Broncbusters Football Beats Coffeyville To Close 2023 Season

COFFEYVILLE, KS. – The 2023 football season started with the Garden City Broncbusters failing to recover an onside kick against Butler, just barely holding on for a five-point victory.

The season ended with Garden City successfully recovering an onside kick, milking the clock for a five-point victory. It’s funny how stories can come to an end in the same way they started.

Saturday’s game at Veterans Memorial Stadium saw five turnovers and five different quarterbacks, leading to a wild, wacky, and surprisingly competitive finale.

The Garden City Broncbusters ended their 2023 season on a high note, defeating the Coffeyville Red Ravens, 26-21. The Broncbusters closed the season with an even record in the Kansas Jayhawk Conference for the second consecutive year, and finish the season 4-1 against unranked opponents.

The Broncbusters (5-6, 3-3 KJCCC) got the opening touchdown of the game in the second quarter, on a bomb by Kody Kirk. The redshirt freshman sailed a 77-yard touchdown to Oregon transfer Isaiah Brevard on a deep post route. The ensuing point after try was hooked wide, keeping the score at 6-0.

The Red Ravens would put together the best drive of the first half to take the lead with 3:00 to go in the second quarter. Back-to-back big passes by Coffeyville’s Enzo Tedesco marched them 53 yards, with Joseph Young recording his fifth receiving score of the year to make it 7-6, Red Ravens.

Both quarterbacks made pivotal mistakes late on in the half. Kirk under threw a curl route, Coffeyville (3-7, 1-5 KJCCC) returning to the GCCC 18 yard line. Three plays after, Tedesco was picked off by Miami transfer Keshawn Washington, who kept the game at 7-6 going into the half.

Washington finished with two interceptions in the win, finishing the season with three.

The second half is where the game began to take a major turn. Coffeyville pulled Tedesco following the second interception, and sophomore Geremiah Moore led the Coffeyville on a seven play, 55-yard scoring drive, finding Baylor Nash for another touchdown. It was the first touchdown of Nash’s career, coming from 14 yards out.

Kirk responded one snap later, hitting freshman Keyon Brown for a 91-yard touchdown to bring the deficit back within two. It was Garden City’s second longest play from scrimmage this season, only beat out by Demond Demas’ 92-yard touchdown reception against No. 2 Iowa Western.

Unfortunately on the play, Kirk endured a dangerous hit by Coffeyville’s Griffin Lampton and was forced to leave the game. Kirk finished 12-of-20 for a career-high 252 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. Lampton was ejected due to targeting.

Garden City turned to Zo’Marion Harper to finish the comeback, with previous starter Jalen Daniels unavailable. Harper played efficiently, leading two fourth-quarter touchdown drives to pull the Broncbusters away for good with a 26-14 lead.

The true catalyst was running back Fred Davis, who carried for a season-high 168 yards in the victory. He scored the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth, then helped set up Harper’s two yard keeper to seal the deal.

Davis finished the season with 794 yards and nine touchdowns, finishing second in the conference in rushing yards per game and touchdowns.

The Broncbusters posted a season-high 488 yards of offense in the victory, out-gaining the Red Ravens by 204 yards. 

Garden City will begin the 2024 football season in August.