Iowa Central drops Broncbusters to 0-2

Garden City, KS-Garden City made the wrong type of history on Saturday afternoon.  

John Holcombe scored a pair of touchdowns on the ground, the Iowa Central defense forced three turnovers, and the ninth-ranked Tritons blasted No. 12 Garden City, 40-21 at Buffalo Stadium. The loss dropped the Broncbusters to 0-2 for the first time since 1993(not counting the two games Garden City forfeited to begin the year in 2013).  

"This team didn't show up, period," said Head Coach Tom Minnick, who was ejected early in the fourth quarter following a questionable no-call on a pass interference penalty. "We had no energy from the start." 

The truth is, it's hard to imagine a game beginning much worse. On the Broncbusters opening possession, Perry Slater sprinted in off the edge and blocked Angel Islas's punt. Elijah Graham scooped the ball off the turf and rumbled 28 yards to the end zone for a 7-0 lead less than 90 seconds into the game.  

"That kind of stuff just can't happen," Minnick explained. 

After Garden City's ensuing drive stalled at the Tritons' 27, Iowa Central marched 73 yards in eight plays with the big hitter coming on Omarion Bartlet's 35-yards run that set the visitors up at the Broncbuster 4. Four plays later, Holcombe bulldozed across the goal line to make it 14-0.  

It only got worse from there.  

After Iowa Central pinned the Broncbusters deep inside their own 10 later in the period, quarterback Ty Perry was dragged down in the end zone for a safety. The Tritons then promptly took the free kick and sliced through the Garden City defense. Justin Silverstein zipped a pass to George Sims for a 33-yard gain followed by perfect spiral to a wide-open Cal Weidemann, who was standing in the middle of the end zone at least five yards from the nearest defender. Liam Wahe split the uprights on the extra point, and Iowa Central had a 23-0 advantage heading into the second.  

"We were terrible in all facets today," Minnick added.  

Holcomb added a one-yard rushing touchdown on Iowa Central's first possession of the second quarter, and Bartlett turned another Broncbuster turnover on downs into a seven-play, 33-yard drive that was punctuated by the sophomore's scoring toss to Desna Washington, who beat zone coverage for a five-yard touchdown to put the visitors up, 37-0.  

The only positive thing Garden City could muster over the first 30 minutes was Perry's 21-yard dart to New Mexico Military transfer, Geovanni Ribalta, who made an over-the-shoulder catch for a touchdown. Other than that, the first half was littered with mistakes including 10 penalties for 100 yards.  

"That's two weeks in a row that penalties hurt us," Minnick said. "That's why I say we are beating ourselves." 

The third quarter though is where the game finally reached its breaking point. With a chance to make it a two-score game early in the period, Perry connected with wide receiver Quin Bright for a 28-yard gain. But JT Brown knocked the football out, and Jalen Celestine recovered for the Tritons. Later in the quarter, Perry hooked up with tight end Fuafiva Tulafali for what could have been a catch-and-run touchdown. Instead, the former linebacker turned receiver was stripped of the rock by Kevon'tey Fowler at the Garden City 20. Jaylin Young had a chance to save the possession for the Broncbusters, but the ball squirted out of his grasp and into the waiting arms of Lejuan Miller in the south end zone for a touchback. 

"Those two plays sum up this game," Minnick stated.  

Wahe added a 27-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter before Garden City's Gabe Friend made things a little interesting by engineering a quick three-play, 85-yard drive that included his 38-yard touchdown pass to Travis Dixon.  

Silverstein completed 8-of-18 passes for 115 yards and a touchdown for Iowa Central and Head Coach, Jesse Montalto, who used four different quarterbacks on Saturday. Cayne Smith toted the ball nine times for 50 yards, and Izaiah Haslett caught four balls for 67.  

Perry was solid again, finishing 24-of-36 for 233 yards and two touchdowns. But his lone mistake was a costly one in the second quarter when he threw into double coverage and was picked off by Jacob Camacho, who's 35-yard interception return eventually setup one of Holcombe's two touchdown runs. Ribalta, who made his Broncbuster debut in week two, had six catches for 67 yards and two scores.  

Notes: The last time Garden City started 0-3 was 1993 under Jeff Leiker. They finished 5-5 that season...The Broncbusters were penalized 19 times for 201 yards...This was Iowa Central's first-ever victory over Garden City