Great Bend (5-2, 2-1) at Garden City (6-1, 2-1)
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VIDEO—youtube.com (Buffalo Athletics)
BY JIM MISUNAS
Great Bend Panther Mathew Moeder was quick to say, “Yes sir,” when Great Bend football coach Erin Beck asked him about playing in the offensive line.
“Last spring, coach (Erin) Beck said, ‘We need you on the offensive line to get us a couple of wins.’ ”
The 6-2, 205-pound left tackle Moeder anchors an undersized offensive line with center Danny Nieto, guards Matthew Johnson and Aiden Davidson and tackle Brantley Schaffer that relies on precise technique.
Moeder leaned on Johnson’s experience to learn the fine points.
“Buhler week 3 was when I felt comfortable,” Moeder said. “I love it to pull out and block people. I like the chance to pull and mess with the defense.”
The Panthers average 185 yards rushing and 157 yards passing.
“When those defensive dudes are bigger than me, they’re the hardest to block,” he said. “But we’re used to that, because we’ve been doing that all year.”
Tailback Cody Miller has gained 707 yards with nine TDs. Quarterback Cayden Scheuerman has rushed for 472 yards and six TDs. He’s passed for 1,074 yards and 10 scores.
“Cayden is really fast,” Moeder said. “He’s runs with a physical style. He reads his holes and fights to gain extra yards. Cody Miller does the job being patient. He finds holes and makes tacklers miss.”
Moeder likes the balance between the run and pass game.
“Having offensive balance allows us to surprise the defense when they don’t know what we’re doing,” he said. “It makes it easier to move the football.”
Playing middle linebacker with Johnson provides the Panthers with an effective one-two defensive punch. Moeder has 50 tackles and Johnson 40.
“It’s fun playing next to Matthew Johnson because we’re right next to each other the whole game,” he said. “I’ve always enjoyed playing defense, which I’m best at. Coach (Jeff) Lutt always making playing defense fun.”
One of his favorite tactics is when the Panthers switch to a 4-2 front in certain situations.
“I love when we play a 4-2 defense,” he said. “Our defensive line can wreak havoc on their front five. It allows the linebackers to flow up the field. Our safeties can fill the holes behind us.”
When No. 8 Western seed Great Bend (5-2, 2-1 WAC) journeys to Garden City (6-1, 2-1 WAC) Friday, a runner-up league finish and improved playoff seed is at stake.
“It’s been great this year,” Moeder said. “Our mental toughness has improved. We keep playing, Once our defense settles in, we’re golden. We realize we can stop them.”
Garden City averages 274 yards rushing from a run-dominant Flexbone formation.
“We’ll have to play ready good football. They love to run the football in a Flexbone, so It’ll be a challenge,” Beck said. “We’ll go out and play free and see what happens.
It’s fun to go out there and play football.”
WEEK 8 – The No. 8 seeded 5A Panthers (5-2, plus 19) could move as high as third seed with an upset victory against Garden City depending on how many 5A football teams ahead of them lose games Friday.
No. 3 Valley Center, No. 4 Goddard, No. 5 Salina Central, No. 6 Wichita Carroll and No. 7 Hutchinson enter as favorites Friday night.
FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE
3 Salina Central 6-2 (+53) vs. Andover 3-5 (-34)
4 Hutchinson 6-2 (+52) vs. Liberal 3-5 (-21)
5 Wichita Carroll 6-2 (+37) vs. Newton 3-5 (-9)
6 Great Bend 6-2 (+26) vs. Goddard Eisenhower 3-5 (+9)
7 Valley Center 6-2 (+9) vs. 10 Maize South 4-4 (-10)
8 Goddard 5-3 (+45) vs. 9 Kapaun Mt. Carmel 4-4 (+22)
