DODGE CITY —  Already duplicating their season win total of each of the last two football campaigns, the Great Bend HIgh School Panthers came up with a huge road victory on Friday night, whacking Dodge City 24-7.

The Panthers, who finished 4-4 last season and 4-5 the year before, improved to 4-1 overall, 1-1 in the Western Athletic Conference, shutting out the high-octane Red Demons in the second half.

They took down Dodge City, 3-2, 1-1, on its Homecoming before a large crowd at Memorial Stadium with a puniishing defense and big plays on offense. The Panthers' defense has only allowed seven points over the last two games.

After Mario Espino's 32-yard field goal for the only points of the third quarter, Great Bend owned a 10-7 lead.

Running back Josh Lopez popped a 45-yard touchdown run off a trap play with 11:13 left in the fourth quarter to extend the Panthers' lead to 17-7.

Dodge City drove to the GBHS 44-yard line near the four-minute mark in the fourth quarter before quarterback Kelan Newton's fourth-down incompletion ended the drive.

Bryce Hofmeister added a 28-yard touchdown run off a jet sweep with 2:17 remaining to make it 24-7 and close the scoring.

Dodge City led 7-0 in the first quarter after Demons wide receiver Dakota Duckett had a 75-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown off a bubble screen from Newton at the 2:43 mark.

Great Bend tied the game right before halftime on Jonathan Allende's 30-yard touchdown scamper at the 21.9-second mark.

Dodge City's Jordan Doan was down for several minutes in the second half with a neck stinger before getting helped from the field.

Great Bend travels to Liberal next Friday night.

Check out Sunday's Great Bend Tribune for a full game package.

PREP FOOTBALL

Western Athletic Conference

Friday

At Dodge City

Memorial Stadium

Great Bend Panthers 24, 

Dodge City Red Demons 7

Great Bend   7   0   3   14  —  24

Dodge City     7   0   0    0   —   7

FIRST QUARTER

Dodge City — Dakota Duckett 75 pass from Kelan Newton (Dilllon Burkhard), 2:43

Great Bend — Jonathan Allende 30 run (Mario Espino kick), 21.9

THIRD QUARTER

Great Bend — Mario Espino 32 FG, 9:06

FOURTH QUARTER

Great Bend — Josh Lopez 45 run (Espino kick), 11:13

Great Bend — Bryce Hofmeister 28 run (Espino kick), 2:17