The Garden Plain Owls’ football season ended this last Friday night. The Owls’ ride was put to an end by the Hoisington Cardinals. They battled through the season and finished with a strong record of 9 – 2. The Owls should be nothing but proud of what they accomplished. Going into this season, they had many doubts, but they finished with 9 wins, which Garden Plain hasn’t accomplished since 2020.
The Owls’ season’s accomplishments were quite outstanding. The team together had over 3,000 total rushing yards. Leading the pack was senior Emrick Hays and sophomore Braylen Dold. The Owls had one of the best running games in Kansas. Along with the Owls’ running game, the defense was also one of the bright spots of the team this season. They gave up just over 13 points a game and forced 21 turnovers. One of the defining moments from the season came in Week 5 when the Owls pulled out with a huge district game over Haven. The game was highlighted by the Owls’ defense, which held strong until the end, and sophomore running back Braylen Dold, who had nearly 150 rushing yards. Another special moment for the Owls was knocking off Beloit in the playoffs, who ended their season last year. Coach Rice was especially proud of this win as it showed growth in the Owls’ program.
Garden Plain had many players step into bigger roles this season. Multiple players came into this season with little to no experience and played exceedingly well. Offensively, senior quarterback Eli Eck and sophomore running back Braylen Dold stepped into huge roles. The offensive line also stepped up to contribute to the season’s success, as the Owls only returned one starter, Tucker Tomson. Four new linemen stepped into starting roles and played at a high level. Sophomore Brock Randolph had a huge breakout season as he earned 1st team All-League Offensive Line.
Garden Plain had 8 players earn All-League honors in the Central Plains League. Emrick Hays won the Offensive MVP award, and Braylen Dold won the Special Teams MVP. Hays had a stellar season with over 1,300 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns. These stats will add on to his amazing career, as he ranks 2nd in rushing yards and 3rd in tackles in Garden Plain history.
The Owls’ team chemistry was a huge part of what led to their success this season. From working together in summer workouts to battling with each other in late playoff games. The team was built on trust. Garden Plain was not the biggest team, and they were also a young group. Coach Rice spoke on how the Owls responded to this adversity, “With us being really young and usually being the smaller team on the field, our players took pride in their fundamental development and kept a positive attitude. ”
The Garden Plain community was impactful this season, as they always are. Every Friday night, the stands would be filled with fans, ranging from family and friends to longtime supporters. The community support fueled the Owls. Braylen Dold spoke on what makes Garden Plain football so special, “Something truly special about Garden Plain football is the bond we build with each other and the community around us. Our teammates feel like family, and the support we get from Garden Plain is incredible. No matter if it’s a home game or a long road trip, our community always shows up and fills the stands.”
Garden Plain will lose a handful of seniors who contributed to this team’s success, but they had many underclassmen step up and deliver impactful plays. The sophomores this year stepped up into a huge role as 9 different players filled much bigger roles.
Coach Rice spoke on the graduating senior group, “I am really proud of our senior group. These guys were freshmen when I started here. It is amazing to see the growth of these guys on and off the field. Our senior class really led by example and has left a very positive impression on our program. ”
The seniors this season hope to have left a good impact on the underclassmen. Tucker Tomson spoke on the impact he hopes he had, “The one thing I really want to leave behind is a positive impact on their lives. I want them to think that I was hard on them, but also I want them to know that I was only hard on them to elevate their game. I want them to carry certain traits that I drove into them throughout their lives.”
Tomson also left some advice for the underclassmen, “Don’t stop trying, It doesn’t matter if you’re out there every snap or you don’t play at all. The day you stop trying to get better at whatever it is you do is the day you fail yourself and your teammates.”
Garden Plain has a bright future to look forward to, as they return 12 players who saw significant playing time. Some of the key returning players will be Braylen Dold, Brock Randolph, Hunter Kampling, and Easton Pauly. With the talented underclassmen, the Owls will have a strong foundation to build off of for the seasons to come. The underclassmen leaders are already setting goals to improve, Braylen Dold said, “Two goals I want to set for next season are to have better summer attendance than we did last year, and to keep all guys on board in the program.”
While the season ended sooner than the Owls hoped, it showcased a team full of promise and pride. With the young talent and the culture of this program, the future for Garden Plain looks bright.
