Koster rumbles into record books as Buffaloes roll
Listen to the complete game in our archives section
Gardren City, KS (westernkansasnews.com)-In their opening district game against Hutchinson in 2012, then freshman running back Jared Koster took his first varsity handoff from quarterback Greyson Tempel. It went for 2 yards on a toss sweep.
Little did anyone know, that carry held elite distinction: it was the prelude to history.
Four years later, Koster cemented his place in the school’s record books.
Early in the third quarter Friday night, the senior became Garden City’s all-time leading rusher, finishing with 155 yards on 14 carries-leapfrogging Broderick Smith as the brown and white torpedoed Wichita East 55-7 at Buffalo Stadium.
“I’m so proud of Jared,” Head Coach Brian Hill said afterwards. “I can’t really say enough about what he’s been able to accomplish. He deserves it. And what a way to do it.”
When Derek Jeter became the 28th member of the 3,000 hit club in 2011, he did it in unbelievable fashion; crushing a 3-2 pitch off Tampa Bay starter David Price that landed in the left-field seats. Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay’s call: “Oh what a way to join the 3,000-hit club; Derek Jeter has done it in grand style.”
On the first play of the third quarter, Koster got his moment, taking a trap handoff from Jesse Nunez and steamrolling down the left sideline for a 66-yard score and the Buffaloes rushing record.
You would have to say that was pretty grand.
“To break the record with a touchdown, you could not have asked for anything better,” Hill explained. “Jared has been special. He is always in the right place, and makes cutback moves that you just don’t see high school players making.”
But even during a record-breaking night, the Buffaloes had a rather uninspiring start.
On the second play from scrimmage, Wichita East (0-6, 0-5) quarterback Ethan Anderson connected with Xavier Brown on a 74-yard touchdown pass to give the Blue Aces a 7-0 lead 49 seconds into the game. On the play, defensive back Dakota Brungardt tried to jump the slant rout.
“We tried to make a play on the ball and missed,” Hill said. “But these guys never flinch. There’s no panic.”
Not even Peyton Hill’s red-zone fumble on the Buffaloes opening possession could have derailed a near flawless performance.
“We’ve obviously been in that situation before,” Hill said. “So our guys weren’t shell shocked. They just went to work.”
Despite falling behind for the fourth straight game, the Buffaloes finally settled down, forcing a three-and-out on the Blue Aces next series. Then the offense shifted into overdrive.
What ensued was an avalanche. Garden City (6-0, 3-0) doubled down, and in a 16-minute stretch to close the first half, the Buffaloes scored 42 unanswered points.
“We’ve got to find a way,” Hill said. “We can’t spot Hutchinson seven points next week and expect to win.”
Nunez’s one-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter tied the game before putting the Buffaloes up for good with a 20-yard touchdown pass to Hill on the first play of the second stanza.
After forcing a Wichita East three-and out, the Buffaloes got the ball back right at midfield. Three plays later, Koster was in the end zone on the heels of a 44-yard touchdown dance making it 21-7 Garden City.
“Our offensive line continues to do the job,” Hill said with a vibrant smile on his face. “They’re opening the holes, and our backs are finding them.”
While the offense was finding their groove, it was a defensive play that crushed the Blue Aces’ back in the second quarter.
Down two scores, first-year Wichita East Coach Bill Coffman inserted backup quarterback Greg Sousa. The results were disastrous.
The junior’s first pass attempt was a slant, only it failed to make it to its’ intended target Jordan Givens. Instead Isaac Goytia snagged it out of the air and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown. Zeke Herrera, who missed last week’s game because of injury, booted through the extra point, and the Buffaloes had a 28-7 lead with 8:16 left in the first half.
“I don’t know if I need to tell these guys it’s 7-0 when we leave the locker room,” Hill said. “But it’s just amazing the response from these kids.”
Later in the period, Nunez’s found the end zone for the second time surging in from three yards out, capping off an eight-play 43-yard drive that chewed up nearly four minutes.
But the junior signal caller saved his best play of the first 24 minutes for last.
After forcing another Blue Aces three-and-out, Garden City got the ball back at the Wichita East 40-yard line with 13 seconds remaining. With no timeouts, Nunez had to be precise with regards to clock management. His throw on first down epitomized that.
One of the biggest differences Nunez exemplifies this season is his ability to set his feet. A lot of that has to do with his new quarterbacks’ coach Kale Pick.
“When my feet are right, I throw a good ball,” he said the week prior to the East game. “He (Pick) has helped me out a ton with that.”
On first-and-10 with time winding down in the second, Nunez rolled right and lofted a perfect spiral down the right sideline to Ethan Yardley who hauled in the pass and sprinted into the end zone. It capped of a two-quarter stretch where Nunez completed all five of his passes for 97 yards and two touchdowns.
Not bad for a guy who some opposing coaches were questioning his ability to throw deep ball.
“He (Nunez) continues to progress each week,” Hill said. “I’ve always been confident that we can throw the ball. Tonight he proved it.”
Garden City closed out the scoring in the third quarter, when backup tailback George Ross scooted 80 yards for a touchdown, putting an exclamation point on the Buffaloes first 6-0 start since 1991.
Nunez finished his near perfect night 6-of-7 for 125 yards and two touchdowns. He ran it 13 times for 46 and two scores while Ross notched his first career 100-yard rushing performance, carrying it five times for 108. (Peyton) Hill caught two balls for 28 yards and a score.
For East, Anderson finished 4-of-14 for 104 yards and a touchdown. (Jordan) Givens ran it eight times for 30 yards, and Xavier Brown had one catch for 74 yards and a score.
Notes: Wichita East and Garden City will renew the series for next season, playing each other in the season’s opening week at Buffalo Stadium…Garden City entered the night as one of 37 unbeaten teams in the state…The Buffaloes have now won eight out of their last nine games when they rush for 200 yards or more (It was the seventh straight time they’ve done just that)…It was the third straight game where they hit 300 or more rushing yards…Koster now has 2,691 career rushing yards, which broke Smith’s previous all-time mark of 2,631 set back in 2007…He becomes just the fourth back in school history to join the 2,000-yard rushing group (Smith, Richard Delarosa and Tempel are the others)…Garden City was 7-of-11 on third down…The Buffalo defense held the Blue Aces to just five first downs
Next up: Garden City vs. Hutchinson-Friday, October 16-6 p.m. kpreps; 6:30 p.m. pregame; 7 p.m. kick on 99.9 FM ESPN Radio; westernkansasnews.com/kwkr and tuneinradio app: KWKR
