Buffs defense shines; Tempel delivers a statement–audio highlights

Liberal, Kan (westernkansasnews.com)-Statement wins are always nice. Resounding ones are so much better.

Garden City one upped last week’s dominating performance against Hays; Greyson Tempel threw four touchdowns and ran for five more as the Buffaloes sent a message to the rest of 6A with a 61-20 win over Liberal at Redskin Field on Friday night.

“This is two weeks in a row we’ve been dominant,” Head Coach Brian Hill said. “I can’t say enough about these players but also my coaches; their preparation and getting these kids ready to play.”

The focus all week was on Redskin seniors Britton Abbott and Trenton Hammond. Well with Hammond missing the game because of a suspension, Tempel and junior Caleb Tramp stole the show.

After taking a 7-0 lead when Tempel found his twin brother Dustin in the end zone for a touchdown, the dynamic duo would strike for a 52-yard score as Tramp beat Blake Stout on a slant giving the Buffs an early 14-0 lead.

“What a weapon that kid (Tramp) has turned out to be,” Hill said. They decided to single cover and he beat them in different ways.”

You could say that Tramp beat the Redskins secondary like a drum; to the tune of four catches, for 113 yards and three touchdowns. Hammond who?

“It’s a tough combination,” Hill said. “You get him and then Greyson can run, and then you can’t forget about Dusty.”

Liberal would get on the board on the ensuing drive when Rex Heronemus capped off a 10-play, 80-yard drive with a 16-yard march to pay dirt. Abbott would run in the two-point conversion to cut the Garden City lead to 14-8 with 1:56 to play in the first.

There would be very few Redskins highlights after that.

As for Tempel and Tramp, they were far from done. On the third play of their next drive the senior heaved a pass down the left sideline into the end zone where his new favorite target adjusted and made the catch over Stout, whom he beat just two possessions earlier. Ismael Hernandez added the extra point and Garden City had a 21-8 advantage with under a minute to play in the first.

A liberal three and out would lead to the Buffaloes next score-a Tempel 25-yard run, where he outraced the Liberal defense to the five, then cut it back and dove across the goal line. Hernandez would push the extra point wide left, and the Garden City lead was 27-8.

Abbott, who was much maligned for most of the night-finishing 16-of-40, 181 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions, made things slightly interesting when he found stout on a fade route, over the outstretched arms of Alex Espinoza for a touchdown. The Redskins two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful and Liberal trailed 27-14.

After the Buffaloes recovered an onside kick, Tempel would take advantage of the short field-darting 49 yards to the house. Jared Koster raced in for the two point conversion to put Garden City on top 35-14.

The next Redskin possession would end quickly when Emilio Parr picked off an Abbott pass over the middle. That turnover would setup Tempel’s second touchdown run-this one from 14 yards out. The extra point was no good and the Buffaloes would take a 41-14 lead into the locker room.

The second 30 minutes was basically a sequel of the first.

Tempel and Tramp would hook up one more time on the opening possession of the third quarter-this time on a perfect fade pattern extending the lead to 47-14. The two point conversion failed.

Garden City would tack on two more scores: A 17-yard Tempel run and an 85-yard dash, where the senior added an exclamation point with a stiff arm on Redskins defensive back Mershek Wiltshire on his way to the end zone.

Liberal added a late score when Abbott punched it in from a yard out.

Next up: Wichita East (2-3) at Garden City (3-2, 2-1); Friday, October 11-6:30 p.m. on KWKR 99.9 FM and westernkansasnews.com

Final Stats: wk 5 gchs vs. liberal final game stats pack