Dodge City football team capped the 2024 season with a tough Top 15 loss to #14 Butler on the road 28-14 to finish the season 6-4 and 3-3 in KJCCC action.
The 6-4 record marks the second straight winning season for the Conquistadors and the first back-to-back winning seasons since 2015 and 2016.
After a three-and-out to open the game the Conqs punted the ball away but would give Butler a short field for their first possession and the Grizzlies would just need four plays to cover 29 yards and get a touchdown to make it 7-0. Later in the first quarter, the Conqs backed up again, and punting from the endzone would see the punt get blocked and recovered in the endzone leading to a 14-0 advantage for Butler. As the first quarter was winding down the Conqs defense was getting the Conqs on the board as
Amarian Louis snatched a pass and returned the interception 45 yards for a pick-six making it 14-7 with just 16 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
Butler answered with a long 14-play drive that covered 84 yards to regain a two-touchdown advantage in the second quarter at 21-14. But the Conqs would come right back on the next drive going 62 yards on seven plays to score with a 34-yard touchdown run by
Stone Wilson making it 21-14 with just under five minutes remaining in the first half.
In the second half, each team would stymie the other as neither got too much going offensively while the Conqs would get a field goal attempt blocked in the third quarter and turn the ball over on downs early in the fourth. Butler added an insurance score with 1:41 remaining and the Conqs would fall 28-14.
Defensively the Conqs held Butler to just 240 total yards and 4-12 on third down with two interceptions.
Tory Gethers recorded nine tackles, while
Noah Williams added seven tackles. Louis and
Jamari Mosley each had an interception in the contest.
On offense, the Conqs had just 199 total yards with 176 coming on the ground.
Stone Wilson carried the ball 29 times for 168 yards and a touchdown.
The loss caps the season for the Conqs who finish 6-4 in the first season under Head Coach,
Ryan Lusby.
