BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
Great Bend's dream of climbing the ladder to a state football championship was spoiled by a player with the name "Jesus."
Salina Central's Jesus Delgado caught the game-clinching 23-yard touchdown pass from Griffin Hall to seal a wild 30-28 semifinal victory in Friday's 5A state semifinals.
The Panthers' quest for the school's second state title game was one play away all night long. Great Bend (11-1) earned its best record in playoff history.
One of the greatest teams in school history created lifetime memories.
"You feel terrible for these kids," said Great Bend coach Erin Beck. "We were close to getting one more. We wish we could've called better plays to get across the end zone. We didn't execute like we wanted. They've put so much into our program, this community and the school. They've made everyone proud."
Give Salina Central football coach Mark Sandbo all the credit for the victory.
The Mustangs converted 4-of-4 fourth downs on four scoring drives, keyed by touchdowns on their second-half scores. A quarterback, punter and back-up quarterback delivered the key passes.
Panther standouts Cooper Ohnmacht and Ian Premer played brilliantly. Ohnmacht had 146 yards receiving and scored on 46- and 56-yard passes from Daxton Minton. Premer played the best run-stopping defense of his career, forcing a fumble and making several key tackles.
The Mustangs' ball-control offense gained 322 yards on 73 plays. The Panthers had 297 yards on 39 plays.
The Mustangs ran off 71/2 minutes on a 67-yard scoring drive to start the second half. Sandbo's genius showed when holder Hall flipped the football to Abram Owings, who completed a 7-yard scoring pass to Bodie Rodriguez from field goal formation for a 23-6 lead.
"We knew we had to play 'aggressive,' on offense to have a chance," Sandbo said. "We'd practiced those plays all year long."
Great Bend's defense kept battling and delivered two chances to take the lead.
"I was proud of the way we battled back that second half," Beck said.
Ohnmacht's dazzling 56-yard touchdown reception was followed by Daxton Minton's 23-yard scoring dash for a 23-21 deficit against Salina Central.
"We had to score fast and our guys did exactly that" Beck said. "Daxton made an unbelievable throw."
Jaxon Wondra recovered Hall's fumble and Premer stripped the football from Reves to hand the Panthers the football at the 44- and 48-yard lines. But the Mustang defense stopped both drives.
"Our defense made huge plays to give our offense a chance," Beck said. "We didn't execute and get across the finish line."
The Panthers kept battling after trailing 23-6, scoring a trio of second-half touchdowns. After Delgado scored with 33 seconds left, Ohnmacht caught a 46-yard touchdown for the 30-28 final score.
Salina Central's hard-charging Cooper Reves lived up to his reputation. Reves dashed for 156 yards and scored two touchdowns for a 16-6 halftime lead.
The Mustangs led 6-0 on a Reves 4-yard run. The Panthers tied the game on Conner Holladay's 14-yard run.
Keaton Smith's 4th-down pass reception set up Reves' 16-yard score for a 13-6 lead. Eli Kreighbaum's fourth-down pass to Rodriguez from Central's 30-yard line set up a 32-yard field goal for a 16-6 lead. Delgado's pass from Hall secured a 2-score lead (30-21) on the Mustangs' final fourth down conversion.
Ian Premer, Daxton Minton, Ohnmacht and Trenton Kern broke numerous school records.
"There's some of the best football players I've ever seen," Beck said. "They've rewritten record books left-and-right. Ian Premer will go out and do bigger and better things. You won't find a tougher, meaner football player than No. 51 (Trenton Kern). There's no one I'd pick at quarterback other than Daxton Minton."
Salina Central 6 10 7 7 — 30
Great Bend 6 0 15 7 — 28
SC—Cooper Reves 4 run (kick fails)
GB—Conner Holladay 14 run (kick blocked)
SC—Reves 16 run (Eli Duxler kick)
SC—Duxler 32 FG
SC—Bodie Rodriguez 7 pass from Abram Owings (Duxler kick)
GB—Cooper Ohnmacht 56 pass from Daxton Minton (Ohnmacht pass from Minton)
GB—Minton 23 run (Geovanni Cruz kick)
SC—Delgado 23 pass from Hall (Duxler kick)
GB—Ohnmacht 46 pass from Minton (Cruz kick)
RUSHING—SC—59-225; Reves 38-156; Griffin Hall 20-74; team 1-(-5); GB—22-127; Ian Premer 11-84; Minton 7-23; Holladay 3-18; Kale Kern 1-2.
PASSING—SC—Hall 7-12-0, 84; Owings 1-1-0, 9; Eli Kreighbaum 1-1-0, 7; GB—Minton 9-17-0, 170
RECEIVING—SC—Keaton Smith 4-37; Rodriguez 3-26; Delgado 1-23; Gannon Cole 1-11; GB—Premer 3-15; Ohnmacht 5-146; Holladay 1-9.
GREAT BEND HISTORY (20-22)
2025—5A—Great Bend 49, Newton 7; Great Bend 49, Wichita Carroll 7; Great Bend 29, Hays 22; Salina Central 30, Great Bend 28
2024—5A—Great Bend 49, Newton 7; Hays 19, Great Bend 14
2023—5A—Great Bend 38, Salina Central 24; Wichita Kapaun 36, Great Bend 34
2022—5A—Great Bend 31, Goddard Eisenhower 27; Salina Central 40, Great Bend 35
2021—4A—Wamego 42, Great Bend 21
2020—4A—Andover Central 49, Great Bend 7
2019—5A—Great Bend 49, Wichita Heights 35; Wichita Northwest 48, Great Bend 14
2018—5A—Great Bend 35, Valley Center 18; Great Bend 31, Wichita Kapaun 7; Maize 28, Great Bend 21
2017—5A—Goddard Eisenhower 35, Great Bend 28
2016—5A—Great Bend 70, Topeka West 31; Great Bend 16, Andover 7; Great Bend 28, Valley Center 24; Goddard 50, Great Bend 21
2015—5A—Maize South 26, Great Bend 14
2010—5A—Wichita Carroll 49, Great Bend 13
2007—5A—Great Bend 38, Topeka Seaman 14; Wichita Carroll 17, Great Bend 14
2006—5A—Great Bend 54, Liberal 14; Great Bend 21, Topeka Seaman 14; Great Bend 21, Wichita Carroll 14; Stilwell-Blue Valley 34, Great Bend 3 (state championship)
2005—5A—Wichita Carroll 23, Great Bend 0
2004—5A—Great Bend 42, Wichita Carroll 28; Great Bend 56, Liberal 13; Salina South 34, Great Bend 17
2003—5A—Salina South 26, Great Bend 25
2002—5A—Great Bend 10, Kapaun-Mt. Carmel 3; Salina South 23, Great Bend 21
1983—6A—Wichita Southeast 35, Great Bend 7
1978—6A—Great Bend 31, Emporia 21; Wichita Southeast 33, Great Bend 15
1977—4A—Winfield 16, Great Bend 14
1973—4A—Junction City 10, Great Bend 7
