Old Timers Bowl-Gameday Program by gcccks6

2 0 1 9

G A M E D A Y

1 NATIONAL TITLE • 12 JAYHAWK CHAMPIONSHIPS • 24 BOWL APPEARANCES

TABLE OF CONTENTS

BR NCBUSTER GAME 6 • FORT SCOTT • SEPT. 28, 2019 • 3 P.M. • BRONCBUSTER STADIUM • GARDEN CITY, KS

WHAT’S INSIDE 4 TODAY’S GAME 7 BREAKING IT DOWN BROADCAST INFORMATION 8 4 10 PLAYER SPOTLIGHT - ALI GAYE 14 BOARD OF TRUSTEES 15 THE PRESIDENT 17 DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS 18 HEAD COACH TOM MINNICK 18 22 ASSISTANT COACHES 28 A LONGHORN AT HEART 36 MISSION ACCOMPLISHED 45 STARTING LINEUPS MISSED CHANCE 46 46 51 SPOTLIGHT - KATARINA VOJVODIC

News and notes about today’s game between Garden City and Fort Scott Taking a deeper look at the statistical comparisons

Where can you listen and watch Broncbuster football

The sophomore is rated as the No. 1 JUCO defensive end

Meet the governing body of Garden City Community College

Dr. Ryan Ruda is the 7th President in the history of the school

Greg McVey begins his first year as Director of Athletics

Minnick enters year one, after 11 seasons at Arizona Western

Meet the staff that Tom Minnick has assembled

Former Broncbuster linebacker Dillon Williams turned a small Kansas town into champions. The Broncbusters took Council Bluffs by Storm and ended Iowa Western’s National Championship hopes at the same time. Meet the players who are starting in today’s game

With the cameras gone, Garden City and Independence met with a little less drama off the field and a little more on it.

CREDITS LAYOUT & DESIGN Mike Pilosof

PHOTOGRAPHERS Adam Shrimplin

COVER DESIGN

WRITERS

Mike Pilosof

ON THE COVER

PRINTING

Ali Gaye (DE), Jyheir

Jones (S), Josh Artis (LB)

ATHLETIC WEBSITE gobroncbusters.com /GCCCSportsbuster @gccc_fball

TICKETS

620-276-9606

PROGRAM PRICE

GCCC Print Shop: Cecilia Miller, Ashley Salazar, Melody Brooks

$2 on Gameday

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She’s turning the once winless Broncbusters into a formidable foe.

1 NATIONAL TITLE • 12 JAYHAWK CHAMPIONSHIPS • 24 BOWL APPEARANCES

GAME PREVIEW

In early 1919, Fort Scott Community College opened its’ doors. Later that year, Garden City followed suit, becoming the two oldest Junior Colleges in the Sunflower State. A century later, the two teams collide in the inaugural Old Timers Bowl, Saturday at Broncbuster Stadium, with much more on the line than most people could have imagined. By the way, give credit to Garden City Athletic Director Greg McVey, who hadn’t even been on the job a month when he came up with the idea.

“It’s a pretty cool opportunity,” McVey said back in July. “The trophy will be passed back and forth every year.” Of course, three months ago, the Greyhounds, fresh off their seventh consecutive losing season, were not even a blip on the radar. Kale Pick’s team was picked to finish last in the Jayhawk Conference following a sixth-place finish in 2018. To put things into proper perspective, Pick inherited a mess. When Curtis Horton was fired after the 2016 season, Pick was immediately promoted to the top spot, becoming the youngest college Head Coach, at any level, in the country. But Pick had never led a program. In 2015, he served as the quarterbacks’ coach under Brian Hill at Garden City High School. Before that, he was an offensive graduate assistant at Texas A&M, learning the Air-Raid system under offensive coordinator Jake Spavital. Following his one season at Garden City, Horton, creator of the smash-mouth, three yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust offense, the one that produced seven 1,000-yard rushers in nine seasons, relinquished the play-calling duties to

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A CENTURY OF HISTORY

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a 69-0 annihilation in 2017.

The Inaugural Old Timers bowl has plenty of interesting subplots this season. Fort Scott, the perennial doormats of the Jayhawk since reaching the National Championship Game in 2009, are ranked for the first time since 2010. Now the name of the game has changed, but the precedent has already been set. The Broncbusters have owned the series recently, outscoring Fort Scott by a combined 126-17 in their last two meetings, which includes

Other big wins in the series include the 1974 showdown, where Garden City knocked off the 8-1 Greyhounds, 13-9. It was the Broncbusters first-ever victory over Fort Scott. It also ended the Greyhounds’ incredible

44-game, Jayhawk Conference winning streak

2019 BRONCBUSTER FOOTBALL

BOB LARSON (5-0)

THE OLD TIMERS BOWL

1 NATIONAL TITLE • 12 JAYHAWK CHAMPIONSHIPS • 24 BOWL APPEARANCES

GAME PREVIEW

JAYHAWK TIDBITS JAYHAWK STANDINGS Team

Conf

OVR

Home

Away

Neutral

Butler

3-0

5-0

4-0

1-0

0-0

Hutchinson

2-0

4-0

1-0

3-0

0-0

Fort Scott

3-1

2-1

1-0

0-0

Garden City

3-2

1-1

1-2

2-0

0-0

Independence

2-2

1-0

1-2

0-0

Highland

1-2

2-2

1-0

1-2

0-0

Dodge City

0-3

0-4

0-1

0-3

0-0

Coffeyville

0-3

0-5

0-3

0-2

0-0

THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE Butler at Hutch

12 pm

Iowa Central at Highland

1 pm

Iowa Western at Dodge City

1 pm

Coiffeyville at Arkansas Baptist

1 pm

Fort Scott at Garden City

3 pm

a young 29-year old, who made his name as a dual-threat quarterback out of Dodge City High School who eventually signed with Kansas. Now he was tasked with transforming a ground-andpound attack into pass-heavy system. In 2016, the Greyhounds finished 23rd in passing offense, led by Nathan Rourke, who became the first Fort Scott Quarterback since Gary Cross in 2007, to throw for more than 2,000 yards in a season. But in his first year as the man in charge in 2017, the Greyhound aerial attack slipped significantly. They averaged less than 200 yards per contest, dropping to 38th in the nation. The following season they were better; Gunner Sea threw for 1,456 yards. But it was still a far cry from expectations, especially considering the fact that the Greyhounds threw the ball 322 times in 201812th most in the nation. “You have to be able run the football to win in this league,” former Broncbuster Coach Jeff Sims said following his team’s 57-17 beat down of the Greyhounds last season. “That’s what Curtis Horton did. That’s what Butler has done in the past. And that’s what we do.”

Charles West fell eight yards shy of 1,500 last year, with teammate Dedrick Mills finishing with 1,400 yards), definitely hit it on the head. And while he will never admit it, Pick had to do something new; something cutting edge. That brings us to this year, where Pick’s Air-Raid has morphed into a more aggressive running attack. Of course it helps that he now has a dual-threat quarterback in former Broncbuster backup Rayvon Bartlett. The sophomore has five rushing touchdowns, the second most in the conference behind Garden City’s Ramon Jefferson, and Butler’s Brock Sturges. Interestingly enough, backup Carlos Davis has three scores on the ground, making the once, one-dimensional scheme, into a multiple-look offense that has the Greyhounds off to their best start since 2009.

RUSHING LEADERS Player Brock Sturges

Team

Car.

Yards

Y/G

BUT

605

121

Ramon Jefferson

GCCC

340

C. Fa’aamautau

COFF

315

Mark Wright

HUT

289

72.3

John Oliver

FSC

284

PASSING LEADERS Player

Team

Cm.

Att.

Yards

Nate Cox

GCCC

130

1047

Steven Frank

BUT

118

1023

J. Cambridge

HIGH

130

820

Stephon Brown

INDY

773

Jase Orndorff

DCCC

133

760

RECEIVING LEADERS Player

Team

Rec.

Yards

Y/G

FSC

347

86.8

MJ Link

GCCC

284

56.8

Bailey Brown

DCCC

276

George Qualls

BUT

271

54.2

Nathaniel Dell

INDY

244

John Jiles

Most coaches are stubborn by nature, but Sims, one of the masterminds behind two of the greatest single-season rushing attacks in history (Jasmin Hopkins rushed for 1,931 yards in 2009 and

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BREAKING IT DOWN GARDEN CITY

POLLS

Category

Team

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Tot

FSC

Opponents

RUSHING LEADERS Player

Car.

Yards

Avg.

Y/G

John Oliver

284

4.1

LG 38

Carlos Davis

193

48.3

PASSING LEADERS Player

Att

YDS

Int

Ray Bartlett

386

RECEIVING LEADERS

Player

Rec

YDS

Avg

Y/G

Player

Rec

YDS

Avg

Y/G

MJ Link

284

17.8

56.8

John Jiles

347

13.3

Dominick Watt

210

13.1

John Oliver

6.8

RESULTS & SCHEDULE Date

Opponent

8-24

RESULTS & SCHEDULE

W-L

Score

Date

Opponent

W-L

Score

#6 Snow

30-27

8-24

Highland

20-16

8-31

at Dodge City

42-22

8-31

at Coffeyville

40-29

9-7

Ellsworth

61-0

9-14

Hutchinson

27-7

9-14

Independence

31-28

9-21

Independence

27-25

9-21

#15 at Iowa Western

28-14

9-28

at Garden City

9-28

Fort Scott

10-12

Ellsworth

10-5

at Iowa Central

10-19

at Butler

10-19

at Highland

10-26

Iowa Western

10-26

Coffeyville

11-2

Iowa Central

11-2

Hutchinson

11-9

at Dodge City

11-9

at Butler

WILLIE HAMPTON

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RADIO & STREAMING

BRONCBUSTER RADIO BROADCASTS All Garden City radio broadcasts, home and away, with Mike Pilosof calling the play-by-play and John Ford providing color analysis, can be heard locally and exclusively in Garden City on 99.9 FM ESPN Radio. The station has been the flagship for the Broncbusters since 2015. Garden City games can be heard on many different platforms. If you want to listen on your computer, you can log on to gobroncbusters.com, go to the football page and click on audio. You can also go directly to westernkansasnews.com/kwkr. On your mobile device, you can download the free 999 ESPN app from the apple app store or Google play on Android. In addition, you can download the free TuneIn app and search for KWKR. Game Broadcasts All broadcasts of Broncbuster football begin 30 minutes prior to kickoff with the pregame show. The segment includes interviews with both

After graduation, he worked in Woodward, Okla. for five years and Weatherford Okla. for one. In 2013, he was hired as the sports director at the Western Kansas Broadcast Center in Garden City. Then in 2016, he began working as the part-time sports information director at Garden City Community College. His wife Amber is a registered nurse at Siena Medical Center in Garden City. They have four children: Ryan (14), Gavin (14), Connor (12) and Benjamin (10). John Ford has been a fixture in Garden City since 1982. He began his coaching career at the same time, partnering up with Bill Wilson to launch the Garden City High School baseball program. From there, Ford went on to coach basketball before starting the softball program at the high school in 1994. He won 239 games in 19 seasons including four regional titles and two conference championships. The field at Tangeman Sports Complex is named in his honor. John has also served as the public address announcer for the high school since 1996 and began calling college games in 2015. John and his wife Sharon have four kids: J.J. (32)-was a starting tight end for Garden City from 2005-2006 and an academic All-American... Katie (30), Kelli (26) and Leslie (24).

BRONCBUSTER VIDEO STREAMING Mike Pilosof Play-by-Play

All home football games are streamed on the Broncbusters you tube channel. Just log on to gobroncbusters.com and scroll down to the you tube section on the home page.

John Ford Color Analyst

coaches, players and a game recap from the week before. The Domino’s postgame report follows with full-game highlights, coaches and player interviews as well as a full-game recap. Game Archives All football games are archived. To listen to any past games, you can log on to gobroncbusters.com, go to the football page and click on audio at the end of each broadcast. You can also go directly to westernkansasnews.com/gccc-sports-streaming. All archived audio broadcasts are commercial free and can be listened to on your computer or mobile device. Broncbuster Coach’s Show Hear from Head Coach Tom Minnick and certain players each Thursday night during the Broncbuster Coach’s Show at Old Chicago in Garden City. The show airs from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. exclusively on 99.9 FM ESPN and is hosted by C.D. DeSalvo. About the broadcasters Mike Pilosof has served as the radio voice of the Broncbusters for the past seven seasons. Before that, he was the voice of both the college and the high school before moving into his new full-time roll as sports information director at Garden City Community College. Mike graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Media Studies in 2007.

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GAYE ALI

BY MIKE PILOSOF

SOCCER WAS HIS FIRST LOVE. BUT CHANGING CONTINENTS CHANGED HIS PERSPECTIVE. NOW HEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S THE TOP DEFENSIVE END IN THE COUNTRY.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT

TOP OF THE LINE

1 NATIONAL TITLE • 12 JAYHAWK CHAMPIONSHIPS • 24 BOWL APPEARANCES

ALI GAYE

ambia is a small African nation on the western edge of the continent. There, a young, talented soccer player was tearing up the locals. In his mind, that was real football, or futbol as it’s known in most parts of the globe. Ali Gaye moved to the United States just before his eighth-grade year. To that point, he had never played football, at least the American version. But that was about to change. “Coming from Africa, football was way different,” Gaye said. “I was a soccer player first. I didn’t even play football until eighth grade.” His family settled in Seattle, and Gaye enrolled in the Edmonds-Woodway school district. And he picked up the game pretty quick.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT

“As a player, he was definitely a difference maker,” his high school coach, John Gradwohl told the Daily Herald back in Jan., 2017. “If you played us, you knew where he was and you either would double-team him or run it the other way. So he had a big impact.” Incredibly, Gaye was just scratching the surface.

Full Name Major Jersey Position Height Weight

Ali Gaye Journalism #5 Defensive End 6’6 280

Hometown

Redmond, WA

Date of Birth

Nov. 29, 1998

By the time his senior year rolled around, Gaye had shot up most recruiting boards. He was listed as a three-star prospect, and after a sensational senior year that saw him rack up 76 tackles, eight sacks and 21 quarterback hurries, the standout defensive end was now a commodity. This, just four years after being introduced to the sport. “He’s a great kid with a lot of great skills,” Gradwohl said. “He’s got tremendous upside.”

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2016 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

Gaye had offers from plenty of schools including USC, Louisville, Mississippi, Arizona State and Washington State. Then, less than a month before signing day in 2018, the three-time All-League selection, received an offer from Washington. By the end of the month, he made his official visit. And on Feb. 1, Gaye was all in, pledging Huskies purple.

But Gaye’s plans quickly changed. His SAT scores weren’t high enough, meaning he couldn’t get through the NCAA clearinghouse. “I’ve always struggled with math,” Gaye said. With his eligibility now in question, Gaye changed course, linking up with then Arizona Western Head Coach Tom

Minnick. “When things didn’t work out at Washington, we knew we wanted him,” Minnick said. “He had a lot of potential.”

Gaye said. “I still have a ways to go.”

Then, when Arizona Western shutdown the program following the 2018 campaign, Gaye was on the move. And When Gaye didn’t play a ton as a Minnick took the job at Garden freshman last season. He City, the once highly-touted recorded just eight tackles in 11 recruit followed him. games. At the Junior College level, most “I still had a lot to work on,” players take at least a year to come into their own. Gaye was no exception, and during spring ball, more eyes started focusing squarely on him. In June, Gaye committed to LSU, turning the kid who stood just 5-foot-5 when he landed in the United States at age 12, into a 6-foot-6, Division-I stalwart. Gaye’s expected to graduate in December and join the Tigers next Spring. Until then, he’s got his eyes on bringing home another conference crown for Garden City. And after his two-sack performance vs. No. 15 Iowa Western last week, the sophomore is now coming into his own. And that’s a scary thought for the rest of the Jayhawk.

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1 NATIONAL TITLE • 12 JAYHAWK CHAMPIONSHIPS • 24 BOWL APPEARANCES

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

DR. BLAKE WASINGER CHAIR

JEFF CRIST KACCT REP

STEVE MARTINEZ FCEDC REP

TERRI WORF VICE CHAIR

LEONARD HITZ MEMBER

MERILYN DOUGLASS MEMBER

GARDEN CITY COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS GOVERNED BY A SIX-MEMBER BOARD OF TRUSTEES, ALL OF WHOM WERE ELECTED TO THEIR CHAIR. THE COLLEGE IS ACCREDITED BY THE HIGHER LEARNING COMMISSION.

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THE PRESIDENT dr. ryan ruda

7TH PRESIDENT, GARDEN CITY COMMUNITY COLLEGE

he board of trustees unanimously approved, on Feb. 12, 2019, Dr. Ryan Ruda as the seventh President of Garden City Community College.

Before taking on the lead roll, Ruda served as the interim President since the summer of 2018. Dr. Ruda has been a part of Garden City Community College for more than two decades, most recently serving as the vice president of instruction and student services. He began his tenure as a counselor before being named Director of Counseling in 2003. From there, Dr. Ruda held numerous leadership roles on campus including Athletic Director. Dr. Ruda is also very active in our Southwest Kansas community, where he volunteers on the United School District 363 Holcomb school board and the Board of the Garden City Area Chamber of Commerce. He participates in the Garden City Rotary Club and sits as an exofficio member of the Garden City Community College Endowment Association Board. Dr. Ruda completed his Doctorate in Community College Leadership through the Rouche Graduate Center at National American University in 2018. He also earned a Master of Science in Counseling and a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, both at Fort Hays State University.

Dr. Ruda and his wife, Amanda, have three daughters in middle and high school—Madi, Nicole, and Malia, all of whom attend school in Holcomb. When Dr. Ruda entered the Presidential role at Garden City Community College, he brought with him a renewed focus on student-centered and value driven decision making at the faculty, staff, and administrative levels. Dr. Ruda himself exemplifies the “BroncBUSTER” values, as they are called on campus. He is a servant leader, is a very relatable individual, and his passion for student success permeates the entire campus at GCCC.

the ruda family

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2016 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

1 NATIONAL TITLE • 12 JAYHAWK CHAMPIONSHIPS • 24 BOWL APPEARANCES

ATHLETIC DIRECTOR

GREG MCVEY

justin and dalton

avery

DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS

reg McVey begins his first season as the Director of Athletics at Garden City Community College.

A native of Indianapolis, Indiana, Greg McVey comes to Garden City Community College from the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois where he led the Chaparrals 18 intercollegiate athletic programs as the Director of Athletics and Recreation. While there, he was able to lead the department through the successful completion of a yearlong NJCAA probation period that was levied upon the department prior to his arrival on campus in July of 2018. Additionally, he led several initiatives including; successfully securing funding to create a full-time Sports Information Coordinator position and the Student-Athlete Enrichment Coordinator. The department also hosted the 2018 Red Grange Bowl sponsored by the NJCAA that crowns the football national champion on a yearly basis for the non-scholarship football playing institutions. McVey also served as the NATYCAA District 4 Executive Board Member that provides a voice and leadership for two-year athletic administrators within the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). Prior to his time in Glen Ellyn, Greg was the Director of Athletics at Jefferson College in Hillsboro, Missouri from 2015 through 2018. Under his leadership the Vikings recorded a combined .670 winning percentage, 9 Missouri Community College Athletic Conference Championships, 4 NJCAA Region 16 Championships, 3 NJCAA District Championships and 3 National Tournament Appearances. In addition, the Vikings had 151 Academic All-MCCAC, 108 Academic All-NJCAA Region 16, and 36 NJCAA Academic All-Americans during his tenure as the Director of Athletics. He was able to spearhead several facility upgrades while in Hillsboro including; a new indoor HD video board, remodel of the athletic training room, baseball stadium backstop and seating improvements, and the complete renovation of the campus fitness center. Viking Athletics was also visible in the community and the athletic department performed several hundred hours of service learning throughout Jefferson County including; reading at elementary schools, free sports clinics, and stocking shelves at local food pantries. Greg was also instrumental in implementing several new athletic initiatives including; Under Armour/BSN Purchasing Agreement that saw the department partner with a national brand for all uniforms, practice gear and footwear, Athletics Sponsorship and Marketing program which created a revenue stream for the department, and revising and implementing the Jefferson College Student-Athlete Substance Abuse Testing program.

and has served a member of the Hannibal, Missouri Kiwanis Club, and the Hillsboro Missouri Rotary Club. In total Greg has over 25 years of experience in intercollegiate athletics, including; Director of Athletics at Culver-Stockton College in Canton, Missouri (2010-2014), Associate Director of Athletics at Quincy University in Quincy, Illinois (2007-2010), Head Baseball Coach/ Academic Coordinator for Student-Athletes at Quincy University in Quincy, Illinois (2001-2007), Head Baseball Coach/Campus Recreation Director at Kentucky Wesleyan College in Owensboro, Kentucky (20002001), Assistant Baseball Coach at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina (1998-2000), Assistant Baseball at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio (1997), Head Baseball Coach/Student Activities Coordinator at Miami University-Middletown (1993-1996), and Graduate Assistant Baseball Coach at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio (1992-1993). Greg earned his Bachelors in Business Administration in 1992 from Saint Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, Indiana and his Masters in Sports Administration in 1993 from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Greg is married to the former Amy Wheelock and has five children, Justin (28), Dalton (25), Avery (20), Casey (15), and Sophie (7). sophie

casey

greg and amy

McVey has served on several conference and national committees during his career including; NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel, NATYCAA Executive Board, NAIA National Administrative Council, NAIA Competitive Experience Committee, HAAC Strategic Planning Task Force, Athletic Director Liaison for HAAC Soccer, NCAA North Central Regional Baseball Advisory Committee, and the NCAA North Central Regional Softball Advisory Committee. Additionally, he is a member of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), past member of the American Baseball Coaches Association, OPPORTUNITY USA

2016 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

1 NATIONAL TITLE • 12 JAYHAWK CHAMPIONSHIPS • 24 BOWL APPEARANCES

HEAD COACH

tom minnick 35TH ON THE NJCAA’S ALL-TIME WINS LIST•GUIDED ARIZONA WESTERN TO TOP-20 FINISHES IN 8 OUT OF 11 SEASONS•LED MATADORS TO 10 STRAIGHT BOWL GAMES•ASSISTANT ON ONLY NON-SCHOLARSHIP JUNIOR COLLEGE PROGRAM TO WIN OVERALL NATIONAL TITLE

istory is something that Tom Minnick is used to making. When Arizona Western decided to dissolve its football program following the 2018 season, Minnick was the most coveted coaching free agent in the history of Junior College football.

THE MINNICK FILE Hometown...................................... Fort Wayne, IN High School............................Bishop Luers, 1986 College.......................... University of Rolla, 1991 Family....................................................Wife: Tiffany ...........................Daughters: Payton and Morgan

COACHING HISTORY 2019-Present: Garden City Head Coach 2008-2018: Arizona Western Head Coach 2006-2007: Joliet JC Head Coach 1998-2005: Joliet JC DL Coach, RB Coach 1997: Lake Park High School Assistant Coach 1990-1996: College of DuPage Assistant Coach

BOWLS COACHED 2018..............El Toro....................Arizona Western 2017..............Mississippi...........Arizona Western 2016..............El Toro....................Arizona Western 2015..............El Toro....................Arizona Western 2014..............El Toro....................Arizona Western 2013..............El Toro....................Arizona Western 2012..............El Toro....................Arizona Western 2011..............El Toro....................Arizona Western 2010..............Heart of TX...........Arizona Western 2009..............El Toro....................Arizona Western 2007..............Graphic Edge...................... Joliet JC 2006..............Graphic Edge...................... Joliet JC 2005..............Graphic Edge...................... Joliet JC 2002..............Golden Isles......................... Joliet JC 2001..............Pepsi Cola............................ Joliet JC 1996..............Midwest........... College of DuPage 1995..............Midwest........... College of DuPage 1994..............Midwest........... College of DuPage 1993..............Midwest........... College of DuPage 1991..............Midwest........... College of DuPage 1990..............Midwest........... College of DuPage

Minnick’s bravado wasn’t cocky; it was on point. Yes, he was taking over for Sims, the same coach that lifted Garden City from the cellar all the way to the program’s first national title in 2016. But he was in familiar territory.

Truth be told, Minnick had plenty of suitors. But he was instantly drawn to Garden City, a program he personally watched go from rebuild to Jayhawk Conference Giant in the matter of one season.

When Minnick arrived in Yuma, AZ in 2008, he inherited a program that had not been to a bowl game in 40 years. And after a 6-5 campaign in his first season, the Fort Wayne, IN. native made it a tradition to go bowling in December. In fact, he guided the Matadors to 10 straight bowl game appearances. In just his fourth season, Arizona Western played East Mississippi in the National Championship, a game in which they nearly dug out of a 27-0 hole against NJCAA record-breaking quarterback Bo Wallace.

“I know exactly what I’m taking over,” Minnick said during his introductory press conference in Dec., 2018. “But I know something about rebuilding programs too.”

“I’m not scared to take over for a successful coach,” Minnick said. “That’s the nature of this business. But we have a proven track record of success in a similar situation.”

“As soon as we knew Coach (Jeff ) Sims was leaving, we knew who we wanted,” assistant athletic director Colin Lamb said. “It was just a matter of making it work.”

the minnick family

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HEAD COACH

Minnick’s arrival in southwest Arizona coincided with the program’s greatest stretch of dominance since NJCAA Hall of Famer Ray Butcher led the Matadors to the 1972 National Championship. With Minnick at the helm, Arizona Western won 10 or more games four times, played in three national title games, and finished in the top 20 in eight out of his 11 seasons there. Twice, he guided the Matadors to 11-win campaigns, including the 2016 squad, who came within seconds of claiming the school’s second National Championship. “Garden City is on the map,” Minnick said. “Our job is to continue the success that Coach Sims established here. I have all the confidence in the world that we can do that.” Minnick’s coaching pedigree is well documented. After his playing career ended in 1991, he joined forces with another NJCAA legend-Bob MacDougall at the College of DuPage, the same coach and school that Minnick played for as a star quarterback. It was in Chicago where the coaching foundation was set. DuPage played in a bowl game every year that Minnick was there, finishing as the No. 2 team in the nation in 1993 and 1995. In 1994, they went 11-0 and were crowned Midwest Bowl Champions. Minnick eventually followed MacDougall to Joliet, where in 2002, they became the first non-scholarship program in history to win the overall National Championship. The year before, DuPage was crowed the best non-scholarship team in the land. When MacDougall retired following the 2005 season, Minnick replaced his mentor, winning 10 games in 2007 and pushing his team past Iowa Area Community College in the Graphic Edge Bowl. He was named Region IV Coach of the Year at season’s end. MINNICK’S YEAR-BY-YEAR HEAD COACHING HISTORY YEAR

SCHOOL

OVERALL

CONF

2018

Arizona Western

6-5

4-3

El Toro Bowl (Lost to No. 6 Lackawanna 17-10...Coached (3) first-team all-conference players and four All-Region

2017

Arizona Western

9-1

7-0

National Championship Game (Lost to No. 1 East Missisippi 31-28)...Coached QB Bryce Perkins; now at Virginia

2016

Arizona Western

11-1

8-0

National Championship Game (Lost to No. 1 Garden City 25-22)...Coached NDPOY Patrick Macon

2015

Arizona Western

7-4

5-3

El Toro Bowl (Beat College of DuPage 14-5...Coached 2nd-team All-American RB Darrell Monroe (1,009 rush yards)

2014

Arizona Western

11-0

8-1

El Toro Bowl (Beat Central Lakes 38-14)...Suffered only loss in week 3 to Snow 24-7; won 9 straight to close the year

2013

Arizona Western

2-10

2-8

El Toro Bowl (Lost to New Mexico Military 32-16)...Forfeited five games because of transfer waivers

2012

Arizona Western

8-2

6-2

El Toro Bowl (Beat Nassau 42-37)...Dropped one-point contest to Glendale and season-finale to Snow

2011

Arizona Western

11-1

8-0

National Championship (Lost to East Mississippi 55-47)...Trailed 27-0 to Lions before nearly pulling off comeback

2010

Arizona Western

10-2

7-1

Heart of Texas Bowl (Lost to Blinn 31-27)...Reggie Bullock led the nation in rushing (1,830 yards)-NPOY

2009

Arizona Western

9-2

9-0

Mississippi Bowl (Los to East Mississippi 27-24)...Reggie Bullock finished 2nd in the nation in rushing (1,417 yards)

2008

Arizona Western

6-5

5-4

Started the season 1-2 before rebounding to win 5 ouf of their final 8 games

2007

Joliet

10-2

Graphic Edge Bowl (Beat North Iowa Area 28-21)

2006

Joliet

7-4

Graphic Edge Bowl (Lost to Iowa Central 30-19)

OPPORTUNITY USA

BOWL GAME/SEASON NOTES

2016 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

1 NATIONAL TITLE • 12 JAYHAWK CHAMPIONSHIPS • 24 BOWL APPEARANCES

HEAD COACH

Minnick’s’ time at Joliet ended following the 2007 season, when he took the head job at Arizona Western. Four years later, Joliet dropped the program completely, ending one of the most dominating eras of football in region history. During his head coaching stops, Minnick has tutored some of the top players in the country, including safety Bryce Beekman and defensive back Elijah Blades, two stalwarts at Arizona Western last year who signed with Washington State and Texas A&M respectively. His 2017 team produced Bryce Perkins, now the starting quarterback at Virginia. His runner-up squad from 2016 was led by National Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Macon, who inked with Oklahoma State before he transferred to South Florida. Also on that team was four-star tight end Jeremy Patton, who burned the Broncbusters for a touchdown during the National Championship Game. He had offers from several Power-5 schools before landing at Arkansas.

in Damien Williams, who played at Oklahoma and is currently with the Kansas City Chiefs. In 2012, Randy Gregory spent one season at Arizona Western; transferred to Nebraska; then was taken in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys.

In 2009 and again in 2010, Minnick coached one of the nation’s best backs in Reggie Bullock, who went onto play at East Carolina. In 2011, he mentored another dazzling running back

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2019 BRONCBUSTER FOOTBALL

1 NATIONAL TITLE • 12 JAYHAWK CHAMPIONSHIPS • 24 BOWL APPEARANCES

ASSISTANT COACHES

JERRY DOMINGUEZ

MIKE ORTHMANN

WILL HARRIS

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR LINEBACKERS

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR QUARTERBACKS

OFFENSIVE LINE COACH

•1st season •Bethany College •Watsonville, CA Jerry Dominguez enters his first season as the defensive coordinator for Garden City Community College. He spent the past 14 years in the same position at Arizona Western under Head Coach Tom Minnick. Dominguez led one of the nation’s top defensive units during his time in Yuma. That defense helped the Matadors reach the National Championship Game in 2011, 2016 and 2017. In 2017, the Matadors were eighth in the country in points per game allowed (18.4), second in fewest touchdowns allowed (9), and third in interceptions (21). The year before that, Arizona Western was second nationally in yards per game allowed (166.5) and points allowed (9.4); this while forcing 45 takeaways and scoring seven defensive touchdowns. Middle linebacker Patrick Macon was named the David Rowlands Male Student-Athlete of the Year as well as the NJCAA Defensive Player of the Year after terrorizing opposing offenses in 2016. Dominguez’s defenses pitched 14 shutouts during his 14 years at Arizona Western (13 as defensive coordinator). He has a history of developing elite defensive talent. Former stars Korey Toomer (Idaho) and Jesse Williams (Alabama), not only went on to excel on the four-year level (Williams won a pair of national championships with the Crimson Tide), but both were drafted by the Seattle Seahawks and won Super Bowls. Former defensive end Randy Gregory became Dominguez’s highest pick in the NFL draft as a second rounder in 2015. Former safety Maurice Alexander became a fourth-round pick by the Rams in 2014 and is now with the Buffalo Bills. Other players that have signed with NFL teams include former All-Pac 12 & Arizona State defensive lineman Luis Vasquez (Ravens), Arizona State linebacker Chris Young (Jets), Kansas safety Cassius Sendish (Browns), University of Idaho alum Jeromy Jones (Rams), Portland State’s Myles Wade (Buccaneers), Hawaii’s Zach Masch (Seahawks) and Arizona’s Paul Magloire (Buccaneers). They’re part of a contingent of more than 60 players coached by Dominguez at Arizona Western who have gone on to play at NCAA Division I schools. From 2009 through 2011, Dominguez’s defenses were tops in the WSFL (and 4th-best in the nation), allowing just under 200 yards per game in each of those seasons.

•1st season •University of Idaho •Kennewick, WA

•1st season •Midwestern State •Fontana, CA

Mike Orthmann enters his first season as offensive coordinator at Garden City Community College. He spent the past 10 years in the same position under Tom Minnick at Arizona Western.

Will Harris enters his first season as the offensive line coach at Garden City Community College. He spent the past four years working as an assistant under Tom Minnick at Arizona Western.

From 2009–2017, the Matadors earned three NJCAA Football Championship Game berths, nine NJCAA bowl game appearances and won six WSFL championships. The 38 wins from 2009-12 match the 2014-2017 runs as the two best four-year stretches in program history.

Harris began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant for the Matadors in 2015. He helped out with the offensive line and tight ends. Then, in 2016, he was added to the staff full time, focusing on the offensive line.

Orthmann’s players have been named NJCAA Region I Offensive Player of the Year five times and the Western States Football League’s Offensive Player of the Year six times. In 2010, Matador running back Reggie Bullock was named the NJCAA National Offensive Player of the Year. That season, Bullock led the nation in rushing (1,830 yards) and scoring (132 points), and finished his two-year AWC career with 3247 rushing yards, the most career rushing yards in the history of the Western States Football League and 5th most all-time in the NJCAA. In 2011, Damien Williams became the second Matador in a row to lead the nation in rushing and scoring, with 1,931 yards (9th best in NJCAA history) and 188 points; both are AWC single-season records. Williams finished his two-year AWC career with 2,654 rushing yards, second only to Bullock. In 2012, quarterback Tanner McEvoy set AWC single-season records for touchdown passes (28), completions (156), completion percentage (64.5) and quarterback rating (171.96), joining Bullock and Williams by being named NJCAA Region I Offensive Player of the Year. And in 2017, Greg Bell III piled up 1,217 rushing yards while averaging 6.1 yards per carry and 11 touchdowns to go with 15 receptions for 201 yards as the WSFL Offensive Player of the Year.

During his four years in Yuma, Arizona Western had one of the top rushing attacks, spearheaded by a dominant offensive line that played in back-to-back National Championship Games in 2016 and 2017. They also captured two straight WSFL titles. As a player, Harris spent two seasons (2014-16) at Midwestern State University as both a left and right tackle. He helped the team win the Lone Star Conference Championship. He was honored on the All-LSC Offensive Line Second Team. Before that, Harris played at Arizona Western for two seasons (2010-12) and transitioned from tight end to left tackle. He helped the Matadors win the WSFL twice, played in the 2011 NJCAA National Championship Game at the El Toro Bowl, and played in the CHAMPS Heart of Texas Bowl. He was named to the All-WSFL First Team and All-ACCAC Second Team at left tackle. In High School, Harris was an all-league offensive lineman, helping his team to a sectional title and three straight league championships. He also played basketball. After college, Harris played three years in the Arena League with the Los Angeles Kiss, Iowa Barnstormers and the Tri Cities Fever.

16 of Orthmann’s Matador offensive players have been named NJCAA All-Americans. He has coached numerous future NFL players, most recently Jacob Hollister (New England Patriots). Orthmann played offensive line at the University of Idaho for Head Coach Dennis Erickson. He earned his Bachelor’s Degrees in both history and education as well as a Master’s Degree in business administration from Eastern Washington University.

Before Arizona Western, Dominguez spent six years as an assistant at NCAA D-II Northern State University. He began his coaching career at his alma mater, Bethany, as a secondary coach and special teams coordinator in 1997.

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2019 BRONCBUSTER FOOTBALL

1 NATIONAL TITLE • 12 JAYHAWK CHAMPIONSHIPS • 24 BOWL APPEARANCES

ASSISTANT COACHES ZAC MILLER

CALEB YOUNG

AARON CHEATWOOD

WIDE RECEIVER’S COACH

DEFENSIVE BACKS COACH

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR LINEBACKERS

•1st season •North Alabama •Birmingham, AL

5th season •Briar Cliff University •Florissant, MO

•1st season •Arizona Western •Parker, AZ

Zac Miller enters his first season as the Wide Receivers Coach at Garden City Community College. He spent the previous three years at Eastern Arizona.

Caleb Young has been through the good times and the bad at Garden City. The longest tenured member of the staff, the Missouri-native enters his fifth season as the defensive backs coach.

Aaron Cheatwood enters his first season as the defensive line coach at Garden City Community College. He spent the last two seasons as the Head Coach at Yuma Catholic High School in Yuma, AZ.

As the Defensive Backs Coach with the Gila Monsters, his secondary finished in the top five in the NJCAA in total passing yards allowed in 2017 and 2018.

Young joined Jeff Sims’ staff for the 2015 season. That year, the Broncbusters went on the road and knocked off Highland in week one. But after jumping out to a 14-0 lead seven days later vs. Dodge City, the Broncbusters could not close the deal, as the Conquistadors came storming back. It was the first of a program-record seven straight losses.

Cheatwood began his career as the Defensive line coach at Arizona Western College in the spring of 2007. The next two seasons, he moved over to the offensive side of the ball to coach the o-line.

He coached All-American Malik Dixon, who moved on to Rutgers along with NJCAA All American Quandre Mosely (Kentucky) and Dreshun Miller (West Virginia). In all, four defensive backs under Miller earned First Team All-Conference in the WSFL. While at Eastern Arizona, Miller helped guide the Gila Monsters to three straight NJCAA Bowl Games: 2016 Salt City Bowl Champions vs. Butler, 2017 Salt City Bowl Champions vs. Hutch, and the 2018 Mississippi Bowl vs. Jones Community College. Miller played Wide Receiver/ Defensive Back for New Mexico Military before moving on to the University of North Alabama under former Coach Mark Hudspeth. Miller spent his last three years in the Junior College ranks in Arizona while also serving as the strength and conditioning coach for Eastern Arizona Women’s Softball and Golf. While under his strength and conditioning program, Women’s Softball finished fourth in the country and appeared in the National Championship Tournament in 2017, and golf followed that with a top-15 finish in Nationals later that same year.

Garden City eventually turned their season around, starting with an upset win over No. 1 Butler in El Dorado. And Young was a big reason for the shift in momentum. He and Sims collaborated with future NFL draft pick Lonnie Johnson, converting him from wide receiver to cornerback. And boy did the decision pay off. Johnson finished with 35 tackles and five picks in 2015, earning a spot on the All-Jayhawk team. In 2016, Young helped tutor a secondary that wreaked havoc on the rest of the country. He coached All-American Mike Hughes (Vikings), Ellsworth-transfer Rashaun Croney, who was second on the team with seven interceptions, B.J. Blount, who led the squad with eight picks, and Alabamatransfer Eddie Williams.

During his time at Arizona Western, Cheatwood’s position group was ranked near the top in the NJCAA with multiple players moving on and producing in the NFL. He left Arizona Western after three seasons to become the defensive coordinator at Yuma Catholic. During his eight years there, Cheatwood carried multiple titles: Offensive Line Coach, Defensive Line Coach, Defensive Backs Coach, Quarterback Coach, Defensive Coordinator, Offensive Coordinator, Assistant Athletic Director and Head Football Coach. The school played in four state championships and won three. After graduating from Parker High School in 2004, Cheatwood played two years at Dana College in Blair, Neb. He also spent time at Arizona Western.

The following season, Warren Saba was an all-conference performer before transferring to East Carolina. And during their run to the 2018 National Championship Game, Young again had his fingerprints all over the defensive backfield, coaching the likes of Joe Jay Smith, Deric Rucker, and North Carolina State-transfer Trae Meadows. Before coming to Garden City, Young spent three seasons at MacMurray College in Jacksonville, IL, where he served as the defensive backs coach. At the same time, he directed the strength and conditioning program. Young played both corner and safety at Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, IA. There, he led the defense in interceptions his junior and senior seasons. He also ran track, where he was a record setter and national qualifier. Young played professionally for a few years in the indoor league for the Bloomington Edge and the Dodge City Law.

OPPORTUNITY USA

2016 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

1 NATIONAL TITLE • 12 JAYHAWK CHAMPIONSHIPS • 24 BOWL APPEARANCES

ASSISTANT COACHES

JAMES GRINDE

JORDAN FISKE

LINEBACKERS COACH

STRENGTH COACH

•1st season •Southwestern Okla. State •Warrensburg, MO

•1st season •Midwestern State •Fontana, CA

James Grinde enters his first season as the Linebackers Coach at Garden City Community College.

Jordan Fiske begins his first season as the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Garden City Community College.

He comes to Garden City after spending the past seven months at the Six-Zero Football Academy in Denver, CO. where he developed high school, college and professional players while serving as the lead recruiter.

At 24, Fiske has accomplished a lot. A former fullback and tight end at the University of Massachusetts, he spent the last year as an intern at Tennessee. There, he coached linebackers and was an assistant strength coach for head man Jeremy Pruitt.

During the 2018 season, Grinde was an assistant coach at McPherson College in McPherson, KS. There, he was in charge of the run game, offensive line, special teams and the strength and conditioning program. Before landing at McPherson, he spent two seasons as the secondary and linebackers coach at Jefferson High School and two years at his alma mater Warrensburg from 2011 to 2013. Grinde knows the landscape of the Jayhawk Conference, having spent nearly at year at Coffeyville in 2014 as the Defensive Quality Control Coach. He has also had other collegiate coaching stops at Houston, Central Missouri and Southwestern Oklahoma State.

Before arriving in Knoxville, Fiske was an intern at Massachusetts during the 2018 season. He was in charge of training all defensive lineman and linebackers while simultaneously organizing and running the weight room. The year prior, he served in a similar role as an intern at Virginia. Fiske is an east-coast native, having grown up in Hinsdale, MA, about two and a half hours west of Boston. He went on to star as a tight end at Wahconah Regional High School in Dalton, MA, earning All-Region honors while leading his team to the 2012 MIAA Super Bowl State Championship. After spending a year at East Coast Prep, Fiske signed to play at UMASS. He graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health.

Grinde grew up in Warrensburg, MO and starred at Warrensburg High School. He eventually earned a scholarship to Central Missouri, where he played on the offensive line. He also played on the defensive line at Mid America Nazarene. Grinde holds a Bachelor’s Degree in physical education from Central Missouri and a Master’s in sports management from Southwestern Oklahoma State. He moves to Garden City with his wife, Jacquelyn.

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@GCCC_FOOTBALL

2019 BRONCBUSTER FOOTBALL

COLLEGE PROFILE Fort Scott was established on Sept. 8, 1919 and is the oldest community college in Kansas. Located in the gentle rolling hills of the Southeast part of the state, the first class consisted of 17 students, who first met on the second floor of the High School building. It was initially voted into existence on Nov. 8, 1918 in a city-wide election. Rees Hughes, principal at the high school, was the collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first administrator. Today, Fort Scott averages around 3,000 students, enrolled through five different locations.

FORT SCOTT, KS COLLEGE FACTS Location

Fort Scott, KS

Enrollment

3,000

President

Alysia Johnston

Athletic Director

Tom Havron

Colors

Maroon and gray

Conference

ALYSIA JOHNSTON PRESIDENT

Jayhawk

Home Field

Frary Field

Series Record

Fort Scott leads 30-29

Football started

1923

COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH Head Coach

Kale Pick

Record at FSC

9-15

Career Record

9-15 (3rd)

TOM HAVRON ATHLETIC DIRECTOR

ASSISTANT COACHES Coach Craig Richardson Joey Thomas Jacob Sears Valentino Coleman Jack Gammon

KALE PICK HEAD FOOTBALL COACH

Position

Alma Mater

HOME OF THE GREYHOUNDS

FRARY FIELD

LONGHORN A DILLON WILLIAMS WILL PROBABLY GO DOWN AS ONE OF THE BEST PLAYERS IN HOLCOMB HIGH SCHOOL HISTORY. WITH A STATE TITLE IN TOW AND TWO PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARDS SITTING ON HIS MANTLE, WILLIAMS PROVED ONCE AND FOR ALL THAT KANSAS KIDS ARE MADE FOR THE BIG STAGE

AT HEART MIKE PILOSOF BY

A reality.

typical day begins before the sun comes up. With the Western Kansas winds picking up steam, swirling what most folks have deemed the smell of money into all parts of the atmosphere, a young man awakes to find his new

For Dillon Williams, this is life without football, something that has not come easy for a guy who wreaked more havoc on opposing offenses and defenses at the prep level than any player before him. There were plenty of coaches across the state staring at the ceiling at 3 a.m. trying to devise a game plan to stop him. Holcomb is a small town nestled in the outskirts of Finney County. It is home to nearly 2,200 residents and the Tyson Food packing plant-known as the largest employer in the area, putting some 3,200 people to work. It’s also home to a town of champions, one that produced a pair of football and basketball state titles, along with a baseball championship during one of the most successful four-year runs in history. And that’s not overstating it. While Derby football has crushed the competition at the 6A level, and Bishop Miege has done the same with girls basketball, they haven’t done it across three sports in that short amount of a time. That’s something the Longhorns can write home about, all the way into the state history books. So how does Williams fit into this equation? Well, really the question should be, how does he not? “That was a special high-school athlete,” former Garden City Community College assistant football coach Rico Cherico said just days after landing a commitment from Williams. “You’re talking about one of the best players in Kansas. And he’s right in our backyard.” To understand Dillon Williams, you first have to understand the mindset of a guy whose obsession with sports, specifically football, took him to new heights.

PHOTOS BY ADAM SHRIMPLIN

Sports radio hots Colin Cowherd has always said that the most successful people in life are a little quirky. Think about that for a second. Think of some of the most successful people on earth and how they got there. On a micro scale in Western Kansas, Williams is as normal as they come. But he does have a quirky side to him; he had to being an undersized linebacker from a small town most outside of the state, couldn’t point to on a map.

DILLON WILLIAMS

AS LONG AS HE CAN REMEMBER, Dillon Williams had a football in his hand. He was born on Jan. 13, 1998 to Michael and Stacey Williams. And it wasn’t long after he started to walk, that there was a pigskin in tow. “I started playing at a really young age, and I loved it,” Williams said. “It just came so natural to me.” Like most kids, Williams played a lot of sports, all of which centered around football and basketball. “I was much better at football than basketball,” Williams admitted. “My aggression allowed me to be successful because not many kids that I grew up around, were like that.” That’s a perfect way to describe Williams: an aggressor, taking no mercy on the opposition. Not that this should surprise anyone, but Williams was pretty dominant as a young boy. He started playing football in second grade, and a year later was making his mark on the YMCA flag football league. “I was always pretty dominant during YMCA football and middle school,” Williams said. “I played with some pretty good guys growing up, so it made me that much better.” Williams is modest by his own accounts. But for his size, he was better than most.

rowing up in a small town isn’t for everyone. There is monotony, which leads some to find alternative living arrangements. But not Williams.

“I loved growing up in a small town,” he said. “Everyone knows everyone and that’s not always a bad thing. It is getting to know and talk to everyone in your town. It’s not as hectic as being in a bigger town.” Williams father, Michael is a small-town guy himself. Born in Scott City, he moved to Garden City after middle school. It was there, that his football career was done. “Football wasn’t for me,” the older Williams said. “But sports was always a big part of our family. It was always a means to an end, which is what I tried to instill in my kids.” If you listen to the older Williams talk, you can tell he and his son are one in the same. They are two, very intellectual people who are go getters by nature. But there is one thing Dillon possessed that his dad did not. “He was way more aggressive than I ever was,” Michael said. “And I mean that in a good way. He channeled it, and it’s what made him so good.” One story in particular tells you all that you need to know about Dillon. “He had just started playing flag football,” Michael said. “It was a really cold day, so we brought him some snap-up sweat pants. “He got the

PHOTO BY BRAD NADING/GC TELEGRAM

s most parents find out, when their son or daughter gets to high school, there is always a pecking order. A lot of freshman, not all, but most are relegated to ninth-grade and junior varsity squads. Well, not Dillon Williams. Williams played 11 varsity games during his first season of prep ball, and let’s just say the numbers speak for themselves. He recorded a team-best 129 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions and one fumble recovery, earning all-conference and all-state honors. And boy did he start off with a bang. Williams recorded 14 tackles and the game-winning sack against defending-state champion Meade in a wild 21-20 victory on opening night. It was the first of nine double-digit tackle performances, which included a 17-stop game in a 21-6 win over Hoisington in the playoffs. “I remember my first varsity game,” Williams recalls. “I played with a hurt shoulder. But I was pretty determined.”

Determination aside, for a freshman to put up eye-popping numbers like that is incredible, no matter what level they’re playing at.

“In flag football, one of the kids tried to grab his flag, and instead yanked his pants off. And Dillon just kept on running. That told me he was ready,” -Dillon’s father Michael Williams

“Dillon was surrounded by a lot of good players,” Michael said. “But my son was always one of the best. Not because he was the biggest, but because of his determination and drive.” Following his freshman season, Head Coach Jerry Johnson stepped down, giving way to Kent Teeter, who had spent the previous five seasons at Goodland. There was also a major shift in offensive philosophies. Teeter replaced the single-wing with a spread-heavy attack. And the results were felt immediately.

ball and started running. One of the kids tried to grab his flag and instead yanked his pants off. And Dillon just kept on running. I knew he was ready.” When Michael talks about either one of his kids (Garrett is a year younger than Dillon, and is studying computer science at Garden City Community College), he does so with such joy. But that story had him chuckling. And the fine detail he provided, considering it happened nearly 15 years ago, shows some true photographic memory. It also shows just how proud he is of his son. “I tell him everyday how proud I am of him,” Michael said choking up a bit.

PHOTO BY THE HOLTON RECORDER

DILLON WILLIAMS Teeter’s son Trey threw for 2,282 yds and 24 touchdowns, Williams ran for 410 yards and five scores, and Holcomb won 11 of their first 12 games. But in the state semifinals vs. Andale, the Longhorns were ambushed, falling 57-13. “We always had the athletes at Holcomb to get things done,” Williams said. “It was just a matter of putting it all together. It took us a little while.” But even in defeat, the sophomore linebacker was incredible. He finished the year with 128 tackles, including 11 in the loss to Andale. He had a career-high 23 stops vs. Ulysses in week three and had 17 on opening night in a 36-0 shutout of Cimarron. “For me, going from Junior High to High School, the speed really never changed,” Williams said. “Everything slowed down for me right away.” As a junior, the Longhorns finally broke through. Led by one of the most talented teams in the state, the Longhorns won 11 games again. Teeter threw for 2,558 yards and 34 touchdowns, Williams ran for 900 and 14 scores while recording a video-game like 145 tackles (was named 4A player of the year), and the Longhorns captured the school’s first-ever state football championship, beating Holton on an icy day in Salina, 21-0. Williams had 18 tackles in the title tilt, this after missing the entire week of practice with a staph infection. “I could barely move,” Williams recalled. “I was in so much pain.” Entering his senior year, the phone still wasn’t ringing. And there was a reason for that. “God did not bless my son with size,” Michael said. “He blessed him with drive and determination. All the Division-I coaches told us the same thing, that his size would be an issue.” With the lack of a major offer, Williams finished off the greatest four-year stretch of any Holcomb player in history. His 137 tackles during his final season gave him more than 500 for his career. It also etched his name in stone as the program’s all-time leading stop man. He earned All-State recognition for the fourth time, was named one of the top 11 players in Kansas, and was selected to play in the Shrine Bowl. Holcomb though fell short of a repeat bid. With most Junior Colleges showing interest, Williams chose to stay home and play down the street from where he grew up. Cherico and Jeff Sims made it a point that Williams would be a centerpiece; not just representing a Kansas kid, but representing a champion, and Williams would have his fingerprints all over Garden City’s reign atop the Jayhawk Conference.

DECISIONS CHANGE LIVES ON FEB. 13, 2017, WILLIAMS MADE IT OFFICIAL, SIGNING A LETTER OF INTENT WITH THE DEFENDING NATIONAL CHAMPIONS. AFTER SOME TIME IN THE WEIGHT ROOM WORKING WITH STRENGTH COACH JASON ZERBACH, WILLIAMS WAS READY. IT WAS TIME FOR THE MOST DETERMINED PLAYER IN THE STATE TO MAKE HIS MARK AT THE NEXT LEVEL.

illiams first year in Garden City had plenty of memorable moments. Not in anyone’s wildest dreams did they see the undersize kid not only starting for the defending National Champs, but starring as well. He finished with 49 tackles in nine games. In the Heart of Texas Bowl vs. Trinity Valley, Williams returned an interception for a touchdown. “I played in enough big games in high school that I was very confident coming in as a freshman,” he said. “I didn’t let the stage get too big for me.” Following the 2017 season, Williams got a call from one of his friends, who was attending Southwestern College. He chose to take a chance and leave Garden City. That decision proved to be a friendly reminder that sometimes you need to stick with what’s in front of you. “Those weren’t the same guys that I played with at the Junior College level,” Williams said. “I felt I was better than that.” Williams change of heart was music to Head Coach Jeff Sims’ ears. He arrived in time for fall camp, and was penciled in as a starter for the season opener vs. Dodge City. The rest is history. Williams racked up a team-best 91 tackles including 17 for loss and five sacks, earning a spot on the All-Jayhawk team. He was the general of one of the best defensive units in the country, recording three double-digit tackle games. He added 11 in a come-from-behind win at Hutchinson on Nov. 3, and totaled six in the National Championship Game vs. East Mississippi. “Dillon Williams is one of the smartest guys I’ve ever been around,” Sims said. “He may not have the size of a Division-I linebacker, but that guy can play for me anyday. He will be very successful in whatever he does.” Once the season ended, Williams had a few offers from the likes of Duquense, Delaware State, Abilene Christian and Stephen F. Austin. But he wanted to stay closer to home. He attended McPherson College briefly before changing course and joining Sims at Missouri Southern State. But in August, Williams left Joplin to come home. “I was going through some personal stuff,” he explained. “It just wasn’t the right time. Coach Sims said I could come back in the Spring. But you really don’t realize how much you miss football until you’re not playing it.” Once Williams returned to Western Kansas, he began working as an electrician apprentice. And it changed his perspective on a lot of things. “Working is humbling,” he acknowledged. “It made me rethink everything. Football is not really work compared to what you do as an electrician.” The crunching sounds of helmet-on-helmet collissions have been replaced with electrical hisses and circuits opening and closing. Instead of memorizing offensive schemes, Williams was tasked with learning neutral conductors, overloads and ground-fault current paths. It’s something his dad knows well, having worked as an electrician at Sunflower Electric. “My son can do whatever he puts his mind to,” Michael said. “I gave my opinion that he should go back to school. But he’s of the age now where he can make his own decisions. But education is very important.” The possibility of a return to football is still reality. Williams is in constant contact with Sims and Missouri Southern State defensive coordinator Josh Hager. But for now, it’s fuses and alternating currents that occupy most of his day. “I would like Dillon to be remembered for more than just a star football player from Holcomb,” Michael said. “I want people to know how great of a man he really is.”

miss

sion A C C O M P L I S H E D

MIKE PILOSOF

PHOTOS BY

ADAM SHRIMPLIN AFTER A THREE-POINT LOSS AT HOME TO INDEPENDENCE, GARDEN CITYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SEASON WAS ON THE BRINK. BUT DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR JERRY DOMINGUEZ CAME UP WITH THE PERFECT GAME PLAN, EVISCERATING THE REIVERS AND PROPELLING THE BRONCBUSTERS BACK INTO NATIONAL CONTENTION

IOWA WESTERN 2019

Before the season started, many experts had Sept. 21 circled as a possible No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup at Titan Stadium. And while both team’s uneven start to the year tempered this showdown just a bit, the Broncbusters’ performance on Saturday etched their name back into the conversation as one of the top teams in the country. Nate Cox threw for 242 yards and a touchdown, Ramon Jefferson accounted for two rushing scores, and Garden City doubled up Iowa Western, one of the most talented teams in Junior College football, 28-14. The loss was just the third home defeat for the Reivers in the last four years. It was also their third straight loss overall, the first time that’s happened in 10 years. “I’d say this was the most complete performance that we’ve had this season,” Head Coach Tom Minnick said. “This is what we’ve been waiting for.” Coming off an anemic offensive showing vs. Independence last week, , the Broncbusters opened up the play book on their second possession. On third-and-8 from their own 33, Cox dropped back and launched a majestic beauty down the right sideline for MJ Link, who slipped past Kevin Brewer for a 67-yard touchdown. It was the sophomore’s second score in as many weeks. “Our receivers, especially MJ, were big today,” Cox said afterwards. “And the offensive line gave me so much time. On that touchdown pass, I had forever to throw the ball.”

City held the ball for nearly 39 minutes and ran 16 more plays (7155). “We controlled this game,” Minnick said. “Minus a couple of mistakes, I thought we played really well.”

While the sophomore quarterback was afforded all kinds of time all afternoon, Iowa Western Coach Scott Strohmeier watched in disbelief as his highly-touted line, was overwhelmed by Jerry Dominguez’s front seven.

While the Reivers stumbled out of the gates, the Broncbusters went for an early knockout blow. Late in the first quarter, Garden City marched 90 yards in nine plays, highlighted by a 27-yard completion to Link and a 26-yard hookup with Troy’von Johnson on back-to-back plays. Then it was Jefferson, finishing things off with a four-yard rushing touchdown that put the road team up 14-0 with 14:30 left in the half.

The Broncbusters recorded a season-high five sacks, two of those were thanks to linebacker Willie Hampton, who followed up last week’s 10-tackle performance with nine more stops on Saturday.

“We missed some opportunities to really put the game away in that first half,” Minnick explained. “But I thought we moved the ball really well.”

“Our defense was tremendous,” Cox said. “They got after it all afternoon.”

The Broncbusters chances of blowing the game open took a hit in the second period, thanks to a bad snap by Martez Jones on a fourth-down punt that Iowa Western recovered, and a strip-sack by Averie Habas that set the Reivers up in plus territory. But Iowa Western failed to capitalize in both instances.

Mixed with a plethora of looks, that unit kept Iowa Western off balance, limiting the Reivers to a season-low 195 total yards. Garden

After the bad snap, the Reivers drove to the Garden City 5-yard line. But on fourth-and-goal, backup quarterback Shelton Applewhite’s fade pass to Deshon Stoudemire in the back-right corner of the end zone, landed wide of its target. Then later in the half, once Cox was stripped of the ball on third-and-6 at the Reivers’ 41, Iowa Western’s offensive line imploded. On third-and-6 , Dominguez sent the house, and Sam Moala gobbled up Applewhite for a nine-yard loss. “Coach Dominguez was not happy at all with how his guys played last week,” Minnick said. “It was a long week of practice.” Similar to the Snow game in week one, the momentum started to shift early in the second half. Trailing by two scores, Florida-State transfer ZaQuandre White finally got loose. The sophomore’s elusive style had the Broncbusters’ defensive line one step behind. On fourth-and-1 from the Garden City 38, White carried five Broncbuster defenders down to the 7. One play later, it was White again, steamrolling into the end zone, cutting Garden City’s lead to 14-7 with 7:20 remaining in the third. “We needed an answer,” Minnick said. “And our guys responded.” Boy did they ever.

L I N K TO T H E H O U S E After going three-andout on their opening series, the Broncbusters responded the second time they had the ball when Nate Cox connected with MJ Link for a 67-yard touchdown. It was the longest passing play of the season.

Any thoughts that Iowa Western had retaken control of the game were quickly doused the next time Garden City touched the ball. Facing a third-and-17 from their own 40, Cox fired a strike to Link for 16 yards. On the next play, Iowa Western was called for a defensive holding, giving the Broncbusters a much-needed first down. Later in the drive, Jefferson ripped off a nine-yard run that inched the brown and gold closer. It eventually setup Jadon Hayes, who took the wildcat snap on fourth-andgoal from the 1, powered up the middle, and stretched the ball over the goal line for a touchdown. “We answered every time,” Cox said. “I’m so proud of these guys. We needed a spark, and everyone responded.” It was one of two drives that consumed more than seven minutes in the second half. The other one was the dagger: a 15-play, 90-march drive that drained 10:23 off the fourth-quarter clock. “That last drive was unbelievable,” Cox said “That’s what we were looking to do; control the tempo and control the clock. We did just that.”

IOWA WESTERN 2019

That 15-play drive was polished off with Jefferson’s second-touchdown run of the game that put Garden City up 28-7 with 3:36 remaining. Game over. Season saved. “Iowa Western is a really talented football team,” Minnick said. “When you go on the road, you have to work like you’re 14 points behind.” Cox finished the day 11-of-19 for the Broncbusters, who won for the 19th time in their last 22 road games. Jefferson carried the ball 26 times for 90 yards, and Link caught a season-high five passes for 140 yards and a score. Cam Thomas was just 12-of-21 for 84 yards. He was victimized once in the second quarter when Kenny White intercepted him. White finished with 14 carries for 126 yards and two touchdowns, stamping his day with a one-yard rushing touchdown with 45 seconds to play. C A R R Y T H E LO A D Ramon Jefferson, the freshman All-American who transferred from Maine, was the workhorse once again, totaling 91 yards on 26 carries and two scores. He is currently second in the Jayhawk Conference in rushing yards.

“I’d say this was the most complete performance that we’ve had this season. This is what we’ve been waiting for. We needed to put four quarters together, and we did that. IOWA WESTERN IS A REALLY TALENTED FOOTBALL TEAM. WHEN YOU GO ON THE ROAD, you have to work like you’re 14 points behind.” HEAD COACH TOM MINNICK

For Prompt Quality Service, Call the Guys in the

Orange Trucks!

Good luck,

Broncbusters! Brian & Alicia Weber Scott & Judy Stewart

GARDEN CITY ROSTER 1-O

Troy'Von Johnson St. Petersburg, FL

5'9

160

Chris Smith Dacula, GA

6'2

200

Nymonta Doucoure Columbus, OH

6'4

350

RFR

Dominick Watt Hollywood, FL

6'2

215

Zyheir Jones Lakewood, NJ

6'1

185

Andrew Theobald Boise, ID

6'5

310

RFR

3-D

Kenny White Gibsonia, PA

5'11

190

DJ McCullough Tampa, FL

6'1

185

Dennis Johnson Fort Wayne, IN

6’1

180

RFR

3-O

Justin Morehead New Haven, CT

6’0

175

Renard Bozeman Ft. Lauderdale, FL

5'10

180

Scieneaux Jarmon Chandler, AZ

6'4

205

RFR

4-D

Willie Hampton Casselberry, FL

6'1

230

Ramon Jefferson Bronx, NY

5'11

218

RSO

Maleak Bryant Atlanta, GA

6'5

255

RFR

5-O

Jadon Hayes Huntington, WV

5'10

180

Anthony Jordan Baltimore, MD

6'0

180

RSO

MJ Link Lakeland, FL

5'11

185

RFR

5-D

Ali Gaye Redmond, WA

6'6

280

Christopher Rolack II Tampa, FL

6'1

175

Jacobi Bellazin Livonia, LA

5'9

175

6-O

Bryce Parker Upland, CA

6'4

220

Tre Green Bell Glade, FL

6'1

180

RSO

Eilye-Oshaye Hill Phoenix, AZ

6'3

295

6-D

Shemar Pearl Plano, TX

6'6

235

Jordan Ford Atlanta, GA

5'10

180

Jaiveon Gardner Pensacola, FL

6'3

250

RFR

7-O

Ellis Merriweather Atlanta, GA

6'1

215

RSO

Landon Williams Castle Rock, CO

Andre Dos Santos Brazil

6'5

210

7-D

Jordon Riley Durham, NC

6'5

330

RSO

Adrian Hopper Wichita, KS

6'0

180

RFR

Jadarius Bernard Port St. Lucie, FL

6'2

320

8-O

Marvin Washington Orlando, FL

6’1

202

RSO

Willie Ervin Indianapolis, IN

6'1

200

RFR

Taishan Holmes Tappahannock, VA

6'2

300

8-D

Darius Johnson Spokane, WA

6'3

290

Shyheem Lewis Spotsylvania, VA

6'1

195

Daniel Lavelle Forsyth, GA

6'4

265

9-D

Bryce Damous Huntington, WV

6'2

225

Darael Dugar Chicago, IL

6'1

220

Motu Amotai Sparks, NV

6'2

290

9-O

Aamir Holmes Chicago, IL

6'1

180

Kester Olson Fayetteville, AR

6'0

190

Janil Brown West Palm Beach, FL

6'3

310

Cole Beckham Jacksonville, FL

6'3

230

Kevin Verwayne Marietta, GA

6'3

235

11-D

Sam Moala Reno, NV

6'3

255

RSO

Jimyon Profit Baton Rouge, LA

6'1

225

Nate Cox Lafayette, LA

6'9

240

RSO

Ryan McClain Albuquerque, NM

6'3

260

Deandre Wallace Waterbury, CT

6'5

205

Christian Fuhrman Queen Creek, AZ

6'1

230

Josh Artis Macungie, PA

6'4

220

Richard Merritt Largo, MD

6'5

370

RSO

Arvell Ferguson St. Louis, MO

6'4

220

Martez Jones Kirkwood, MO

6'1

200

Mason Nguyen Glendale, AZ

6'1

190

Kendall Brown Jacksonville, FL

6'4

310

Krishon Merriweather St. Louis, MO

6'0

220

Matthan Hatchie Haleiwa, HI

6'4

275

Kevaughn Dingle Miami, FL

6'2

190

Jehiel Hill Phoenix, AZ

6'6

230

Emilio Monsivais St. Louis, MO

6'3

215

RFR

Julian Clark Jacksonville, FL

6'5

305

RFR

Jyheir Jones Lakewood, NJ

6'1

200

Julio Castillo Mayo, FL

6’6

320

RFR

Cameron Johnson Perry, GA

5'11

180

Paul Finau Seattle, WA

6'4

360

RSO

Marcus Dean San Diego, CA

6'2

185

Michael Cannon Sarasota, FL

6'4

350

RFR

Antoine Davis Macon, GA

5'9

165

Basa Balanganayi Palatine, IL

6'4

330

FORT SCOTT ROSTER 1

John Jiles Wake Forest, NC

6'4

205

Renell Guerrier Polk County, FL

200

Brieon Fuller Miami, FL

180

John Oliver Washington, DC

5'8

185

Deon Woods Orlando, FL

6'5

225

Kelshun Campbell Troy, AL

6'5

248

Denzel Mooney Gadsden, AL

6'2

190

Chris Rhodes Washington, DC

5'10

200

Tarayton Kalkai Ocala, FL

6'3

290

Rayvon Bartlett Jr. Milwaukee, WI

6'4

220

Kuran Johnson Baltimore, MD

5'10

170

Nate Shook Kansas City, KS

6'2

250

Carlos Davis Baltimore, MD

6'3

215

Johnny Kilgo Gadsden, AL

P/K

200

Keldric Hooks Pompano, FL

6'5

255

Khyree Jackson Washington, DC

6'3

195

Shayne Gee Patterson, NJ

6'3

290

Montell Tillis Carson, CA

315

Malik Putney Tacoma, WA

190

Brock Herrold Ozark, MO

6'2

220

Willy Jordan Allendale, SC

6'1

210

Colin Wilson Jackson, FL

220

Demetreius Mayes Miami, FL

6'2

250

Marquez Brown Miami, FL

6'2

235

Jaquan Green Youngstown, OH

6'3

285

Ethan Robertson Kansas City, MO

6'1

170

Jonathan Ealy Jacksonville, FL

6'2

240

Anthony White Miami, .FL

6'2

175

Noah Brown Sioux Falls, SD

6'5

260

Roderic Forts Ellenwood, GA

6'3

215

Anthony Harris Havelock, NC

6'3

170

Sam Neely Tallahassee, FL

6'2

295

Khalil Gary Washington, DC

6'4

330

Alonzo Hokes Kansas City, KS

5'10

185

Tychicus Tibbs Garland, TX

6'5

345

Marquis Williams Seattle, WA

305

David Owens Rocklin, CA

6'3

200

John Bolding Tomball, TX

6'3

310

Andrew Henry Allen, TX

5'10

185

Ahina Aitogi Kona, HI

6'7

350

Carlos Hill Miramar, FL

5'10

165

Isaiah Bradley Tacoma, WA

6'6

290

Daniel Buchanon Baltimore, MD

6'3

185

Toryque Bateman Gadsden, AL

6'8

305

Kenneth Bothwell Gadsden, AL

190

Chase Cosey Northville, MI

6'4

285

Bakari Jackson Fort Meyers, FL

220

Lemoses White Kansas City, KS

305

Jared Phillips St. Louis, MO

5'11

190

Seth Scott Dallas, TX

6'4

310

CJ Ward Houston, TX

205

Caleb Etienne New Orleans, LA

6'9

310

Dennis Barnes Jefferson City, MO

170

Kalvin Tejada Newark, DE

6'5

290

Lawrence Asiedu Austin, TX

5'10

195

Thylan Asia Fairean, AK

6'7

285

Trey Creamer Cartersville, GA

196

TJ Williams Kansas City, KS

6'1

170

Malik Robinson Snellville, GA

225

Jaelyn Fleming Gadsden, GA

5'9

170

Keith Edwards Seattle, WA

190

Davion Evans Jefferson City, MO

6'1

175

Sultan Williams Hampton, VA

175

Kevin Howard Birmingham, AL

6'3

210

Keyshawn Cobb Fort Lauderdale, FL

190

Jeremy Kucera Kansas City, KS

5'7

170

Maurice McCray Philadelphia, PA

6'2

240

Cordell Myers Broken Arrow, OK

5'11

175

Braylin Tate Oklahoma City, OK

185

Dehondre Simon Lantana, FL

6'1

175

1 NATIONAL TITLE • 12 JAYHAWK CHAMPIONSHIPS • 24 BOWL APPEARANCES

BAA BOARD

DOYLE MCGRAW

MAXINE ATKINSON

PRESIDENT

YVONNE SPERRY MEMBER

MANNY ORTIZ

VICE PRESIDENT

SEAN SHEETS MEMBER

TREASURER

CARLA ALGRIM MEMBER

JEFF LOPEZ MEMBER

THE BRONCBUSTER ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN SERVING STUDENT-ATHLETES FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS. IT PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH SCHOLARSHIPS

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2019 BRONCBUSTER FOOTBALL

1 NATIONAL TITLE • 12 JAYHAWK CHAMPIONSHIPS • 24 BOWL APPEARANCES

STARTING LINEUPS GARDEN CITY

FORT SCOTT

BRONCBUSTER OFFENSE

FORT SCOTT OFFENSE

Pos

Player

Hgt

Wgt

Pos

Player

Hgt

Wgt

Andrew Theobald

6-5

310

RFR

Nymonta Doucoure

6-4

315

RFR

Caleb Etiene

6-9

310

Ahina Aitogi

6-7

350

Matthan Hatchie

6-4

295

Sam Neely

6’2

295

Paul Finau

6-3

Julian Clark

6-5

330

RSO

Shayne Gee

6-3

290

310

RFR

Toryque Bateman

6-8

308

Bryce Parker

6-4

220

Kelshaun Campbell

6-5

245

MJ Link

5-11

185

RFR

John Jiles

6-4

205

Deandre Wallace

6-4

210

Denzell Mooney

6-2

190

Troy’Von Johnson

5-9

160

David Owens

6-3

200

Ramon Jefferson

5-11

218

John Oliver

5-8

185

Nate Cox

6-9

230

RSO

Rayvon Bartlett

6-4

220

BRONCBUSTER DEFENSE

BUSTERS VS. HOUNDS

OFFICIALS Referee

Kyle Sommer

Umpire

Brandon Moreland

Linesman

Daniel Funk

Line Judge

Klee Sellers

Side Judge

Doug Clark

Field Judge

Brandon Bermea

Pos

Player

Hgt

Wgt

Taylor Offerle

Deon Woods

6-5

225

Devin Jarrett

Nate Shook

6-2

250

Marquis Williams

6-0

305

FORT SCOTT DEFENSE

Pos

Player

Hgt

Wgt

Ali Gaye

6-6

275

Darius Johnson

6-2

310

Jordon Riley

6-5

310

RSO

Ryan McClain

6-3

260

Noah Duba

6-3

250

Willie Hampton

6-1

230

RFR

Maurice McCray

6-2

240

Krishon Merriweather

6-1

220

Bakari Jackson

6-0

220

Jyheir Jones

6-1

200

Lawrence Asiedu

5-10

195

DJ McCullough

6-1

185

Dennis Barnes

6-0

170

Rennard Bozeman

6-0

185

Khyree Jackson

6-3

195

Kenny White

5-11

190

Malik Putney

6-0

190

Anthony Jordan

5-11

200

RSO

Anthony Harris

6-3

170

OPPORTUNITY USA

Back Judge Center Judge

2016 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

#ROAD TO PITTSBURG

h what a difference a year makes.

The television cameras were gone. It’s two biggest stars cast away for good. And, for the first time in three years, the postgame chatter actually revolved around football, not a Hollywood circus. But times have definitely changed, and when the dust settled Saturday night, the Pirates showed the rest of the conference just how potent they can be. Independence rushed for a season-high 308 yards, the most allowed by Garden City’s defense since week seven of 2017 vs. Iowa Western, as the Pirates held on for a wild, 31-28 victory at Broncbuster Stadium. It was their first win in Garden City in more than 20 years. “We gave that game away,” Head Coach Tom Minnick said. “Independence is a really good football team, but we just gave them the game.” This one was tough to swallow, and mother nature didn’t provide much help. Facing a stiff, 40 mph wind out of the south, Garden City’s offense was stuck in mud in the second and fourth quarters. That allowed Independence to take control. The Pirates sliced through the Broncbuster defense on their opening drive, marching 98 yards in 11 plays. Indiana-transfer Morgan Ellison ripped off runs of 26 and 27 yards on back-to-back plays. Then on third-andgoal from the 8, Ellison maneuvered his way to the left boundary, and raced into the end zone for a 7-0 lead.

missed chance MISTAKES COMPOUNDED BY A POWERFUL INDEPENDENCE GROUND GAME, HAD GARDEN CITY DOWN AND OUT. BUT THEN THEY NEARLY PULLED OFF A MIRACLE. EITHER WAY, IT WAS AS WACKY A FINISH AS YOU COULD IMAGINE

BY MIKE PILOSOF PHOTOS BY ADAM SHRIMPLIN

“That team is going to go far,” Minnick said. “There’s no question in my mind about that.” Garden City’s first possession went nowhere. But after forcing a Pirate three-and-out, Mike Orthmann’s unit finally got going. The Broncbusters moved 57 yards in 10 plays, which included a fourth-and-1 conversion at the Independence 37 when Jadon Hayes ran for six. Five plays after that, Ramon Jefferson, the reigning Jayhawk Offensive Player of the Week, rumbled 13 yards to pay dirt, evening up the score with 33 seconds to play in the first. “I thought we moved the ball at times today,” Minnick said. “But other times, we just couldn’t do anything.” Then it was Jerry Dominguez’s unit’s turn to make a play. With the Pirates knocking on the door at the Garden City 16, quarterback Stephon Brown’s pitch back to Ellison missed it’s target, and Anthony Jordan jumped on top of it for Garden City. Unfortunately, the Broncbusters couldn’t turn the turnover into the points, eventually punting from their own 32. “We were our own worst enemy again,” Minnick added. That squandered opportunity cost the Broncbusters dearly. But a third-down penalty on Independence’s next drive, was even more detrimental.

On third-and-6 from their 40, Brown fired an incomplete pass to Raekwon Heath up the left sideline. But Broncbuster defensive tackle Darius Johnson was flagged for illegal hands to the face, giving the Pirates a free first down. “We should have been off the field on a couple of different situations,” Minnick said. “Give them credit because they took advantage of it.” With new life, the Pirates went back to work. And three plays later, third-string running back Reggie Williams wiggled to the right sideline and sprinted 34 yards untouched to the end zone, putting Independence up 14-7 with 8:22 left until halftime. “We did a lot of stupid things in this game,” Minnick said. “We didn’t play up to our standards.” Garden City’s offense in the second quarter looked nothing like the unit that rolled up 583 yards seven days earlier vs. Ellsworth. Instead, their ground game was completely ineffective, producing just three first downs the entire period.

Parker, who plucked the ball out of the sky for a 22-yard gain on third-and-8. Three plays later, Cox went back to the air, this time connecting with MJ Link in the front right corner of the end zone for a touchdown, slicing the Pirates’ lead to 17-14 with 7:10 to go in the frame. “When you look back at it, we should be 4-0,” Minnick said. “But we’re not. We’re 2-2. At least in this game, they got a taste of some guys that can really play.”

drive, Shermari Jones found a crease for 23 yards down to the 1. That setup Brown, who on third-and-goal, tried to leap over the pile. When that didn’t work, he bounced it left to the outside, walking into the end zone, and giving the Pirates the lead for good. “We have to be able to stop the run,” Minnick said. “I mean that’s the first thing that needs to happen.”

Following an Independence threeNow down by three, Garden City and-out, Garden City was moving did something they hadn’t done again. Cox threw another laser to Watt all day, move the ball going for 14 on third-and-4. Three plays after into the wind. The Broncbusters that, he hit Troy’von Johnson in the marched 56 yards in eight Meantime Independence extended left flat. The sophomore transfer from plays, setting up shop at the the lead before halftime when Jalin Arizona Western did the rest, stamIndependence 19. But on third Troutman drilled a season-long 54- peding 17 yards to the house for the down, Cox’s pass to Watt was yard field goal, putting the Pirates go-ahead score. incomplete. Rather than keep up 17-7 at the break. the offense on the field, Minnick “I thought we put together some sent out Andre Dos Santos Aires “We needed some type of answer really good drives in that third quarter,” for a 36-yard field goal. But the to start the third,” Minnick said. Minnick said. “We threw the ball with kick never had a chance. Deylon “We didn’t play well at all in the more confidence. We just needed to Williams surged through and first half, but we were still in decent do that earlier in the game.” blocked it, preserving the Pirates’ shape.” three-point edge. But ever after grabbing the lead for With the wind at their backs, the the first time, it never felt like Garden “We did things today that lost us Broncbusters looked revitalized in City ever had control. And Indepenthe football game,” Minnick said. the third. On their second posdence made sure that the Broncbuster “We made so many mistakes.” session of the period, Nate Cox celebration was short lived. None bigger than the one late in made two fantastic throws on third the fourth quarter. down. The first went to Dominick Kiyoshi Harris’s team answered the bell Watt for 19. The second was a early in the fourth quarter. Facing a Still down three, Garden City got perfectly placed ball over the left third-and-12 at their own 47, Williams the ball back at their own 11. But shoulder of tight end Bryce ripped off a 16-yard run. Later in the a personal foul penalty backed

them up before Deandre Butler stripped Ellis Merriweather and recovered the fumble in the end zone for a touchdown, putting the Pirates up 31-21 with 3:23 remaining. Butler added his second fumble recovery on the Broncbusters’ next possession when Cox lost the ball on a fourth-down scramble. “There were plays to be made all over the place,” Minnick said. “But when you don’t make them against a good football team, that’s what happens.” Incredibly, as Garden City’s eulogy was being written, down 10 with less than 30 seconds to play, backup linebacker Willie Ervin had other plans. The freshman surged through the middle, blocked Brian Pennell’s punt and recovered it in the end zone, cutting the deficit to three with 22 seconds. With no timeouts, the Broncbusters still needed a miracle. On the ensuing onside kick, DJ McCullough jumped on a ball that bounced off Pirate linebacker Corbein Hagans, giving Garden City another crack to tie or win the game. That miracle nearly became reality on Cox’s second-down pass when he floated a rainbow down the left sideline that was

INDY 2019 was just out of the reach of Watt’s hands in the back-left corner of the end zone. On the very next play, Tyrice Knight intercepted the sophomore’s Hail Mary at the goal line, putting an end to the Broncbusters’ comeback bid. Cox finished the day 16-of-28 for 213 yards, two touchdowns and an interception for Garden City, who saw their 12-game conference winning streak come to an end. Jefferson ran 15 times for 42 yards, Link caught a season best five balls for 77, and Krishon Merriweather recorded a team-high 12 tackles. Jones rushed for 97 yards for the Pirates, and Nathaniel Dell had four receptions for 29.

“WHEN YOU LOOK BACK AT IT, WE SHOULD BE 4-0. BUT WE’RE NOT. WE’RE 2-2. AT LEAST THIS GAME, THEY GOT A TASTE OF SOME GUYS THAT CAN REALLY PLAY. WE SHOULD BE UNBEATEN, AND WE HAVEN’T PLAYED A COMPLETE GAME AS OF YET” -HEAD COACH TOM MINNICK

AFTER TWO YEARS OF TURMOIL AND INSULTING JABS, GARDEN CITY AND INDEPENDENCE FINALLY PLAYED A FOOTBALL GAME. THE ATTENTION TURNED TO THE FIELD, WHERE INDY WON IN GARDEN CITY, MINUS THE FORFEIT GAME IN 2013, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 20 YEARS

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Broncbusters!

KATARINA

VOJVODIC Full Name Major Jersey Position Height Class

Katarina Vojvodic Undecided 15 Outside Hitter 6’1 SO

Hometown

Cacak, Serbia

Date of Birth

April 13, 1998

dds are, if you have taken in a Garden City volleyball match this season, you can easily pick out one of the best outside hitters in the conference.

VOLLEYBALL

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT

Katarina Vojvodic, a transfer from Casper Community College, is currently 19th in the nation in kills with 215. And she’s been a big reason why the once winless Broncbusters, authors of a 42-game losing streak over two seasons, have suddenly caught fire. They’ve won back-to-back matches and four out of their last five ahead of Saturday’s showdown with first-place Colby. Vojvodic was a four-year starter in high school. Her dad is an engineer, and her favorite athlete is tennis star, Novak Djokovic.

Team Physician

robert rosin

clay greeson Team Orthopedist

Health Care Providers of St. Catherine Hospital Audiology-Siena Medical Clinic ...................................................................... (620)271-3139 Kim Hendricks, Au.D. Breast Center of St Catherine Hospital .......................................................... (620)272-2360 Cardiology ....................................................................................................... (620)272-2431 William Freund, MD Hugo Rodela, APRN Convenient Care.............................................................................................. (620)765-1450 Emergency Department ................................................................................. (620)272-2290 Family Medicine-Genesis Family Health........................................................ (620)275-1766 Racquel Stucky, DO Family Medicine-Siena Medical Clinic ........................................................... (620)275-3780 Michael Jackson, MD Carmen Wilhelm, APRN Olga Gonzalez, APRN Family Medicine-Plaza Medical Center.......................................................... (620)276-8201 Nathan Strandmark, DO Brad Stucky, MD Bryan Stucky, MD Rachael Svaty, MD Cassy Horton, FNP Justin Brown, FNP Family Medicine .............................................................................................. (620)275-4486 Choung Le, MD General Surgery-Siena Medical Clinic ........................................................... (620)275-3740 Zeferino Arroyo, MD Matthew Brynes, MD Gretchen Dunford, DO Kurt Kessler, MD ........................................................................................ (620)271-3100 Hospice ........................................................................................................... (620)272-2519 Hospitalist ....................................................................................................... (620)272-2265 Julie King, DO Carla Benjamin, MD Megan Nguyen, APRN ICU .................................................................................................................. (620)272-2630 Internal Medicine-Siena Medical Clinic ........................................................ (620)275-3710 Edward Mangosing, MD Scott Booker, DO Robert Rosin, MD Terri Worf, APRN, CDE Lottie Gleason-Garcia, APRN Megan Stoppel, APRN Tina Trujillo, APRN Maternal Child ............................................................................................... (620)272-2314 Nephrology-Siena Medical Clinic .................................................................. (620)271-3139 Rafael Baracaldo, MD Michael Babigumira, MD

StCatherineHosp.org 263195

Convenient Care: 620-765-1450 St. Catherine Hospital: 620-272-2222 Siena Medical Clinic: 620-275-3700 Women’s Clinic: 620-275-9752 Heartland Cancer Center: 620-272-2579

Obstetrics & Gynecology-Women’s Clinic .....................................................(620)275-9752 Richard Hall, MD Kimberly West, MD Trish Miller, DO Chelsea Voth, PA Jill Beymer, APRN Occupational Medicine at Convenient Care .................................................. (620)275-3777 Oncology-Heartland Cancer Center ............................................................... (620)272-2579 Oncology/Hematology (Medical) Anis Toumeh, MD Jose Velasco, MD Oncology (Radiation) Claudia Perez-Tamayo, MD, FACR, FACRO Thomas Hegasty, MD Callie Heilig, FNP Ophthalmology-Fry Eye Associates, P.A. ...................................................... (620)275-7248 Luther Fry, MD William Clifford, MD Eric Fry, MD Gloria Hopkins, OD Orthopedic Surgery-Siena Medical Clinic ...................................................... (620)275-3030 Guillermo Garcia, MD Clay B. Greeson, MD Robert Morren, MD Alok Shah, MD Randy Cundiff, APRN Pain Management Clinic................................................................................. (620)765-1414 Richard Kilgore, CRNA Kipp VanCamp, MD Pathology-Western Pathology Services, P.A .................................................. (620)272-2258 Bruce Melin, MD Eva Vachal, MD Patient Accounts ............................................................................................. (620)272-2173 Pediatrics-Siena Medical Clinic ...................................................................... (620)275-3730 James Zauche, MD Michael Shull, DO Elizabeth Doyle, MD Leo Altamirano, MD Physical Therapy-Outpatient .......................................................................... (620)272-2106 Physical Rehabilitation-Inpatient ................................................................... (620)765-1490 Plastic Surgery ................................................................................................. (316)652-9333 James Rieger, MD Podiatry-Siena Medical Clinic......................................................................... (620)275-3705 Michael Andersen, DPM Psychiatry/Behavioral Health......................................................................... (620)272-2500 Radiology......................................................................................................... (620)272-2276 Soen Liong, MD Kipp VanCamp, MD Jeffery Sparacino, DO Surgery Center of Southwest Kansas ............................................................. (620)271-0600 Urology-High Plains Urology .......................................................................... (620)275-3760 Ronald Catanese, MD Polly Elpers, APRN Wound Care Center ........................................................................................ (620)272-2700

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