BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
If you're searching for a silver lining, Great Bend's lone trip to the 5A state football championship game occurred after a 21-14 victory over Wichita Bishop Carroll in 2006.
Wichita Carroll (6-3) travels to Great Bend (9-0) Friday for a second-round 5A showdown at Memorial Stadium.
"It's 5A West playoff time,' said Great Bend football coach Erin Beck. "We're at the point where we'll have to play four quarters. Our kids are fresh and ready to go. The guys cranked it up in the weight room this week. They're getting stronger, which is a good sign."
Carroll owns a 5-2 all-time advantage over the Panthers, dating back to the first meeting, also won by Great Bend 42-28 in 2004.
The run-oriented Eagles (6-3) are keyed by dual-threat quarterback John Corrigan, who sparks the offense with designed quarterback runs. Cooper Herrman is Carroll's main backfield threat. Corrigan scored two touchdowns in the Eagles' 24-20 victory over Derby.
"They'll play with a tight end and run the football," Beck said "Corrigan is a zone-read quarterback because Carroll wants to run the football. They'll play disciplined football. Once they get the run game going, they'll get the football out of the quarterback hand's quickly."
Oklahoma City McGuinness threw the ball effectively against the Eagles in a 38-14 victory, but Derby struggled in a 24-20 setback.
Quarterback Daxton Minton has thrown for 1,432 yards and 19 touchdowns. Ian Premer has 612 yards receiving, 346 yards rushing and has transformed into beast mode as a punt returner. Conner Holladay has rushed for 662 yards.
"Carroll's defensive scheme tries to confuse you," Beck said. "They'll show pressure and drop out or blitz. They'll drop defensive ends into coverage because they're athletic. Carroll has good defensive players."
Beck is well prepared for the challenge.
"I like playing against good football teams," he said. "That's what you'll get this time of year. We want to control the factors we can control. We show different 'wrinkles' and add things all year."
WICHITA CARROLL (6-3)—L Wichita NW 21-42; W Wichita Southeast 33-6; L OKC McGuinness 14-38; W Wichita South 47-20; W Wichita Heights 29-12; L Kapaun 13-35; W Wichita East 24-0; W Derby 24-20; W Valley Center 14-0
GREAT BEND (9-0)—W McPherson 42-7; W Olathe South 40-21; W Buhler 38-14; W Wichita South 75-8; W Dodge City 41-0; W Liberal 55-6; W Hays High 43-19; W Garden City 41-14; W Newton 49-14
PANTHERS vs. WICHITA CARROLL—Panthers 24, Carroll 0 (2004); Carroll 23, Panthers 0 (2005); Panthers 21, Carroll 14 (2006); Carroll 17, Panthers 14 (2007); Carroll 49, Panthers 13 (2010); Carroll 36, Panthers 33 (2018); Carroll 28, Panthers 14 (2019)
PANTHER OFFENSE—2 WR—Cooper Ohnmacht; 5 WR—Jacob Hall; 12 QB—Daxton Minton; 14 TE—Ian Premer; 22 RB Conner Holladay; 51 LT—Trenton Kern; 52 LG—Jace Deines; 55 C—Karter Brown; 56 RG—Blaine Ensley; 58 RT—Colby Spore; 7 WB—Kale Kern or 3 WB—Alec Premer
PANTHER DEFENSE—1 CB—Cal Schartz or 20 CB—Grant Watkins; 2 FS—Cooper Ohnmacht; 5 LB—Jacob Hall; 7 LB—Kale Kern; 10 DE—Cole Fanshier; 11 CB—Koehn Ribordy; 14 SS—Ian Premer; 22 DT—Conner Holladay; 24 DE—Jaxon Wondra; 51 LT—Trenton Kern; 73 DT—Josue Bustamante
WEST SECOND ROUND—Great Bend (9-0) vs. Wichita Carroll (5-4); Hutchinson (7-2) vs. Hays High (7-2); Salina Central (8-1) vs. Goddard (6-3); Liberal (7-2) vs. Salina South (2-7)
PASSING (TD-INT)—Minton, 84-125, 1,432 (19-3); RUSHING-TD—Holladay, 662-7; Minton, 577-7; Ian Premer, 346-11.; RECEIVING-TD—Ian Premer, 29-612-13; Ohnmacht, 35-496-4; TACKLES—Kale Kern, 96; Trenton Kern, 86; Hall, 47; TACKLES LOSS—Kale Kern, 11; Holladay, 7; INTERCEPTIONS—Ian Premer, 6; Ribordy, 4; Ohnmacht, 4; SACKS—Fanshier, 3; Holladay, 3.
