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Great Bend throttles Wichita North 41-0 on Homecoming night
Early blitz of points sends Redskins reeling
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Great Bend High School recovered a Wichita North fumble on the game's opening kickoff and scored on the first play from scrimmage, when Bryce Beck ran 24 yards for a touchdown on a reverse.

The game was only 14 seconds old, and it was already 7-0.

It was a sneak preview of what was in store during a Friday night non-conference mismatch on Homecoming at Memorial Stadium.

After the Panthers' Patrick McCluskey recovered the North fumble on the kickoff and Beck scored his first of two touchdowns, the rout materialized rather quickly as Great Bend rolled to a 34-0 halftime lead en route to a 41-0 manhandling of the winless Redskins.

Although Shade Wondra started at quarterback for the first play, Beck took the snaps behind center until Wondra came on again for the fourth quarter. Starting the game at wide receiver, Beck scored on a reverse, off a handoff from running back Jonathan Allende, and the Panthers (3-1) were off to the races.

Matt Marshall, a senior linebacker and quarterback, who had shared the duties with Beck the previous three games, sat out the game with a bruised knee. Offensive tackle Wyatt Bayless missed the game with a cracked rib.

Senior running back Josh Lopez, who had been slowed with a sprained knee, came through with his best offensive game of the season. Lopez also blocked a 'Skins punt on special teams, a huge boost for a team that played with more passion than their previous games. 

Lopez and Chris Burley had 2- and 6-yard TD runs, helping the Panthers build their lead to 21-0 with 5:42 still remaining in the first quarter.

McCluskey added a second fumble recovery in the second half, when the game was already out of reach.

North (0-4), shut out for the third straight game, squandered its only scoring opportunity at the Panthers 19-yard line, with Great Bend's Justin Henry recovering at the 2:56 mark in the fourth quarter.

After Beck scored his second touchdown, a 4-yard run for a 28-0 lead with 8:36 left in the second quarter, Allende added a 31-yard touchdown run with 3:40 left before halftime to make it 34-0. Allende later scored the only TD of the second half on a 13-yard dash to paydirt at the 9:32 mark in the third quarter.

Lopez and Beck each had 93 rushing yards to lead the Panthers. Lopez had 12 carries, and Beck had 11.

Allende finished with 71 yards on 10 carries.

GBHS, which threw only two passes on the night, finished with 290 of their 307 yards of total offense on the ground.

Great Bend, which is 0-1 in Western Athletic Conference play, begins making preparations for a league clash at Dodge City on Friday night.

Check out Sunday's Great Bend Tribune sports section for a full package of coverage.

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

Non-Conference

 

Friday

At Great Bend

Memorial Stadium

Great Bend 41, Wichita North 0

Wichita North             0   0   0   0  —  0

Great Bend                21 13  7  0  —  41

SCORING SUMMARY

First Quarter

Great Bend — Bryce Beck 24 run (Mario Espino kick), 11:46

Great Bend — Josh Lopez 2 run (Espino kick), 8:12

Great Bend — Chris Burley 6 run (Espino kick), 5:42

Second Quarter

Great Bend — Beck 4 run (Espino kick), 8:36

Great Bend — Jonathan Allende 31 run (kick failed), 3:40

Third Quarter

Great Bend — Allende 13 run (Espino kick), 9:32