Scott City Shuts Out Garden Plain
Scott City, Kan. (westernkansasnews.com)–Since the current playoff format was put in place in 2002, the Scott City Beavers have only advanced to the Sub-State round once. That was in 2002, in Class 4A. Since dropping to Class 3A, the Beavers have been close to advancing to Sub-State three times in five appearances. Scott City erased the close losses in recent history in a big way, by shutting out the Garden Plain Owls 49-0 in the Sectional round of the Class 3A Playoffs at Darner Field in a battle of 11-0 teams.
Dalton Buehler set the tone for Scott City’s domination right way on the kickoff, by taking it 70 yards to the Garden Plain 14. Five plays later, Buehler would plunge in from one yard out. Brett O’Neil’s extra point made it 7-0 with 9:11 left in the first quarter. After an Owl turnover, the Beavers drove back down the field, as Brett O’Neil found younger brother Trey O’Neil for a 15-yard pitch and catch for six points. Brett’s PAT would make it 14-0 Scott City with 4:21 remaining in the opening quarter. Two plays after a Scott City interception, Buehler would find the end zone for the second time in the quarter on a 16-yard run with 3:19 left in the first period, and it would be 21-0 after the extra point kick by Brett O’Neil.
Early in the second quarter, Scott City would capitalize on yet another turnover. With 11:11 before halftime, Brett O’Neil found Dalton Buehler for a 35-yard touchdown pass, and O’Neil would tack on another point to make it 28-0. After forcing Garden Plain into a punt, Buehler had his fourth touchdown of the night. This time, it was a 78-yard run with 9:13 remaining in the second quarter, and O’Neil’s extra point made it 35-0. The Beavers would put up one more score before intermission. With 3:08 left before half, O’Neil found his sixth different receiver for a touchdown pass. It would be Chris Pounds on the receiving end of a 20-yard reception. Brett O’Neil’s extra point made it 42-0, and that would be the score at the break.
Scott City scored once more in the game. With 4:34 remaining in the third period, Brett O’Neil found Brenner Wells for a five-yard touchdown pass. O’Neil tacked on the PAT to make it 49-0, and that would force a running clock the rest of the game, thanks to a 45-point differential in the second half, per KSHSAA rules.
For the night, Brett O’Neil was 7-of-11 for 106 yards through the air with four touchdowns, all to different receivers. Dalton Buehler rushed 12 times for 140 yards with four total touchdowns, three on the ground. Overall, Scott City finished with 396 yards of offense, and limited Garden Plain to 156 total yards. The Beavers forced seven turnovers, including five interceptions.
Scott City (12-0) will travel to Beloit in the Sub-State round of the Class 3A Playoffs. The Trojans are also 12-0, after defeating Sedgwick 52-24 Friday night. Kickoff between the Beavers and Trojans will be at 7 pm Friday night at Trojan Field. Garden Plain ends their season at 11-1.
