Panthers’ defense sparks WAC victory
BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
Great Bend’s Ian Premer ignited three consecutive takeaways with a game-changing interception that sparked the Panthers past Garden City 35-21 in Friday’s Western Athletic Conference football showdown.
Great Bend (5-3, 2-2 WAC) is locked into the No. 9 West seed and will play at the No. 8 seed Oct. 27 in the 5A football playoffs. Garden City (5-3, 2-2 WAC) was prevented from a share of the league title.
Down 7-0, Premer swung the momentum with a 44-yard return after intercepting an Ethan Gomez pass. The Panthers rolled 44 yards in seven plays. Daxton Minton scored on a 2-yard after converting a fourth down play first down to the Buffalo 4-yard line.
Premer alertly converted a botched pitchout by Gomez into a 34-yard touchdown for a 14-7 lead. Panther Jacob Hall delivered Garden City’s third consecutive turnover with a fumble recovery on the ensuing kickoff. Maddox Spray caught a 13-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Daxton Minton for a 21-7 halftime lead.
“That was the wildest 3 minutes of football I’ve seen. Anytime, we needed a big play, that’s what happened,” said Great Bend coach Erin Beck. “What a game for these seniors for their last game here in front of their parents and this crowd. I’m very proud.”
Freshman sensation Cooper Ohnmacht provided extra insurance with a 94-yard kickoff return to start the second half for a 28-7 lead. Conner Holladay’s block sprung Ohnmacht.
“Conner Holladay made a huge block right at the 50 to spring that thing into the end zone,” Beck said. “Cooper is fast. That’s a game-changer on kickoff return.”
The Panthers earned five takeaways when Owen Kaiser and Matthew Johnson, created by Kale Kern’s tackle, recovered Garden City’s second-half fumbles.
Cody Miller converted the Panthers’ final touchdown on a 17-yard run for a 35-14 lead. Miller rushed for 129 yards. Coach Beck credits his offensive line.
“It’s one of the greatest improvements I’ve seen from our offensive line,” Beck said.
Garden City scored a pair of second-half touchdowns on Ruiz 1-yard run and an Ethen Allen 9-yard touchdown run.
Garden City 7 0 7 0 7 – 21
Great Bend 0 21 7 7 – 35
GC—Ethen Allen 30 pass from Ethan Gomez (Jesus Rodriguez kick); GB—Daxton Minton 2 run (Diego Soto kick); GB—Ian Premer 33 fumble return (Soto kick); GB—Maddox Spray 13 pass from Minton (Soto kick); GB—Cooper Ohmacht 94 kickoff return (Soto kick); GC—Mario Ruiz 1 run (Rodriguez kick); GB—Miller 17 run (Soto kick); GC—Allen 9 run (Rodriguez kick)
RUSHING—GC—47-180; Ruiz 24-79; Gomez 6-15; Allen 12-78; Emilio Zundt 2-8; Michael Villalobos 3-0; GB—30-175; Miller 22-129; Minton 6-49; team 1-(-5); Trenton Kern 1-0.
PASSING—GC—Gomez 6-12-1, 155; GB—Minton 7-12-0, 54.
RECEIVING—GC—Allen 3-104; Villalobos 3-55; GB—Spray 4-31; Premer 1-6; Miller 2-17.
5A WEST PLAYOFF BRACKET
Salina South 0-8 at Wichita Kapaun-Mt,. Carmel 7-1; Great Bend 5-3 at Salina Central 6-2
Wichita Carroll 3-5 at Maize South 6-2; Wichita West 3-5 at Hutchinson High 6-2
Andover High 0-8 at Goddard Eisenhower 7-1; Valley Center 5-3 at Hays High 6-2
Newton 3-5 at Liberal 7-1; Maize High 3-5 at Goddard 6-2
Liberal 3-1 7-1
Hays High 3-1 6-2
Great Bend 2-2 5-3
Garden City 2-2 5-3
Dodge City 0-4 3-5
10-27—Great Bend at Salina Central; Garden City; Dodge City at Lawrence; Newton at Liberal; Valley Center at Hays High
*10-20—*Great Bend 35, Garden City 21; Dodge City 41, Wichita Southeast 12; Hays High 62, Topeka High 33; Liberal 57, Ulysses 37
10-13—Great Bend 56, Ulysses 16; *Garden City 30, Dodge City 13; *Hays High 48, Garden City 41 (OT)
10-6—*Liberal 21, Great Bend 14; Garden City 42, Ulysses 11; *Hays High 40, Dodge City 20
9-29—*Great Bend 28, Dodge City 0; *Liberal 28, Garden City 21; Hays 48, Ulysses 7
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
