BY JIM MISUNAS
Great Bend football coach Erin Beck has earned respect for McPherson’s program entering Friday’s road opener. The Panthers ended a 3-game losing streak against McPherson with a hard-earned 29-16 victory in 2023.
Quarterback Daxton Minton completed a trio of touchdown passes. Ian Premer and Jacob Hall caught scoring passes and Premer sealed the victory with an interception.
“With Jace Pavlovich, McPherson is always a well-coached, fundamentally sound football team,” Beck said. “It’s a football team with solid guys across the field that do their job.”
McPherson’s skill players are new, including quarterback Carter Allen, who will operate a run/pass scheme similar to Great Bend with motion and a mix of offensive personnel.
MLB Trenton Kern headlines a solid frontline defense with safeties Ian Premer and Cooper Ohnmacht leading the secondary.
“Our frontline defense is our strength,” beck said. Our defense played pretty good football last year.”
With Panther QB Daxton Minton and receivers Premer, Jacob Hall and Ohnmacht returning, the Panthers feature multiple offensive threats. Starting RB Jace Schartz will lead a backfield by committee.
“Our offense should be able to score points,” Beck said. “Our goal is always put pressure on the defense. You have to realize mistakes will happen and you’ve got to regroup and go next play mentality.”
BULLPUP OFFENSE—6 WR Bishop Brown; 10 QB Carter Allen; 12 WR Paxton Ingels; 22 TE Izyck Puhalla; 25 WR Ashton Malm; 38 TB Catch Delaney; 55 OL Dylan Hall; 56 RG Chase Garibaldi; 59 OL Logan Peterson; 75 OL Charlie Barrow; 77 RT Krayton Byrd
BULLPUP DEFENSE—1 LB Brock Richardson; 2 S Alec Harms; 6 CB Bishop Brown; 7 CB Dane Becker; 8 LB Alec Stout; 11 DL Jayren Stutzman; 36 DL Chase Koehn; 38 LB Catch Delaney; 55 DL Dylan Hall; 60 DL Jase Fitzmorris
PANTHER OFFENSE— RB 1 Jace Schartz; 2 WR Cooper Ohnmacht; 5 WR Jacob Hall; 8 Hayden Kelly; 12 QB Daxton Minton; 14 WR Ian Premer; 50 LT Owen Kaiser; 51 LT Trenton Kern; 55 Karter Brown; 56 LT Blaine Ensley; 58 RG Aidan Davidson
PANTHER DEFENSE—1 CB Jace Schartz; 2 SS Cooper Ohnmacht; 5 OLB Jacob Hall; 8 CB Hayden Kelly; 14 FS Ian Premer; 22 DE/OLB Conner Holladay; 24 CB Jaxon Wondra; 50 DT Owen Kaiser; 51 MLB Trenton Kern; 52 DT Brody Schnoebelen; 58 DE Aiden Davidson
FRIDAY FOOTBALL
Great Bend at McPherson; Chase at Pawnee Heights; Hoisington at Pratt; Reno County at Stafford; St. John at La Crosse; Western Plains at Otis-Bison; Larned at Smoky Valley; Syracuse at Ellinwood; Macksville at Central Plains
