The Great Bend High School football team got its first taste of victory last Friday.
The Panthers controlled the game from the outset, beating Wichita North 36-7.
Now Great Bend will look to do the same thing on the road as the Panthers travel to Dodge City for a Western Athletic Conference matchup.
“Things haven’t really changed (after the win),” GBHS head coach Tony Crough said. “We were never really down. We were beat up, injured, but not really down.
“We knew we should’ve beat North and we did. Now, it’s business as usual.”
Great Bend is 1-3 overall and 0-2 in the WAC.
Dodge City is 3-1 overall, 1-0 in the WAC after last week’s 52-20 victory over Liberal.
Dodge City averages 35.5 points per game with one loss, a 26-21 setback against Wichita Heights.
The Liberal game starts a three-week WAC schedule for the Demons. Great Bend falls in the middle of that schedule.
“We’re expecting a good one,” Crough said. “They have a very explosive offense. They throw the ball around a lot. They’re a pretty good team. They’re well coached.”
Great Bend has been flourishing on offense in the last two games.
The Panthers’ aerial attack has surfaced as a legitimate threat.
Quarterback Shade Wondra has completed 27 of 63 passes, bringing his completion percentage to 42.9.
He has 277 passing yards and three touchdowns. He also has two rushing TDs.
Wondra has thrown five interceptions.
A lot of the surge in passing yards is thanks to the emergence of sophomore wide receiver Bryce Lytle.
Lytle has a team-leading nine receptions for 144 yards and two touchdowns.
Trent Uselton is still the rushing leader for the Panthers with 45 carries for 200 yards and two touchdowns.
Uselton sat out last week’s win with a concussion, giving junior Thomas Bobbitt most of the carries.
Bobbitt has 31 carries for 122 yards and one touchdown. Of those, 25 carries, 114 yards and the touchdown came against Wichita North.
Uselton will still be out, leaving a lot of the carries for Bobbitt once again.
“Bobbitt, he’ll get the ball a lot,” Crough said. “We do have a lot of others that we’re looking to get the ball too. We do have some depth at that position, but Bobbitt will get the brunt of it.”
Defensively, Great Bend seems just as potent as ever.
The Panthers have 13 takeaways in four games, 11 fumbles and two interceptions.
Senior Nick Gerdes lead the defense in tackles with 26.