Not pretty; Law earn sloppy win on the road
Final Highlights: DC Law vs. Kansas Koyotes
Topeka, Kan (westernkansasnews.com)-There was something about Saturday that was off from the start.
“Maybe it was our pregame meal,” Head Coach Sean Ponder said. “I’m not sure we’ll do what we did here again.”
Then there was the slow start; a sack and a missed field goal on the opening drive. There were breakdowns in protections that had quarterback Josh Floyd running for his life most of the night. But even with all of that, in the end-Dodge City rode out a 33-12 victory over Kansas at Landon Arena.
“Not having Mack Randell tonight really hurt us,” Ponder said. “Ben Pister is a heck of a football player; he gave us a lot of problems all night.”
Randell sat out Saturday’s game after begin suspended for an incident in Salina two weeks ago. And it showed on the first drive of the game when the Law (5-3) worked it down inside the Kansas 10-yard line. But back-to-back negative plays: A bobbled snap by Floyd and a sack by Pister dropped Dodge City back to the Kansas 22. On fourth down, Maurice Young mishandled the snap on a 38-yard field goal attempt-squandering an early scoring chance.
“Floyd didn’t have his best game, but we did what we have to do to win the game,” Ponder said.
The spark was the Dodge City defense-specifically Jarret Bilbrey who combined with Jamar Seard to sandwich Koyotes quarterback Carlos Cavanagh on Kansas’s first play from scrimmage. The Northern Arizona product finished the night with two sacks.
“I should have had a third,” Bilbrey said. “But our defense was relentless all night.”
On Dodge City’s next drive, it was Dominique Carson who brought the Law offense back to life. Four times Floyd handed the ball to his trusty tailback on the drive-the final one resulted in a spectacular 14-yard dash to pay dirt.
“There’s nothing I can teach Dominique Carson,” Ponder said. “That kid is just a special talent. He does things that are unbelievable.”
Carson finished the night with 79 yards rushing on 17 carries and two scores.
Leading 6-0 midway through the first quarter, the offense got the ball right back when Cavanagh’s pass was batted in the air and intercepted by Marquis George at the Koyotes 11-yard line. Three plays later, Floyd hit Brandon Venson in the right corner of the end zone for a touchdown giving Dodge City a 13-0 advantage.
That lead swelled to 19-0 early in the second quarter when Kansas kicker Derek Doerfler’s 38-yard field goal was blocked by Walner Leandre. Cashmin Thomas scooped up the loose football at the 10-yard line and strolled into the end zone.
“He’s (Walner’s) really good at that,” Bilbrey said. “He knows how to get to the football.”
The Koyotes responded on their ensuing possession-driving 25 yards in six plays-aided by a fourth-down pass interference call at the goal line on Daejohn Love. Cavanagh took advantage of his second chance-hitting Wayne Shephard for a 2-yard score. Doerfler missed the PAT and Kansas trailed 19-6.
Kansas had an opportunity to get back in the game when Floyd fumbled on the following possession. But Cavanagh gave it right back when he was picked off by Paul Robinson. Seven plays later, Carson scored for the second time-a 2-yard scamper up the middle giving the Law a 26-6 lead going into the break.
After a scoreless third, Kansas pulled closer when Cavanagh hit Chris Davis for a nine-yard touchdown. The two-point conversion failed, and the Koyotes trailed 26-12 with 5:56 to play in the game.
But the Law salted the contest away with an eight play, 42-yard drive that ate up 5:30 of the fourth-quarter clock. Floyd punctuated it with a four-yard touchdown strike to David Lewis.
Floyd finished 12-of-22 for 109 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. His counterpart threw for 69 yards and two scores but was picked off twice.
Next up: Dodge City vs. Omaha Beef-Saturday, May 3-6:30 p.m. pregame; 7:05 kick on 98.1 FM and the all-new Z-98 mobile app.
Final Stats: final stats pack dc law vs. kansas
