Broncbusters fall to No. 13 Navarro despite strong start

Garden City, KS-In the nine months leading up to his Garden City Debut, Head Coach, Kiyoshi Harris preached discipline and defense. Unfortunately, those were the two things that let his team down on Saturday. 

Ryan Shackleton threw for 222 yards and two touchdowns, the Broncbusters committed 17 penalties for 168 yards, and No. 13 Navarro took down ninth-ranked Garden City, 34-20 at Broncbuster Stadium. 

The Bulldogs scored 34 unanswered points thanks in large part to several coverage busts by the Broncbusters that resulted in two long touchdown passes. 

Kennesaw State transfer, Tyler Nelson ran for 143 yards but struggled throwing the ball, finishing 11-of-24 for 100 yards and one interception. Dejuan Lacy carried the ball 11 times for 57 yards, and Zac Dyer had six catches for 52. 

Garden City, which unveiled an up-tempo ground attack, looked sharp early. Nelson's 62-yard run on the fourth play from scrimmage eventually setup the freshman's eight-yard touchdown run that gave the Broncbusters a 7-0 advantage two minutes into the game.  

That was really the only positive takeaway from this one.  

The Broncbusters missed a chance to extend the lead later in the opening period when Nelson's fourth down pass from the Navarro 30 trickled off the fingertips of freshman tight end, Mason King.  

The Bulldogs took full advantage, and on the first play of their ensuing possession, Shackleton hit Tim Burns in stride for a 70-yard touchdown to tie the game.  

It was Groundhog Day after that.  

Following a Garden City punt, Navarro marched 71 yards to the Broncbuster 9. But after it appeared Harris's team had gotten a much-needed third-down stop, JayT Jackson was flagged for pass interreference. Three plays later, Clay Thevenin broke two tackles on his way to the end zone, and the Bulldogs had the lead for good.  

In the second, Shackleton capped a five-play, 80-yard drive with a 49-yard scoring toss to Burns, which was followed by a time-consuming, 15-play, 66-yard march that resulted in a 27-yard Haden Tessier field goal that put the visitors up 24-7 at the break.  

Tessier added a 48-yard field goal midway through the third before Burns reeled in his third touchdown reception of the afternoon: a nine-yard strike from Mason Shorb that made it 34-7.  

Early in the final quarter, Harris replaced Nelson with backup Liam Oczkowsi, who directed two scoring drives: a two-yard touchdown run and a 12-yard pass to Elijah Griffin.  

The Broncbusters, which suffered just their second week-one loss in the last five years, outgained the Bulldogs 497-374. Jackson led the way with six tackles, and Bravion Campbell had four stops and a pass breakup. 

Garden City was just 4-of-17 on third down.