Photos Courtesy of Nick Dailey (@IDRSports)

Written By Rob Beckmann @Coach_Beckmann

On the road – with the game on the line in the fourth quarter – the No. 6 Independence Pirates shocked the No. 3 Garden City Broncbusters with two consecutive defensive touchdowns, en route to a 26-13 victory. 

"The preparation of the defensive staff and execution of the defensive players gave us the edge we needed to come out victorious," Indy Pirates Head Football Coach Jason Martin said. "Garden City's defense played well, but our offense controlled the tempo throughout the game and kept us out of bad situations." 

In what had been a defensive battle all night, a scoreless third quarter by both teams left the Pirates behind 13-10 going into the final quarter. Each squad had only scored one touchdown apiece to that point in the game, as yards were difficult to come by and the endzone even more so. 

Early in the fourth, the Broncbusters moved into the Pirates' red zone, poised to increase their lead and make it a two-score game. However, on a quarterback-keeper run play, defensive back Kywon McCray swooped in, stripped the ball, and streaked down the field 77 yards for a touchdown, giving Indy their first lead of the night at 16-13. 

Tasked with stopping a Garden City rally, the Pirates defense did one better. After the ensuing kick-off, still in Broncbuster territory, a Garden City handoff to the running back was met immediately by Indy. As the back was slung down, the helmet of a Pirate defender jarred the ball loose for another fumble, and defensive back Markus Knight scooped and scored to push the Pirates' lead further to 23-13. 

The stunning turn-around showcased Indy swinging the momentum and score by 13 points on two defensive TDs in less than one minute. For the game, the Pirate defense had six sacks and 15 tackles for a loss. Top tacklers were James Djonkam (9 tackles), Xavier Morrow (8), Knight (8), and Will Whitson (7). 

"I'm proud of our effort and ability to make plays when we needed them," Pirates' Defensive Coordinator Steve McCollom said. "The fourth quarter was fun to be a part of; our defense all believed in the man next to them and we took over the game together. I'll ride with this team anywhere." 

The Independence offense moved the ball down the field once more in the fourth quarter, threatening in Broncbuster territory, and ultimately settling on a field goal. Kicker Brandon Gielow tacked on a 27-yarder to increase the final score to 26-13 as the Pirates secured the win. 

Quarterback RJ Walker threw 10 completions in the performance for 99 yards and a touchdown. The TD was snagged by receiver Almount Smith on a 11-yard catch in the second quarter. Walker's top target on the night was Denzil Alleyne who caught three receptions for 50 yards. Malik Mullins also had two grabs for 26 yards. 

"We'll always appreciate a Jayhawk Conference win any way we can get it," Indy Offensive Coordinator Alex "Bear" Farah said. "It was a great defensive performance by our team and they bailed us out when we needed it. We'll see our offensive shortcomings on film, and we'll get them fixed." 

The Independence Pirates return home this Saturday for another Jayhawk Conference showdown with the Highland Scotties. Kick-off is scheduled for 1:00PM CT at Emmot Field in Shulthis Stadium. The live stream will be available here: https://www.kjcccsports.net/ICCPirates/