Buffaloes Fail to Make Play-Offs and Lose Hatchet to Dodge City-Audio

Dodge City, KS (www.westernkansasnews.com) – It was a disappointing conclusion to the 2012 season for the Garden City Buffalo Football team on both counts last Friday at Dodge City, as the Buffaloes lost to the rival Red Demons 24-20 taking them out of the play-offs and they lost the infamous “Hatchet Game”.

Coach Brian Hill did not have any answers for why his team seemed to fall back into some old bad habits of turnovers with 6 last Friday night and several missed tackles, that cost the Buffaloes their third straight trip to the 6A play-offs. After falling behind 7-0 late in the first quarter when a Buffalo fumble gave the Red Demons a first and goal at 5 yard line, Dodge City punched it in on the next play with senior Parker Davis taking it up the gut for the score. Garden City came back with two touchdowns in the 2nd quarter with a 1 yard run by senior Brady Bean with 8:02 left in the first half and then a 10 yard touchdown pass to senior Bo Banner with :13 seconds left before intermission, senior kicker Rudy Chavez added the PAT’s and the Buffaloes had a 14-7 lead at the break.

In the second half Dodge City would score off their first three possessions, from a 32 yard field goal by junior Dillon Burkhard, along with an 80 yard touchdown fumble return by junior defensive back Immanuel Galloway and another 4 yard touchdown run by Davis, the PAT’s were good and the Red Demons led 24-14 with 3:41 left in the 3rd period. Garden City would score again on a touchdown pass to senior WR Brad Swick but missed the extra point making the final score 24-20. If Garden City had connected on the extra point and only lost by 3 points, they would still have gone to the play-offs because of the KSHSAA points system used in District play, but the season ended for the Buffaloes at 5-4 with the loss and they will have to wait till next year to regain the “Hatchet”. Buffalo Coach Brian Hill gives his comments on the disappointing loss in the post game wrap up.