Butler (1-2, 1-2) picked up their first win of the spring 2021 season with a 56-21 victory on the road at Dodge City Sunday afternoon and head into the bye week carrying some momentum.
Although the Grizzlies won by a large margin, the game didn't start the way Coach Schaffner and the Grizzlies would have wanted as Butler fell behind 14-0 after the first quarter.
It seemed as if the Grizzlies would strike first as they were able to recover not one, but two muffed punts on the opening drive by the Conquistadors, but the Grizzlies could not turn these miscues into points as the offense could not get into any sort of rhythm with a 30 MPH wind blowing against them.
The Conqs had a quick answer on their first possession, as the offense led by running back C.J Hall, went right down the field and scored a touchdown in just four plays capping the drive with a Mel Dantzler 13-yard run in just four plays.
The following Butler drive ended in controversy as Butler quarterback Gavin Screws appeared to throw a forward pass that fell through the hands of Grizzly receiver Trey Echols. The officials did not blow the whistle on the dropped forward pass, ruling that the play was a backwards pass which allowed Anthony Schaffer to pick up the ball and run 53-yards to the endzone as everyone just stood and watched and Dodge City took a 14-0 lead with 2:54 left in the first quarter.
The momentum stayed with the Conqs on the next Butler drive as the Conqs were able to force a Grizzly turnover on downs as the Butler attempted a shovel pass play to receiver Ke'John Baptiste that was caught but he was tackled well short of the line to gain. The Butler defense had an answer on the ensuing drive as they forced the Conqs to turn it over on downs on their next drive and after this point forward, it was all Grizzlies the rest of the way out.
After forcing a Dodge City punt, Jordan Kempf would quickly punch in a score for the Grizzlies followed by a Kempf two-point conversion to cut the Conq lead down to 14-8 with 6:52 left in the second quarter.
The Butler defense would force another three and out and then after a botched snap, Jordan Kempf scooped the ball up at the Conq 22-yard line and ran it all the way to the endzone to give the Grizzlies their first lead of the game at 15-14. This lead was the first time the Grizzlies had led in the first half of a game all season and it was their first lead since the 00:02 mark of the 3rd quarter against the Independence Pirates.
The Grizzlies would then get another score as they forced Dodge to punt yet again but this time Ian McSwain got through the line to block the punt and the ball rolled back to the Dodge City one-yard line and was scooped up by Darius Lassiter who was able to walk into the endzone giving the Grizzlies a 22-14 lead going into the half.
Butler used their second quarter momentum and continued to roll after halftime. After a leaping Malik Berry intercepted a pass from Dodge quarterback Kobe Copple, Screws threw a dart to receiver Eddie Lewis streaking across the middle of the endzone to give the Grizzlies a 29-14 lead with 12:49 to play in the third quarter.
Screws threw his second passing touchdown of the game, this time a gorgeous pass into the arms of Darius Lassiter to put Butler up 35-14 with 3:40 left in the third. The Grizzly defense would get another stop and allowed for another beautiful ball to be thrown by Screws as he hit a streaking Jordan Kempf as he ran 35-yards into the endzone for a 42-14 Butler lead with 2:40 left in the third.
After the Conqs got a long TD run to close out the third quarter, the Grizzlies responded with two more scores. Running back Kevontae McDonald took over in the fourth as he scored a 19-yard touchdown just 30-seconds into the quarter. Then after some more defensive stops, McDonald would power down the field and into the endzone giving the Grizzlies one more score on their last drive of the game. The Grizzlies stopped the final Conq drive and walked away with their first win of the season 56-21 over Dodge City.
Both sides of the ball for the Grizzlies had their best games of the season as the offense put up their most points and yards of the season and the defense allowed their fewest points and yards of the season. Fifty-six points is the most points scored on offense since the 2015 season.
Gavin Screws had his best game of the season as he went 13-23 for 183 yards and three touchdowns. Kevontae McDonald and Jordan Kempf led the Grizzlies on the ground as McDonald rushed for 101 yards on nine touches with two touchdowns and Kempf had 85 yards on 15 carries with two touchdowns.
Malik Berry, freshman linebacker from Lawrence, KS, had a team leading 11 Sunday afternoon. Berry had seven solo tackles, a quarterback hurry, two pass breakups and an interception. Quae Drake, for the third straight week was all over the field totaling nine tackles, a quarterback sack and three tackles for loss. Mason Thrash recorded two sacks for a loss of 13-yards while also forcing a fumble which he was able to recover. Tre Simmons was a plug on the line of scrimmage and had six tackles, two quarterback sacks and a forced fumble.
The Grizzlies are off next week but will start their prep to play the Red Ravens as they travel to Coffeyville on Sunday April 25th for a 1:30pm kickoff.
Notes: Most points scored in a game since the 2015 season…Butler leads overall series vs Dodge (55-31-1)...Butler is 30-2 against Dodge since the 1995 season...Butler has not lost to Dodge in Dodge since 1995...Grizzlies avoid 0-3 start to the season...
