April 28, 2024

No. 10 Garden City Upended by Defending Champions, Iowa Western

Demond Demas (#1), who finished with a career-best 107 yards in week three. Photo Credits; Adam Shrimplin, Garden City C.C.

GARDEN CITY, KS. – In a game that featured massive chunk plays throughout, No. 2 Iowa Western showed their championship DNA.

The No. 10 Garden City Broncbusters lost their week three decision against the Reivers, 44-27, at Broncbuster Stadium. Garden City surrendered over 250 rushing yards to Iowa Western, put up 40 points in this game for the second straight year.

The tempo was set from play one, when Reivers quarterback Hunter Watson found Bryant Williams for a 56-yard pitch and catch for six. Watson found the end zone on the second play from scrimmage for IWCC, taking an 81 yard keeper to the house, leading 14-0 inside the opening three minutes.

The Reivers would rush for three touchdowns in the opening half, with Shawn Gary, Jr. also finding the end zone for the first time this season.

Trailing 28-14 at halftime, the Broncbusters showed signs of life in the third quarter. Linebacker Ja’Corey Hammett made a crucial fourth down stop, one of four fourth down stops for GCCC. Two plays later, quarterback Kody Kirk hit Demond Demas, who would fly 92 yards down the field for a touchdown, cutting the lead to 28-21.

Demas led the Broncbusters in receiving yards for the second straight week, finishing with a career-best 107 yards in the loss.

The Reivers regained momentum at the start of the fourth quarter to ice the game. Garden City took a safety to build the lead to nine, then Watson would run for his third score of the game two plays later on a 46-yard touchdown.

Watson finished with three touchdowns all-purpose, rumbling for a career-high 150 rush yards.

James Jones would give the Broncbusters a touchdown late on, carrying 63 yards to the house. Jones would finish with a pair of touchdowns, also rushing for a career-high 151 yards.

Garden City will try and a two-game losing skid next Saturday against Gordon’s Fine Arts & Sports Academy in the second of a three-game home stand. Kickoff between the Panthers and Broncbusters is scheduled for 11:00 A.M., coverage from Broncbuster Stadium begins at 10:30 A.M. with the American Implement Pregame Show on KWKR 99.9 ‘The Rock’.