BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com

Great Bend's football team kept the momentum rolling.

Panther quarterback Cayden Scheuerman finished off Liberal with a 34-yard touchdown dash for a 28-14 Western Athletic Conference Homecoming football victory over the Redskins.

"Cayden gave us so much. Cayden gave us that 14-point lead with his legs," said Great Bend coach Erin Beck. 

Great Bend (4-2, 2-1 WAC) has swept four consecutive games and climbs to the No. 8 seed in the 5A West. Ulysses (1-5) visits Great Bend next week. Liberal drops to 2-4 (0-3 WAC).

"It's another Panther win, which you love to see," Beck said. "These guys are playing with so much confidence each week. I'm proud of our kids."

The Panthers were one yard away from putting the game on a 57-yard drive, but officials ruled that Scheuerman was shy of the goal-line inside Liberal's 1-yard line. It appeared Scheuerman crossed the goal-line, but officials ruled forward progress was stopped.

Scheuerman rushed for 99 yards and passed for 136 yards with excellent decision-making. The offensive line of tackles Mathew Moeder and Brantley Schaffer, guards Trent Kern and Matthew Johnson and center Danny Nieto paved the way for 196 yards rushing.

Panther linebacker Mathew Moeder hunted sideline-to-sideline. He accounted for 12 tackles to help limit Liberal to 95 yards rushing. Council and Cooper Liles deflected potential big pass plays away.

"We were glad to come out ahead," Beck said. "The kids responded defensively. Liberal gave us trouble that second half."

The Panthers led 21-14 at halftime after a high-spirited first half. The Panthers responded with 61- and 65-yard scoring drives after Liberal struck with 63- and 80-yard drives for a 14-14 tie.

Liberal's Zayden Martinez scored on a 13-yard touchdown pass from Brooks Kappelmann. Great Bend's Cody Miller answered with a 1-yard scoring run after a 39-yard reception by Braylon Council from Scheuerman.

The Redskins struck with the big play when Martinez caught a halfback pass from Aidan Schwindt and eluded several tackles for a 68-yard touchdown reception. Schwindt caught the 2-point conversion.

Great Bend dominated after trailing 14-7. Miller capped a 65-yard scoring drive on a 1-yard dive. Colton Brack caught a key pass. Miller and Scheuerman accounted for 52 yards on the drive.

Council broke up a pass intended for A.B. Amador to set up a 50-yard drive. This time, it was Council who connected with Blaike Parsons for a 28-yard reception. Scheuerman scored on a 1-yard run after a key 9-yard scamper.

The Panthers reached Liberal's 2-yard line right before half, but had a touchdown reception by Brack nullified on a holding penalty. Alex Galindo missed a 33-yard field goal.

"We took advantage of some things," Beck said. "It took us five plays to score before halftime. We felt like we left one out there right before half."  

Liberal 6 8 0 0 — 14

Great Bend 7 14 0 7 — 28

L—Zayden Martinez 13 pass from Brooks Kappelmann (kick fails), 5:51; L—Martinez 68 pass from Aidan Schwindt (Schwindt pass from Kappelmann), 11:04; GB—Cody Miller 1 run (Alex Galindo kick), 1:22; GB—Miller 5 run (Galindo kick), 7:18; GB—Cayden Scheuerman 1 run (Galindo kick), 1:29; GB—Scheuerman 34 run (Galindo kick), 1:12

RUSHING—L—29-95; Trystian Juarez 15-72; Aidan Schwindt 11-29; Ivan Moreno 1-2; Kappelmann 2-(-8); GB—35-196; Scheuerman 13-99, Miller 23-77; Council 1-20

PASSING—L—Kappelmann 15-30-0, 159; A Schwindt 1-2-0, 68; GB Scheuerman 9-17-0, 136; Council 1-1-0, 28

RECEIVING—L—Martinez 4-105; A.B. Amador 7-70; Schwindt 4-36; Erek Lira 1-16; GB—Braylon Council 3-51; Miller 4-49; Maddox Spray 1-29; Blaike Parsons 1-28, Colton Brack 1-7