HOISINGTON — The setting at Elton Brown Field was a sight to behold on Friday night.
One of the largest crowds in recent memory witnessed the Barton County high school showdown between Great Bend and Hoisington. The horseshoe on the west end of the end zone was completely filled as fans lined the track just off the stadium field.
In the first meeting between the two nearby schools since 1957, the Panthers held off the Cardinals for a 14-6 victory.
“Our game with Sedgwick last year was almost the same,” said Hoisington’s second-year head coach, Jason Ingram. “Not as much, but almost the same. It was a Saturday game, our very first game of the season, and because it was Labor Day weekend, you had a lot of people coming.”
Fast forward to Friday night, another Labor Day weekend game and the 2012 lid-lifter for both teams.
“This, by far, because of the proximity (only 10 miles apart) it was an incredible atmosphere, a great atmosphere,” Ingram said. “I appreciate fans from both teams. They were very supportive and very sportsmanlike.”
Rewind to the last time these two teams met. The year was 1957, when Great Bend shut out the Cardinals 20-0 for its sixth consecutive win in the series.
Since 1950, Great Bend owns an 8-1 record against the Cards.
Editor’s note — Information on previous games between GBHS and Hoisington was supplied by Great Bend High School. No records before 1950 were available.

THROUGH THE YEARS
(Since 1950)
2012 — Great Bend 14, Hoisington 6
1957 — Great Bend 20, Hoisington 0
1956 — Great Bend 33, Hoisington 0
1955 — Great Bend 6, Hoisington 0
1954 — Great Bend 20, Hoisington 0
1953 — Great Bend 20, Hoisington 0
1952 — Great Bend 17, Hoisington 6
1951 — Hoisington 7, Great Bend 6
1950 — Great Bend 32, Hoisington 12
Note — Results supplied by Great Bend High School