BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
WICHITA — Great Bend tailback Colby Miller scored three touchdowns. Quarterback Cayden Scheuerman ran and passed for scores. The Panthers recovered two kickoffs.
Great Bend's fun kept rolling as the Panthers roared past Wichita Southeast 45-0 in Friday's non-league football game at Wichita Heights. Great Bend (2-2, 0-1 WAC) plays at Dodge City (3-1, 1-0 WAC) next week.
Miller scored on a pair of 3-yard runs and added a 12-yard score as he gained 146 hard-fought yards. The Panthers' group of center Danny Nieto, guards Aiden Davidson and Matthew Johnson and tackles Brantley Schaffer and Mathew Moeder paved the way for 260 yards rushing.
Panthers Braylon Council and Ian Premer intercepted passes. Placekicker Alex Galindo and Noah Jerke recovered kickoffs after Panther touchdowns. Southeast managed 86 yards on 27 offensive snaps as Matthew Johnson led the defense.
The Panthers delivered magic with Scheuerman converting under center on short yardage twice. Miller gained a key first down and Schuerman scored on a 1-yard touchdown for a 7-0 lead. Galindo easily recovered his own onside kickoff as the Panthers used game film to exploit a flaw in the Buffaloes' kickoff return team.
Scheuerman dashed 29 yards after a perfectly executed fake to set up Miller's first 3-yard score. A Dee'Onn Jones 10-yard sack helped set up a 50-yard scoring drive, capped by Miller's 12-yard touchdown for a 21-0 lead.
Council's alert interception and 25-yard return was followed by Galindo's 24-yard field goals for a 24-0 halftime lead.
Ian Premer's leaping interception led to Miller's third score on a 3-yard run. For the second time, Scheuerman dashed 19 yards on a quarterback keeper. Council showed his speed on a lightning-fast 39-yard touchdown pass from Scheuerman for a 38-0 lead.
Noah Jerke made the Buffaloes pay by recovering the ensuing kickoff at the Buffaloes' 23-yard line. Senior Kamron Stude achieved his high school dream on an aggressive 9-yard touchdown dash for a 45-0 lead.
Panther Hayden Kelly preserved the shutout when he recovered a fumble by Buffalo Dubbron Moore after a dazzling 34-yard gain.
Great Bend 14 10 21 0 — 45
Wichita SE 0 0 0 0 — 0
GB—Cayden Scheuerman 1 run (Alex Galindo kick), 7:03; GB—Cody Miller 3 run (Galindo kick), 5:01; GB—Miller 12 run (Galindo kick), 7:08; GB—Galindo 24 FG, 0:17; GB—Miller 3 run (Galindo kick), 8:32; GB—Braylon Council 39 pass from Scheuerman (Galindo kick); GB—Kamron Stude 9 run (Galindo kick), 3:11
RUSHING—GB—43-260; Miller 21-146; Scheuerman 10-81; Stude 5-32; Schartz 5-11; Council 1-3; Birney 1-3; Milsap 1-(-4); team 1-(-11); SE—Dubbron Moore 2-34; Ronelle Slaughter 11-14; Fiscus 1-(-10)
PASSING—GB—Scheuerman 7-11-1, 96; SE—Fiscus 5-13-2, 48
RECEIVING—GB—Council 4-61; Miller 2-27; Maddox Spray 1-8; SE—Edenfield 1-44; Moore 3-5; Jaylen Booker 1-(-1)
