By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
The No. 5 Great Bend High School football team, off to a 3-0 start, has made plenty of headlines in the first three weeks of the 2024 season. Friday night against Buhler, it was junior Ian Premer making some headlines of his own with a school-record five touchdown receptions. Going one-on-one with the Crusader defense, all five of Premer's receptions totaling 168 yards went for scores.
"That's what they're known for," he said. "They're usually a good defensive pass team. They play a lot of cover-zero and cover-one. That's what they play and they don't really adjust. That didn't work for them tonight but they're truly a great team and their defense is pretty solid."
Premer tied Bryce Lytle's 2016 record of four touchdown receptions in a single game on a 24-yard pass from Daxton Minton just 93 seconds into the third quarter. A 30-yard pass from Minton with 3:13 remaining gave Premer his fifth and final score of the night.
In the first half, Premer took a Minton pass 86 yards for a score - the fifth-longest touchdown reception in school history. Four players have touchdown receptions of 90 yards or longer. Brad Holt's 97-yard touchdown reception on a pass from Derek Ellis in 2007 remains the standard.
With five touchdown passes in a single game, the junior Minton moves into a tie at No. 2 in the GBHS record books. Brandon Wells threw seven touchdown passes against Liberal in 2004, and Koy Brack threw five touchdowns against Wichita Northwest in 2018. Three players, including current Panther color commentator Shawn Behr, have thrown four touchdown passes in a game.
Great Bend stays at home Friday night to host Wichita North for Homecoming. The Redhawks have been outscored 203-6 in three games this season and, minus a forfeit win, have lost their last 52 games dating back to 2018.