The Great Bend Panthers fell on hard times earlier this season, but after back-to-back wins it seems like their luck might finally be changing. They strolled past Garden City with points to spare on Friday, taking the game 35-21. That result was just more of the same for these two, as Great Bend also won the last time the pair played back in October of 2022.
Great Bend's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Cody Miller, who rushed for 129 yards and a touchdown. Another player making a difference was Daxton Minton, who rushed for 49 yards and a touchdown.
Great Bend's win was their eighth straight at home (dating back to last season), bumping their overall record up to 5-3. That said, the team wasn't facing the toughest opposition over that stretch, as it included 1-8 Ulysses and 1-7 Southeast (their opponents had an average overall winning percentage of 37.2% over those games). As for Garden City, their loss dropped their record down to 5-3.
Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Great Bend will face off against Salina Central at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The matchup should be an exciting one, as these teams are ranked near one another in Kansas (Salina Central is ranked 42nd, while Great Bend is ranked 64th). As for Garden City, they will head out on the road to face off against Lawrence Free State at 7:00 p.m. on Friday.
