By Travis Mounts
Garden Plain’s season came to an end during a 45-25 loss at Conway Springs on Friday night. The defeat ended Garden Plain’s run of state title game appearances at two, and brought an end to the Owls’ 26-game winning streak. Garden Plain’s last loss was in the 2006 State championship game.
Friday was a disappointing night for the Owls who struggled to get their offense going, committed penalties at crucial moments, and could not find an answer to the Cardinals’ tandem of Jaydan Bird and Caleb Brill.
Bird ran for 188 yards, 160 in the first half. And while the Owls were able to slow down Bird after halftime, Brill stepped up to gain much of his 150 yards in the second half. Meanwhile, the Owls could never establish their running game. With starter Daniel Capul out with an injury sustained in the Scott City win a week ago, the Owls could only muster 77 yards on the ground.
Early on, the game looked like it would deliver the expected – a tough battle between two strong teams with rich football history. Both teams went three-and-out to start the game. The Cardinals were able to drive to the Garden Plain 12-yard line on its second possession, but the drive died following a holding penalty and a pair of incomplete passes. The Owls punted on their next drive, which has hindered by a false start penalty on third-and-5.
The Owls' offensive front lines up against the Conway Springs defense.
A short punt gave the Cardinals good field position at Garden Plain’s 40-yard line. A big run by Bird on the first play of the drive put Conway Springs inside the 30-yard line. Two plays later, he broke free for a 22-yard score and a 6-0 lead. The extra point kick was no good.
Garden Plain answered on its next possession, driving 69 yards. An early holding penalty was overcome by a 16-yard run by Jacob Puetz on a draw play. A personal foul on Conway Springs’ Nathan Pauly for roughing moved the Owls to the Conway Springs 20-yard line. The Owls took the lead 7-6 on a two-yard touchdown run by Jason Zoglman.
Conway Springs regained the lead on their next drive. A 48-yard run by Corey Sones set up a 12-yard touchdown run by Brill, who ran virtually untouched into the end zone. The Cardinals converted the two-point conversion for a 14-7 lead.
Garden Plain responded again, driving 63 yards in seven plays, capped by Puetz’ 35-yard pass to Antonio Dowdy. The point-after kick was blocked, and the Owls trailed 14-13 with 5:07 left in the first half.
It was the closest the Owls would be the rest of the game.
Bird took the first snap of the ensuing drive, running 80 yards for a touchdown, breaking several tackles along the way. The Cardinals’ Brill run in for the two-point conversion for a 22-13 lead with 4:51 left in the half.
Quarterback Jacob Puetz escapes from a Conway Springs defender.
And that’s when things went from bad to worse.
The Owls mishandled the kickoff, and Conway Springs recovered at Garden Plain’s 17-yard line. The defense forced the Cardinals into a field goal attempt, which they converted for a 25-13 lead.
Although the Owls trailed by just 12 points at halftime, the second half belonged to the Cardinals.
Garden Plain was forced into a three-and-out on the opening drive of the third quarter. With good field position at their own 48-yard line, the Cardinals needed just five plays to score again. Sones completed the drive with a 36-yard scoring run for a 31-13 lead. The Owls stopped Bird on the two-point conversion.
Then the Cardinals picked off Puetz’ pass on the first play of Garden Plain’s next possession. Brill scored four plays later, a 24-yard touchdown run. The Owls were able to tip the point-after kick, but it still found its way through the uprights as the Cardinals took a commanding 38-13 lead.
Conway Springs scored on it’s next possession, a 15-yard scamper by Brill that gave the Cardinals a 45-13 lead with 1:07 left in the third quarter.
Garden Plain was able to show some life in the fourth quarter.
The Owls got a quick score early in the quarter when Puetz and Dowdy connected for a 37-yard pass play that set up a three-yard touchdown run by Daniel Youngers. After a defensive stop, Puetz found Dowdy open for a one-play, 85-yard touchdown. The extra point kick on both scores was blocked.
Conway Springs will face Silver Lake in the 3A State title game next Saturday. The Silver Lake Eagles will be making their seventh consecutive appearance in the championship game.
Silver Lake has six State titles, the last coming in 2006 in a win over Garden Plain. It was won titles in 1997, 1991, 1989, 1984 and 1981. Conway Springs won four straight titles from 2001-2004, beating Silver Lake the last three of those years.
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