The game didn’t start the way Crusader head coach Steve Warner had hoped on Friday night in Buhler. After a couple of possessions, Buhler trailed the Wildcats 14-0 as Mulvane’s two-headed monster of Grady Myers and Hays Ensley gouged the Black Knight defense in a way not often seen under defensive coordinator Jason Kohls.
The game started to turn around late in the second quarter when a field-flipping punt by Buhler punter Dylan Scripsick put Mulvane deep in its own territory, and the Buhler defense got a much-needed stop. On the ensuing possession, Buhler tailback Landon Martinez punched in his first of four touchdowns on the night.
Throughout the second half, the Buhler offense found its footing largely through the legs of Martinez, who finished the evening with 152 yards on 17 carries and four touchdowns.
Still, it took an interception in the end zone by the aforementioned Scripsick on the penultimate play of the game to seal the victory, 28-23. With the win, Buhler moves to 2-0 on the season ahead of its big rivalry game with McPherson next Friday night.
