Offensive woes cost Garden City in loss to Dodge City

Dodge City, KS-It's been a season of firsts for Head Coach, Tom Minnick. And that's not a good thing. 

Jalen Smith ran for a season-high 122 yards and a touchdown, Dodge City forced three turnovers, and the Broncbusters lost to the 15^th-ranked Conquistadors for the first time in eight years, 33-10 Saturday night at Memorial Stadium. Garden City dropped to 2-4 overall and 1-2 in conference play. 

The 23-point defeat was the most lopsided loss for Garden City in the rivalry's 77-year history. 

Minnick's team produced a season-low 204 total yards and have now turned the ball over seven times in their last eight quarters. 

Meantime the Conquistadors, who landed in the polls this past week for the first time since 2017, continued its resurgence under second-year Head Coach, Terry Karg. They improved to 3-0 in league play in front of next Saturday's showdown at Gowans Stadium vs. No. 1 Hutchinson. 

The Broncbusters inability to score points for a second straight game was a head scratcher. And Jalen Daniels continued his regression, throwing two more inexplicable interceptions, including a 33-yard pick six by Bobby Arnold midway through the second quarter that put Dodge City up, 14-3.  He was eventually pulled before halftime and replaced by backup, Kody Kirk. 

"It's hard to win games when you don't score," Minnick said. "Dodge City is much improved." 

Still, the Broncbusters started off the game in good shape. Keyon Brown's 46-yard return on the opening kickoff set Garden City up deep in Conquistadors' territory. But the drive fizzled out at the Dodge City 24, and Braxton Frey, who has missed most of the season with a nagging injury, drilled a 41-yard field goal to put the Broncbusters in front 3-0 three minutes into the contest.  

That's pretty much the only offense Garden City could muster for much of the first half. 

Dodge City responded with a six-play, 65-yard drive on their first possession. Murray State transfer, Treyvon Jefferson converted a third-and-2 when he raced for 37 yards down to the Garden City 20. Three plays later, Jefferson called his own number again, sprinting in from 10 yards out to give the Conquistadors a 7-3 lead.  

"We let them hang around early, and then they made some plays that turned the game around," Minnick added. 

The Broncbusters though were afforded an opportunity to take the lead early in the second period. After Dodge City was flagged for running into the kicker on a fourth-down punt, which was immediately followed by an offside penalty on the ensuing play that gave the Broncbusters a free set of downs, Garden City marched to the Conquistadors' 1-yard line. But on fourth-and-goal, Daniels dropped the snap before falling on top of the ball three inches short of the goal line. It was another offensive blunder in a season filled with mishaps and self-inflicted wounds. 

Later in the quarter after Kirk's shanked punt which traveled only 15 yards, Dodge City went for the kill shot. And on the very first play in Garden City territory, Smith blasted untouched up the middle for a 37-yard touchdown that gave the Conquistadors a 21-3 advantage. 

"We just made one mistake after another," Minnick said. 

Garden City managed to respond as Kirk drove them 45 yards in 11 plays before the break. On second-and-6 from the Dodge City 8, James Jones, who entered the night as one of the nation's leading rushers, found his way into the end zone, cutting the deficit to 11 points at the half.  

"We had a chance to get back in the game, but we never found any rhythm in the second half," Minnick explained.  

Dodge City extended the lead early in the third when Angel Dominguez hit on a 38-yard field goal. Then, after the teams exchanged punts for the rest of the period, the Conquistadors put the game away on the third play of the fourth quarter when Jefferson connected with Smith on an eight-yard scoring toss to make it 31-10. They added a safety on Garden City's ensuing possession when Kirk was flagged for intentional ground in the end zone, finishing off another frustrating night for the Hall-of-Fame Coach. 

"We have nobody to blame but ourselves," Minnick said.  

Unfortunately, the loss was the least of Garden City's concerns. BYU transfer Terence Fall was knocked out of the game in the third quarter when he was blasted by Dwight Nunoo on a crossing pattern over the middle. He left the stadium to get x-rays, and defensive back and University of Arkansas bounce back, Chase Lowery was seen leaving the stadium on crutches. Offensive lineman, Kaliem Croswell was also kicked out of the game following an altercation on the Broncbuster sideline.  

Kirk finished 11-of-22 for 68 yards for Garden City, which lost at Memorial Stadium for the first time since 2014. Daniels was 6-of-11 for 55 yards, and Jones had 11 carries for 48 yards and a touchdown. 

Jefferson finished 8-of-23 for 136 yards, one touchdown and one interception for Dodge City. Greg Genross had three catches for 76, and Nunoo had 13 tackles and a forced fumble.