DODGE CITY, Kan. – The seventh-ranked Butler Grizzlies did not score in the first quarter on Saturday at Dodge City, but put up 59 points over the next two quarters on their way to a 66-7 win over the Conquistadors at Memorial Stadium.
"We didn't play as well as we could at the beginning, but once we got going it was a snowball," Butler coach Troy Morrell said. "There's going to be some battles, and the other team will compete. Everybody wants 21 points in the first quarter but it's not always going to happen. But I'm proud of the way the guys reacted."
Butler turned the ball over twice in the first quarter before finally getting the offense rolling in the second quarter with five straight touchdowns. Jasper Sanders scored on a pair of touchdowns runs, one from 11 yards and another from 44 yards. Linebacker Tommy Sanders scored on a 37-yard fumble return, Rhett Enriquez scored on a 1-yard run and Chris Fields caught a 34-yard touchdown pass from Chandler Whitmer.
Butler would surrender an 87-yard punt return near the end of the first half as Dodge City would narrowly avert being shutout.
In the second half, Butler continued to dominate, getting a pair of touchdown runs from Dreamius Smith, including a 52-yarder late in the third quarter. That gives him a touchdown run of 50 yards or longer in three of Butler's first five games.
Enriquez scored for a second time on another one-yard run, Connor Frazell kicked a 19-yard field goal and Javess Blue returned a punt 69 yards for the final touchdown of the night.
Butler would post 605 yards of total offense, including 381 yards rushing. Jasper Sanders had 23 carries for 153 yards and two touchdowns, while Dreamius Smith had nine carries for 124 yards and two touchdowns. The Grizzlies nearly had three runners over 100 yards as Derrick Thomas rushed for 97 yards on 22 carries.
For the third straight game, the Butler defense held the opposing offense out of the end zone. Last week, Air Force Prep scored on a fumble return, while Dodge City's was on a punt return. Butler allowed 239 yards of total offense, including holding Dodge City to a negative eight yards rushing.
The Grizzlies were penalized for 155 yards, which is a season high.
"That's way too many," Morrell said. "It was very sloppy by both teams at the beginning. We just have to go back and learn from what we did well and learn from our mistakes and get better. Our guys have done a good job with that and expect them to continue that this week."
Butler now 4-1 on the season and 3-0 in Jayhawk Conference play, returns home next Saturday to take on Garden City in a 7 p.m. kickoff at Galen Blackmore Stadium.
