Buffaloes slam door shut on Wichita South
Photos by Adam Shrimplin: visit Shrimplin Photography’s website
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Garden City, KS-As impressive as Garden City’s defense has been, Buffalo quarterback Garret Doll did something on Friday that had not been done in more than four years.
The senior signal caller threw for 216 yards, becoming the first Garden City quarterback since Greyson Tempel in 2013 to eclipse 200, David Arteaga scored on offense and defense, and the brown and white hammered Wichita South 46-0 at Buffalo Stadium.
It was the first time since 1973 under Fayne Henson that Garden City’s defense recorded three straight shutouts.
“I can’t say enough about this defense,” Buffaloes Coach Brian Hill said. “I say it every week, they continue to impress.”
In their first two games, Garden City’s defense swarmed both Wichita East and Castle View. In week three, they not only harassed Titans’ quarterback Evan Kruse, they produced points for the first time this season.
After Anthony Flores’s 29-yard field goal gave Garden City a 9-0 lead in the second quarter, it was Arteaga, making the play of the game. On third-and-22 from their own 8, the senior defensive back picked off Kruse and returned it 20 yards to the end zone for a touchdown and a 16-0 advantage.
“That’s a senior making a big play,” Hill said. “I’m so proud of him. “It comes down to execution, and through three games on defense, there hasn’t been a lot that those guys have done wrong.”
Garden City (3-0, 0-0) absolutely suffocated Wichita South (1-2, 1-1), limiting them to just 17 total yards in the first half and 24 for the game. The Titans picked up only two first downs the entire night, both of which came in the first quarter.
“Week in and week out, the defense has done what they’re supposed to do,” Hill added.
While the Buffalo defense was flying around, Doll showed off his arm in a first half that saw him throw for 198 yards and two touchdowns.
Without his two top targets: Jordan Herrman and Andrew Kreutzer, who were both out with injuries, Doll found a comfort zone with Tye Davis, who reeled in the senior’s first td pass of the first 24 minutes on their opening drive. On third-and-goal from the 11, Doll zipped a tight spiral to Davis in the end zone on a slant to give Garden City a 6-0 advantage (the two-point conversion failed).
“Garret played fantastic,” Hill said. “He’s made mistakes, but he continues to make big-time throws.”
His second touchdown toss of the first half came late in the second quarter. Following a short Wichita South punt, the Buffaloes moved the ball to the Titans’ 26. On second-and-2, Doll drew the defense by looking right, then dropped off a screen pass to Quinton Lapointe in the left flat. The defense had no chance. The senior sprinted untouched to the end zone to make it 22-0 before the Titans intercepted the two-point conversion.
“I thought our offense looked much more comfortable in this game,” Hill said. “There was more stability from the offensive line.”
Lapointe capped off the first half scoring with a seven-yard touchdown run in the final minute, putting Garden City up 29-0 at the break.
In the second half, the Buffaloes slammed the door shut.
Doll surpassed the 200-yard passing mark on Garden City’s first possession of the third when the senior connected with Arteaga on a skinny post for an 18-yard touchdown that extended the lead to 36-0.
“I have a lot of confidence in my guys, and my coaches have a lot of confidence in me,” Doll said.
Flores added a 33-yard field goal late in the third, and sophomore Avey Arana, who finished the night with 115 yards on 14 carries, polished off a six-play, 50-yard drive with a two-yard rushing touchdown midway through the fourth for a 46-0 edge.
“Now the real season starts,” Hill mentioned. “We have three straight games on the road against very good teams.”
Doll finished the night 12-of-26 with three touchdown passes, for Garden City, who is 3-0 for the third straight season (first time that’s happened since 1989, 1990 and 1991). Lapointe totaled 40 yards on the ground and Davis caught four balls for 88 yards and a score.
Kruse was just 1-of-6 passing for three yards and an interception for South, who has now been outscored 89-0 in their last two games.
Next up: Garden City at Hays-Friday, September 22-6 p.m. kpreps; 6:30 p.m. pregame; 7 p.m. kick on 99.9 FM; westernkansasnews.com/kwkr and KWKR mobile app
