Penalties cost Garden City in season-opening loss to Butler

By Mike Pilosof

Photo by Adam Shrimplin

El Dorado, KS-Self destruction was the name of the game. 

Garden City was flagged 14 times for 150 yards, Azhuan Dingle tallied three rushing touchdowns including the go-ahead score with 7:17 to go, and Butler knocked off the seventh-ranked Broncbusters, 35-28 Saturday night at BG Products Veterans Sports Complex. It was Garden City's first opening-week loss since 2019.

"We made way too many mistakes to win a football game," Head Coach, Tom Minnick said. "We should not have been in this position."

The penalty numbers were staggering, even with a handful of them being questionable. Raymond Cutts was flagged for celebrating after a quarterback sack and West Virginia transfer Ja'Corey Hammett was kicked out for targeting early in the second quarter.  

"Losing Ja'Corey hurt," Minnick added. Especially that early in the game."

Still, Garden City looked like the more explosive team for much of the night. Following Albert Nunes backpedaling interception of Butler quarterback Jake Wolff, Garden City marched 63 yards in 12 plays. Sophomore Ty Perry zipped an 18-yard strike to tight end Fuafiva Tulafali before Devion Hodges powered in from one yard out to give the visitors a 7-0 advantage. 

"Ty played really well," Minnick explained. "He was efficient, and he made plays with his legs."

But the defense, which was supposed to be Garden City's bread and butter, struggled to get off the field all night, and on Butler's third offensive possesion of the game, Wolff connected with Quavez Humphrey on a 14-yard scoring toss that made it 7-7. 

"We have to be better collectively," Minnick mentioned.

After Garden City reclaimed the lead two minutes into the second on Travis Dixon's electrifying 73-yard touchdown run, Hammett stepped into the spotlight, although not the one Minnick had envisioned. The freshman decked Wolff behind the line of scrimmage on a first-down scramble. Seconds later though, umpire, Mark Kinman announced that they were reviewing the play for possible targeting. After three minutes of watching different angles, Kinman got back on the mic and told the sold-out crowd that the call on the field was confirmed. It was the first usage of instant replay at the Junior College level, although it came at a major cost to Chenelle Jones' defense. 

"I don't agree with it, but at that point, there was really nothing we could do," Minnick said. 

And Hammett's absence was definitely felt. The Grizzlies sliced the Broncbusters vaunted front-seven for 226 yards on 46 carries, which included Dingle's two-yard score that polished off a nine-play, 75-yard drive that tied the game at 14 with 9:30 left in the half.

But for all the talk about penalties, Garden City's offensive line struggled for most of the game. Following the Grizzlies touchdown drive, Perry was squashed by Mason Thrash on third-and-5. Late in the first quarter, Butler thwarted another Broncbuster drive when Caleb Foster suplexed the quarterback to the ground.

"It's going to be a long season if you can't protect the quarterback," Minnick added.

After Garden City was forced to punt midway though the second, Cutts sacked Wolff for an 11-yard loss. But after a quick celebration, he was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct that extended the drive. Three plays later, Dingle creased his way for an 11-yard score, and Butler had a 21-14 advantage.

"I am not sure what happened there," Minnick said. "What can you say?"

The Broncbusters immediately answered on their ensuing drive with Perry completing 6-of-7 passes including a beautiful back-shoulder throw to Torey Morrison, who hauled in the 24-yard strike over the shoulder down the left sideline to tie the game. But the celebration was short lived after Garden City squandered a chance to take the lead before the half. Following a misplayed kickoff by Butler, the Broncbusters forced the Grizzlies into a three-and-out inside their own 10. But Adam Young's 75-yard punt ended any scoring chance for Garden City. 

"It seems like all night we were a step slow," Minnick said.

In the second half, the Grizzlies took the lead again on Wolff's 43-yard toss to Quavez Humphrey, who burned freshman Devonta Owens for a touchdown. But the Broncbusters responded less than two minutes later. Perry hit Martiel Singleton for 21 yards; then scrambled for 14, setting the Broncbusters up at the Butler 29. Two plays later, the freshman floated a pass to Dixon, who sprinted 17 yards to the end zone to even things up at 28 with four minutes left in the third.

"Even with all the mistakes, we had a chance to win the game," Minnick explained. "We just beat ourselves." 

Garden City had another opportunity to take the lead early in the final quarter, but after moving the ball near the 50, Minnick's team was flagged for an ineligible man down field. Butler followed with a 10-play, 89-yard drive that included a touchy pass interference call on Owens that set the Grizzlies up at the 2. On the very next play, Dingle blasted in, giving Butler the lead for good. 

"Butler made plays when they had to, and we didn't," Minnick said. "It's as simple as that."

Garden City did have one last hope, reaching the Butler 39 with five minutes to play. But any chance of forcing overtime ended when Perry was sacked by Norman Massey for an 11-yard loss. On fourth down, his jump ball for Tyejuan Taylor was knocked away by Caleb BrownDe. The Grizzlies then ran out the clock. 

"We have the team to do it, but we have to win every game from here on out," Minnick said. "That's the only chance that we have."

Perry threw for 250 yards and two touchdowns for Garden City, which lost at Butler for just the second time in the past nine years. Dixon, who transferred from Cisco in the spring, totaled 81 yards and a touchdown, Morrison had eight catches, and Cutts posted eight tackles and a sack.

Wolf was 19-of-29 for 231 yards, two touchdowns and an interception for Butler, which avenged last season's playoff loss to Garden City. KJ Shankle had 86 yards on the ground, and Humphreys reeled in four balls for 64 yards and two touchdowns.