Irwin and Kennedy named Jayhawk Players of the Week

By Mike Pilosof

Photo by Adam Shrimplin

Garden City, KS-Mike Irwin's patience finally paid off.

Following his two-touchdown performance in relief duty on Saturday vs. Independence, the redshirt sophomore was named the Jayhawk Conference offensive player of the week, while Keylon Kennedy grabbed defensive honors.

"Mike is a competitor; he's always going to compete," Head Coach Tom Minnick said.

Irwin dazzled in his Broncbuster debut, finishing 11-of-16 for 144 yards. He connected with Khamran Laborn for a 36-yard strike on second-and-20 early in the fourth before finding his freshman wideout for a for a 14-yard score. He added the go-ahead touchdown with less than five minutes remaining-a beautiful screen pass to Jordan Ford.

"Our guys never stopped fighting in that game," Minnick explained.

There can be a case made that Kennedy has been one of the best players in the league thus far. The No. 1 rated Junior College corner made a breathtaking interception in the second quarter, thwarting one Independence Red Zone trip with a diving pick. But he saved his best for the closing minutes when after Shawn Smith punched the ball out of Deontay Wilson's hands, it was Kennedy who pounced on it in the end zone, putting a stamp on his team's fourth-quarter comeback.

"He's as solid as they come," Minnick said. "He reads well, and he's always in the right place."

The Broncbusters face another stiff test on Sunday when they travel to face No. 1 Hutchinson. Kickoff set for 1 p.m. at Gowans Stadium.