perfect block freed Brack for an 18-yard touchdown.
Dodge City capped a 75-yard scoring drive on John Johnson’s 20-yard touchdown reception with 7:04 left in the fourth period. Miller’s defensive play ended the Red Demons’ final threat.
DC 0 7 0 8 – 15
GB 7 7 7 14 – 35
GB—Dalton Miller 26 run (Dani Franco kick)—9:48
DC—Jaiel Johnson 2 run (Alvarez kick)—11:58
GB—Miller 87 interception return (Franco kick)—6:10
GB—Miller 6 pass from Koy Brack (Franco kick)—3:29
GB—Brack 18 run (Franco kick)—11:54
DC—John Johnson 20 pass from Beau Foster (Alden Knedler pass from John Johnson)—7:04
GB—Brack 5 run (Franco kick)—2:42
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—DC—35-113; Jaiel Johnson 14-56; Foster 21-57; GB—39-251; Brack 12-90; Miller 13-87; Gage Fritz 14-74.
PASSING—DC—Foster 17-33-3, 156; GB—Brack 4-12-1, 25.
RECEIVING—DC—John Johnson 8-75; Delgado 3-57; Jaiel Johnson 3-9; Carlos Gamboa 1-9; Cayden Kerr 1-4; Lakin Scheck 1-2; GB—Schremmer 1-8; Miller 2-16; Calan Haberman 1-1.
5A WEST
Maize High 4-0 52
Wichita Northwest 4-0 40
Wichita Kapaun 4-0 39
Salina Central 3-1 26
Great Bend 3-1 21
Emporia 2-2 19
Wichita Carroll 2-2 12
Valley Center 2-2 8
Andover 2-2 1
Wichita Heights 2-2 0
Liberal 1-3 1
Goddard-Eisenhower 1-3 (-23)
Hays High 1-3 (-27)
Newton 1-3 (-27)
Maize South 1-3 (-29)
Salina South 0-4 (-49)
WESTERN ATHLETIC
Great Bend 2-0 3-1
Garden City 1-0 1-3
Hays High 1-2 1-3
Dodge City 0-1 2-2
Liberal 0-1 1-3
WEEK 4—*Great Bend 35, Dodge City 15; *Garden City 35, Hays High 28; Wichita Southeast 14, Liberal 8
FRIDAY—*Wichita Carroll at Great Bend; Wichita West at Dodge City; *Liberal at Garden City, Wichita South at Hays High
