Box Score EL DORADO, Kan. -- A trio of turnovers in the first 10 minutes put No. 15 Dodge City Community College in a 17-0 hole it could never get out of as the Conquistadors fell to No. 3 Butler 38-14 Saturday evening at BG Products Veterans Sports Complex.
The game started well for DC3 (5-2 overall, 4-1 KJCCC) as
Quandreko Statham returned the opening kickoff 61 yards to the Butler 35.
However on the Conqs' first play, Butler (7-0, 4-0) picked off DC3 quarterback
Tommy Lazzaro.
While the DC3 defense held and forced a punt, the Conqs turned it over on fumbles on their next two possessions - both leading to Butler touchdowns to put them behind 14-0.
The Conqs trailed 17-0 with less than five minutes left in the half, but were set up for a 20-yard field goal to cut the lead to two touchdowns. However, Butler broke through and blocked the kick and Tony Jones returned it 98 yards for a touchdown to turn it into a 24-0 Grizzlies lead. It was Butler's fourth field goal block returned for a touchdown this season.
"Everything we said we couldn't do, we did," DC3 coach
Gary Thomas said. "They are a good football team, but they are not 24 points better than us. ... This one is on me, though. I didn't prepare us well enough."
Greg Scott eventually scored with 1:47 left in the second quarter for DC3 to cut the Butler lead to 24-7 at the half - a half that DC3 outgained the Grizzlies in yardage 197-121.
The lead eventually grew to 38-7 before Lazzaro scored on fourth and goal from three yards out to make it 38-14 with 5:32 left in the fourth.
DC3's Lazzaro finished 14-for-21 passing for 172 yards and an interception while adding a rushing touchdown.
Justin McInnis had three catches for 69 yards to lead the Conqs.
Mark Thompson rushed for a team-high 99 yards.
Butler's Justice Hansen was 13-for-19 for 201 yards. His top target was Julian Burris who caught five passes for 103 yards. KicKobe McCrary led the Grizzlies with 59 yards rushing and three touchdowns.
DC3 finished with 310 yards of offense (172 passing, 138 rushing) while Butler had 361 yards (201 passing, 160 rushing).
The Conqs return to action noon Saturday when they host Iowa Central at Memorial Stadium.
