By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Buhler's ability to shut down Great Bend's run game Friday night came at a cost: the secondary went one-on-one with junior Ian Premer, who caught five touchdown passes for 168 yards. Premer's third touchdown came in the final minute of the first half for a 29-19 Panther lead at the break. He caught two more touchdown passes in the second half, and the Panther defense pitched another second-half shutout to pull away for a 43-26 win.
Early-evening storms canceled a much-anticipated flyover as part of Great Bend Airfest festivities and pushed back the kick 45 minutes.
Great Bend was held to just three total rushing yards on the night but Premer was a big factor early on. He went 18 yards on a Daxton Minton pass less than four minutes into the game. Buhler scored the next two touchdowns on a 31-yard run from junior Ben Clause, and a 14-yard touchdown pass from senior Brendan Scripsick to Clause. The Crusaders led 13-6 early in the second quarter.
After another Panther drive failed, junior Jacob Hall came up with the heroics, picking off a Scripsick pass and running 60 yards to the end zone for a go-ahead score. Buhler answered right back with a 43-yard touchdown pass from Scripsick to senior Cash Carson.
Minton and Premer had the final say in the first half. Just two plays after Buhler's big score, the Panthers were facing second-and-20 when Premer ran 86 yards untouched on a Minton pass. The duo connected from 14 yards in the final minute of the half. Sophomore Cooper Ohnmacht had a big touchdown pass to Hall in week two and that nearly worked again as a 34-yard pass from Ohnmacht to Hall set up the final points of the half. Premer had little trouble beating the man-coverage.
"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."
Hall had a big night all around. That included a fumble recovery just a few plays into the third quarter. Great Bend needed just two plays on the ensuing short field before Premer picked up his fourth touchdown reception from Minton, this time from 24 yards out, just 93 seconds into the second half.
Panther senior Aiden Davidson and junior Trent Kern both had big sacks in the second half. Great Bend's defense again pitched a shutout in the second half, but the Crusaders did pick up points via a 55-yard interception return from senior Mitchell McDaniel late in the third quarter.
Kern's sack late in the game resulted in a turnover on downs. Four plays later, with the game still up for grabs, Premer was able to beat his defender off the line for a 30-yard touchdown catch to seal the win with 3:13 remaining.
Clause rushed for 67 yards in the first half but finished the night with 66 yards on 13 carries for Buhler. Scripsick threw for 156 yards with two interceptions and a touchdown on 14-of-23 passing. Hall and Premer had the interceptions for Great Bend.
Minton finished with 227 yards, five touchdowns, and two picks on 9-of-21 passing. Premer caught five passes, all for scores, for 168 yards. Hall had two receptions for 56 yards, and Ohnmacht caught three passes for 39 yards.
Buhler suffers its first loss of the season. Great Bend moves to 3-0.
"I think we're feeling pretty good heading into week four," said Premer. "We know we have to keep our heads on and we can't get too high. We want to win every game, obviously, but we have to treat every game like it's the most important so that's what we plan to do."