Huslig, Garden City win NJCAA football title
Andover Central graduate Peyton Huslig was a difference-maker for Garden City Community College’s football team when he became starting quarterback at midseason. He was a difference maker Saturday in leading the Broncbusters to the NJCAA championship.
His first-quarter, 85-yard touchdown run and fourth-quarter touchdown pass, along with a Garden City goal-line stand late, lifted the No. 1 Busters past No. 2 Arizona Western 25-22 in the El Toro Bowl at Yuma, Ariz.
Arizona Western led 22-19 with 2:23 to play and had first down at the Garden City 3. But in three rushing downs, Arizona Western got only to the 1 before Garden sacked quarterback Emanuel Gant on fourth down.
Huslig took over at his own 16 with 1:26 to play. One first down later, he found Ben Phillips for 51 yards, and two pass-interference penalties gave Garden first-and-goal at the 1. Huslig hit Harley Hazlett on a fade pattern for the victory.
Ariz. Western | 0 | 14 | 0 | 8 | — | 22 |
Garden City | 7 | 12 | 0 | 6 | — | 25 |
GC — Huslig 85 run (Herring kick)
GC — Howard fumble recovery in end zone (kick failed)
AW — Anderson 19 pass from Gant (Alibegic kick)
AW — Miles 15 fumble recovery (Alibegic kick)
GC — Hughes 32 pass from Huslig (pass failed)
AW — Patton 8 pass from Gant (Lucero pass from Gant)
GC — Hazlett 1 pass from Huslig (run failed)
Individual Statistics
Rushing — Arizona Western, Rodriguez 24-137, Bell 12-30, Parrish 1-1, Harley-Hampton 2-1, Gant 1-(-14). Garden City, Huslig 14-116, Minter 20-26, Davis 1-8, Thomas 3-7, Hughes 1-(-5).
Passing — Arizona Western, Gant 13-26-169-2, Favoroso 1-1-(-9)-0. Garden City, Huslig 11-20-150-0, Phillips 2-2-9-0.
Receiving — Arizona Western, Woodyard 1-46, Anderson 4-35, McKnight 4-32, Patton 2-24, Powell 1-22, Rodriguez 1-10, Haliburton 1-(-9). Garden City, Phillips 2-63, Campbell 3-38, Davis 3-23, Hazlett 2-22, Lawson 1-14.
Salt City Bowl — Butler gave up a 14-point lead entering the fourth quarter to lose 39-38 to Eastern Arizona at Gowans Stadium in Hutchinson.
Eastern Arizona (9-4) pulled within seven by returning a fumble recovery 25 yards for a touchdown with 9:20 to play. Jonathan Thomas scored from 7 yards with 1:23 to play, then the Gila Monsters went for the lead with Thomas successfully running for the two-point conversion.
Butler quarterback David Isreal passed for two touchdowns, rushed for one and caught a 13-yard TD pass from CJ Sims just before halftime.
E. Arizona | 3 | 14 | 7 | 15 | — | 39 |
Butler | 3 | 21 | 14 | 0 | — | 38 |
B — Winter 35 FG
EA — LeCorre 23 FG
EA — Hardrick 2 run (kick blocked)
B — Wilkes 56 pass from Isreal (Winter kick)
B — Vang 14 pass from Isreal (Winter kick)
EA — Hardrick 1 run (Thomas run)
B — Isreal 13 pass from Sims (Winter kick)
B — Abrams 7 run (Winter kick)
EA — Thomas 23 run (LeCorre kick)
B — Isreal 1 run (Winter kick)
EA — Ewen 25 fumble recovery (LeCorre kick)
EA — Thomas 7 run (Thomas run)
Individual Statistics
Rushing — E. Arizona, Thomas 29-130, Cooksey 13-68, Hardrick 7-68, Lowe 8-49, Watson 3-23, Brincson 5-19, Cooper 1-2. Butler, Abrams 21-122, Truss 7-29, Isreal 6-19, Sims 1-(-1), Bruere 1-(-4).
Passing — E. Arizona, Thomas 3-5-38-0. Butler, Isreal 8-16-246-1, Bruere 1-6-10-0, Sims 1-1-13-0.
Receiving — E. Arizona, Lowe 2-22, Watson 1-16. Butler, Mitchell 3-88, Wilkes 2-66, Currie 1-58, Abrams 1-31, Vang 1-14, Isreal 1-13, Sims 1-(-1).
Mineral Water Bowl — Washburn (7-5) committed five turnovers in a 36-23 loss to Bemidji State at Excelsior Springs. Mo.
This story was originally published December 3, 2016 at 6:06 PM with the headline "Huslig, Garden City win NJCAA football title."