BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
When Great Bend quarterback Daxton Minton ignited a late-season offensive spark, the Panthers averaged 41 points in their final four football games last season. The Panthers delivered lengthy scoring plays offensively and defensively down the stretch.
Eventual 5A state runner-up Wichita Kapaun-Mt. Carmel ended the Panthers’ season 36-34 in a wild playoff game.
Second team All-WAC QB Minton, first team All-WAC WR Ian Premer, Jacob Hall, Cooper Ohnmacht and Hayden Kelly are quality big-play receivers.
“Daxton wants to be best player on the field. As a coach, you love that confidence,” said Great Bend coach Erin Beck. “It’s the best receiving crew we’ve had from top-to-bottom. Daxton’s job will be to see good matchups and spread the football around. Our pass game may well set up our run game. We’ll run something until the defense takes it away.”
With eight offensive and defensive starters returning, coach Beck is intrigued by the potential. The Panthers will consider a slower offensive pace to control the game’s tempo.
“There’s a ‘buzz’ about our team. There’s a lot to be excited about,” Beck said. “With Daxton Minton back, we’ve picked up in midstream. That’s the big advantage with our offensive group.”
The offense features RT Owen Kaiser, LG Trenton Kern, RG Aiden Davidson in the offensive line. LT Blaine Ensley, C Karter Brown and OL Brody Schnoebelen will round out the offensive front.
Vying at running back will be Jace Schartz and Conner Holladay with Ohnmacht and Premer ticketed to be involved in the run game.
“We’ll run our backfield by committee,” Beck said. “It’s a good backfield group.”
Beck’s chief concern is trying to prevent multiple players from playing virtually every snap on both sides of the football. Trenton Kern, Ian Premer, Ohnmacht, Owen Kaiser and Aiden Davidson are likely full-time 2-way players.
“It’s awfully hard as a coach to take your best football players off the field,” Beck said. “Last year, those sophomores were ready to play varsity football. Many of our younger players aren’t ready to play at the varsity level.”
The defense features first-team MLB Trenton Kern (111 tackles), second team All-WAC Davidson (41 stops) along with Premer (64 tackles, 4 interceptions) and Ohnmacht (3 interceptions).
CB Hall, DL Schnoebelen, DE Kaiser and LB Kale Kern return, although Kale Kern is slowed by a injury.
“We’d love to free Trenton Kern up to make plays,” Beck said. “Our goal is to find out best 11 defenders on the field. It’s harder to hide guys on defense. Our goal will be keep guys fresh.”
MLB Conner Holladay, CB Koehn Ribordy, DE Michael Montoya and DE/LB Davidson will also be key players.
OFFENSIVE RETURNEES—QB Daxton Minton; WR Ian Premer; WR Jacob Hall; WR Cooper Ohnmacht; LT Trenton Kern; RG Aiden Davidson; RT Owen Kaiser
DEFENSIVE RETURNEES—OLB Jacob Hall; LB Kale Kern; S Ian Premer; LB Brody Schnoebelen; CB Cooper Ohnmacht; DE Owen Kaiser; Trenton Kern; DL Aiden Davidson
PANTHER ROSTER
1—Jace Schartz, 5-9, 190, DB, 12
2—Cooper Ohnmacht, 6-1, 175, QB/WR/S, 10
3—Brogan Unruh, 6-2, 165, WR/DB, 11
4—Triston Tomlinson, 5-11, 150, WR/DB, 11
5—Jacob Hall, 6-1, 195, TE/DE, 11
6—Josh Birney, 5-8, 175, RB/DB, 11
7—Kale Kern, 6-1, 200, RB/LB, 10
8—Hayden Kelly, 5-9, 170, WR/DB, 11
9—Gavin Gilkison, 6-2, 160, WR/OLB, 11
10—Cole Fanshier, 6-1, 160, WR/OLB, 10
11—Koehn Ribordy, 5-10, 180, DB, 12
12—Daxton Minton, 5-11, 180, QB, 11
13—Michael Montoya, 6-2, 180, DE, 12
14—Ian Premer, 6-6, 215, WR/S, 11
15—Braxton Richter, 5-6, 120, WR/DB, 9
16—Beau White, 5-10, 165, WR/DB, 11
17—Kawika Martinez, 5-8, 130, QB/DB, 10
18—Jaden Prilling, 5-6, 115, QB/DB, 9
19—Blake Stein, 5-10, 170, RB/LB, 10
20—Dominick Price, 5-10, 180, LB, 12
21—Cal Schartz, 5-6, 125, RB/DB, 9
22—Conner Holladay, 6-0, 190, RB/LB, 11
23—Kade Urban, 5-7, 140, WR/DB, 9
24—Jaxon Wondra, 5-10, 180, WR/DE, 10
25—Alec Premer, 6-1, 150, WR/DB, 9
26—Mark Mazouch, WR/DB, 9
27—Blake Suppes, RB/LB, 9
28—Spencer Brown, 5-6, 120, WR/DB, 9
29—Dayton Howard, 6-3, 170, WR/DB, 10
30—Brody Postleweite, 5-10, 150, WR/LB, 9
31—Leo Krier, 5-10, 160, WR/DB, 10
32—Maxx Steffan, 5-9, 160, OL/LB, 9
33—Lukas Oden, 5-8, 140, RB/DB, 11
34—Jace Deines, 5-10, 190, WR/LB, 11
35—Omar Razo, 5-10, 170, PK, 10
36—Eli Soupiset, 5-10, 155, DB, 12
37—Logan Turner, 5-8, 130, RB/LB, 9
38—Gage Peterson, 5-7, 130, RB/LB, 9
40—Colton Andrasek, 5-10, 145, WR/LB, 9
41—Kade Baker, 5-9, 125, WR/DB, 9
42—Xavier Johnson Millirons, 5-10, 160, OL/DL, 9
43—Trent Rowe, 6-0, 160, WR/DB, 10
44—Chase Stout, 5-11, 140, WR/LB, 10
50—Owen Kaiser, 6-3, 270, G/ DL, 12
51—Trenton Kern, 6-2, 225, OL/LB, 11
52—Brody Schnoebelen, 6-1, 230, OL/DL, 12
53—Karson Wintholz, 5-11, 300, OL/DL, 9
54—Gavynn Maddox, 5-8, 215, OL/DL, 10
55—Karter Brown, 6-0, 280, OL/DL, 11
56—Blaine Ensley, 6-0, 240, OL/LB, 11
57—Keeton Bray, 6-2, 230, OL/DL, 9
58—Aidan Davidson, 6-0, 210, G/ OLB, 12
59—Brady Mendez, 6-0, 200, OL/LB, 9
60—Delton Their, 5-10, 240, OL/DL, 10
63—Logan Espinosa, 5-9, 165, OL/Dl, 9
64—Elijah Ybarra, 5-9, 210, OL/DL, 9
65—Kenton Grauerholz, 5-6, 200, OL/DL, 12
67—Slayde Apley, 5-6, 190, OL/DL, 10
68—Gunner Fisher, 5-8, 190, OL/DL, 11
70—Jackson Yarmer, 6-1, 195, OL/DL, 10
71—Evan Vink, 5-10, 165, OL/DL, 10
73—Josue Bustamante, 5-7, 250, OL/DL, 10
74—Ryder Morris, 5-11, 260, OL/DL, 11
77—Levi Espino, 5-11, 250, OL/DL, 9
78—Dylan Hernandez, 5-9, 240, OL/DL, 9
79—Gavin Stein, 5-9, 270, OL/DL, 11
80—Abel Spencer, 5-3, 105, WR/DB, 9
81—Jacob Mazouch, 5-7, 120, WR/DB, 9
82—Alika Salcido, 5-7, 130, WR/DB, 9
