Demons Outlast Pioneers in Season Opener
DODGE CITY, Kan. – The Demons defense pitched a second half shutout and Cade Barnett plunged in from three yards out to cap a seven minute, twelve second drive to start the third quarter to push Dodge City past Wichita-West 13-8.
After a 4-5 campaign in 2022 that ended with a shutout playoff loss, the Dodge City Red Demons took to the road to open up their season against a Wichita-West Pioneers team they routed last season.
It became very clear early though that this was not the same pioneer team as it was last season. Jeremy Moss took over as head coach in December and is looking to change the direction of the program after a testing 2022 season where the pioneers finished 2-7. Defensively, they certainly answered the call.
The teams traded fumbles on their opening possessions but the Demons forced a three-and-out after coughing it up and managed to drive down the field to score the first points of the game on a 12-yard Ryan Gonzalez touchdown run with under five minutes to go in the first quarter to put the Demons up 7-0.
Wichita-West responded immediately by driving down the field, helped along by a 22-yard third down reception from sophomore quarterback Colby Eck-Watkins to senior receiver Ma’leek Dye plus an extra 15 yards for a personal foul. That play sparked the drive for Wichita-West and the got on the board with just 14 seconds left in the opening quarter on an Eck-Watkins 3-yard TD scamper. Coach Moss elected to go for two and Kamren Wade made a nice catch on a throw behind him to give the Pioneers a one point lead.
Both teams locked down on defense in the second quarter. Each team did manage one long drive in the frame but both got turned away at the end with a Demon drive midway through the quarter petering out on a 15-yard penalty on a second down play that would have set up a third and short inside the five but instead resulted in a turnover-on-downs a few plays later. Wichita-West’s drive fell apart in the redzone with under two minutes to go but the Pioneers still ended up taking an 8-7 lead into the locker room.
On the first drive of the second half, Dodge almost exclusively kept the ball on the ground apart from one throw that resulted in pass interference as junior quarterback Alan Flores looked deep for senior receiver Tochi Okoro. That was actually the second time Okoro drew an interference penalty on the Pioneers secondary in the game which was the main impact the passing game had for Dodge until the fourth quarter.
Those runs burned the clock and kept the chains moving until junior fullback Cade Barnett finished the drive on a three yard touchdown run to give the Demons the lead, though they failed the two-point conversion leaving them up just five.
“I hope that’s us this year,” Demons head coach Glenn O’Neil said after the game. “That needs to be kind of our personality, wearing down defenses.”
The defense made that enough as Wichita-West struggled to maintain a drive in the second half but had one last chance after the Demons missed a field goal that would have pushed their lead to eight. With under two minutes remaining, Eck-Watkins was picked off by junior Jayden Amaro near midfield which sealed a season opening victory for the Red Demons.
Coach O’Neil credited the offensive line for creating open lanes for Gonzalez and Barnett and allowing the offense to work with the plays they had available.
“I think our offensive line is as good as anyone around as far as Nate Gomez and Edgar (Ramos). I think those are dudes who can play on Saturdays in the next couple years if they choose to.” O’Neil said.
The Demons will hope to open up the playbook this week to incorporate a few more outside runs and passing plays as they prepare to take on Junction City next Friday at Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Glenn O’Neil Postgame Interview
