By Brant Daughtry
Great Bend Post Sports
The Great Bend Panthers kick off their football season soon against Scott City, and the start can’t come soon enough. Head coach of the Panthers Erin Beck says that the weather and other challenges have turned this into the longest preseason of his career, and he’s ready to kick the ball off.
"I feel like this preseason has felt the longest I've ever had. And I think it's a little bit because of the weather and the weird changes of schedule. The way we've had to go late evenings, and maybe have to turn around and then get up early mornings.
"You know, these kids, between school, and practice, and meetings, sometimes putting in 12, 14 hour days, is a pretty big strain on them. So this week has felt like two weeks in one. These guys are hungry and ready and prepared. They're anxiously excited to kick this thing off."
Seniors Jaxon Wandra and Gavynn Maddox feel similarly. Hitting someone else is something they're looking forward.
"It's exciting. I'm ready," Says Wandra, who plays linebacker and receiver. "I think everyone else is ready as well. We're going to come there ready to go and excited. The energy is going to be great."
Maddox, the team's starting center, picked up from his teammate.
"You can just feel the eagerness around the locker room. How ready everybody is. I think it'll be exciting. It's gonna be fun."
Great Bend and Scott City kick off at 7:30 Friday night. Coverage of the game by Mike Hesher and Shawn Behr will begin at 7:00 on B104.3 The Point, or online at GreatBendPost.com.