BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
What a rivalry.
The fireworks blasted off for the second consecutive time for the Great Bend Panthers.
Koehn Ribordy soared into the air to knock down Hays High's pass attempt to escape with a wild 29-22 playoff victory over their Western Conference rival.
Great Bend's Cooper Ohmnacht delivered a 51-yard touchdown reception from Daxton Minton for a 29-22 lead over Hays High in Friday's 5A playoff showdown.
Hays High's Drew Wellbrock recovered a goal-line fumble to get the Indians within 23-22 behind Great Bend in the fourth quarter. Holden Lind caught a 2-point pass from Braxton Basgall.
The Panthers led 23-14 when Ian Premer blocked a pass at the goal-line. But Premer dropped the football to give the Indians the football at the 1-yard line.
Ian Premer gave the Panthers a 23-14 lead on a amazing 21-yard touchdown reception,
Great Bend and Hays High each scored two touchdowns for a 14-14 halftime tie in Friday's 5A football quarterfinal.
The Panthers' big play trio of Ian Premer, Daxton Minton and Cooper Ohnmacht delivered 150 yards offense.
Hays quarterback Zane Viegra passed for 73 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Premer spun around and reversed field for a dazzling 31-yard touchdown run for a 7-0 lead after Geovanni Cruz's extra point. Minton completed a 14-yard pass on fourth down.
Hays countered after a costly pass interference flag on a football thrown out of bounds. Viegra completed a perfectly thrown 22-yard touchdown pass to Jared Purdy for a 7-7 tie.
The Panthers responded with a clutch fourth-down 3-yard touchdown pass from Minton to Ohnmacht for a 14-7 lead with under a minute left.
Lind made the Panthers pay for a defense that played off the line of scrimmage with a 41-yard dash. Viegra completed a fourth down 9-yard touchdown pass to a wide open Lind for a 14-14 tie.
Hays gained 108 yards rushing and 73 yards passing.
Hays High 0 14 0 8 — 22
Great Bend 7 7 9 6 — 29
GB—Ian Premer 31 run (Giovanni Cruz kick)
H—Jarek Purdy 22 pass from Zane Viegra (Carson Moore kick)
GB—Cooper Ohnmacht 3 pass from Daxton Minton (Cruz kick)
H—Holden Lind 9 pass from Viegra (Moore kick)
GB—Safety (Trenton Kern blocked punt)
GB—Ian Premer 21 pass from Minton (Cruz kick)
H—Braxton Basgall 1 run (Lind pass from Basgall)
GB—Ohnmacht 51 pass from Minton (kick blocked)
RUSHING—H—Lind 35-200; Braxton Basgall 12-51; Brogan Albers 1-7; Jaxson Chartier 1-4; Viegra 1-1; GB—Ian Premer 12-71; Daxton Minton 12-71; Ohnmacht 1-4.
PASSING—H—Viegra; GB—Minton; Ohnmacht.
RECEIVING—H—Purdy 5-58; Lind 1-9; Jesse Taggart 1-6; Brogan Albers; GB—Ian Premer 3-44; Ohnmacht 6-20; Jacob Hall.
