Standout Performers From Gardner-Edgerton vs. Olathe West

Week 3 of the '22 campaign followed up Week 2 with another intriguing Sunflower League matchup, as the Gardner-Edgerton Trailblazers faced off against the Olathe West Owls. This year's meeting between the two schools was the first since 2019, and both programs came into the contest with solid starts to the 2022 season. The Trailblazers came in looking to start the year 3-0 after picking up wins against Shawnee Mission East and Shawnee Mission South. Meanwhile, Olathe West was determined to bounce back after losing a one-score game to Lawrence in Week 2.   Olathe West jumped out to an early 6-0 lead in this one, but Gardner-Edgerton truly dictated the pace of this game. They'd respond to the Owls' opening score with 21 unanswered points, and would hold a strong 21-12 lead at halftime. The Trailblazers put together multiple methodical drives which prevented Olathe West from getting into a rhythm. Olathe West struggled to match the Trailblazers' big plays and physicality, as Gardner-Edgerton would eventually pull away in the 4th quarter to win 36-19.   Here's a recap of the Standout Performers from this Week 3 Class 6A matchup (Unofficial Stats).    Offense:   [player_tooltip player_id='1194054' first='Dawson' last='Kindler'] – GE, 5'11”, 185, RB, Class of '24   One of the main reasons the Trailblazers were able to dictate the pace of this game was because of [player_tooltip player_id='1194054' first='Dawson' last='Kindler']'s performance on the ground. Anytime the Trailblazers needed yards, Kindler was able to deliver. His bruising style appeared to wear down Olathe West's defense in the 4th quarter, and helped Gardner secure the win. The junior takes home the Offensive MVP after rushing for 139 yards on 36 carries with three scores.    <a href="https://twitter.com/buieaustin?s=21&t=YBkpogwg6Tg3SzxbJi_5XQ" data-type="URL" data-id="https://twitter.com/buieaustin?s=21&t=YBkpogwg6Tg3SzxbJi_5XQ">Austin Buie</a> – GE, 6'3”, 225, TE, Class of '23   Although <a href="https://twitter.com/buieaustin?s=21&t=YBkpogwg6Tg3SzxbJi_5XQ" data-type="URL" data-id="https://twitter.com/buieaustin?s=21&t=YBkpogwg6Tg3SzxbJi_5XQ">Austin Buie</a> is committed to Central Missouri's baseball program, the senior would be a talented tight end at the collegiate level. Gardner put Buie in position for favorable matchups, which led to him hauling in six catches for 123 yards and one touchdown.    [player_tooltip player_id='172775' first='Conner' last='Elder'] – GE, 6'1”, 165, QB, Class of '23   [player_tooltip player_id='172775' first='Conner' last='Elder'] could be looking at a new rank come the mid-season update for the Class of '23. The senior has played a major role in the Trailblazers' hot start to the season, as he's helped the offense average 51 points through three games. Elder would finish this one completing 9 of 12 passes for 188 yards with two touchdowns.   [player_tooltip player_id='244922' first='Mason' last='McGavran'] – OW, 6'0”, 205, QB, Class of '23   McGavran is widely considered one of top dual-threat quarterbacks in this senior class, but the Trailblazers' defense was able to limit the 35th ranked prospect in this one. The signal caller still managed to standout, as he accounted for 180 yards of total offense and two total touchdowns. Look for McGavran and Co. to rebound during Week 4.    Vincent Gatschet – OW, 5'10”, 175, RB, Class of '23   Outside of McGavran, Vincent Gatschet was one of the only other players that helped create a spark for the Owls' offense. Gatschet was relatively quiet after his 67-yard touchdown run to open the game, but the senior did manage to rack up 86 total yards on just seven touches.    Defense:   [player_tooltip player_id='124029' first='Dawson' last='Williams'] & [player_tooltip player_id='122941' first='Kaleb' last='Green'] – GE, Class of '23   These senior backers stepped up to really limit the Owls' ground game, and applied pressure on McGavran throughout the contest. The two would combine for over 10 tackles, and [player_tooltip player_id='122941' first='Kaleb' last='Green'] came up with a couple tackles for loss. Williams and Green will need another strong performance in Week 4, as they take on 3-0 Mill Valley.    Layson Johnson – OW, 6'0”, 180, LB, Class of '24   Layson Johnson has been a key contributor for the Owls' defense so far this season, and he was at it once again in this Week 3 matchup. His name was announced multiple times whenever Olathe West was on defense. The junior was involved in several plays, and he'd go on to rack up eight total tackles on the night.

Week 3 of the '22 campaign followed up Week 2 with another intriguing Sunflower League matchup, as the Gardner-Edgerton Trailblazers faced off against the Olathe West Owls. This year's meeting between the two schools was the first since 2019, and both programs came into the contest with solid starts to the 2022 season. The Trailblazers came in looking to start the year 3-0 after picking up wins against Shawnee Mission East and Shawnee Mission South. Meanwhile, Olathe West was determined to bounce back after losing a one-score game to Lawrence in Week 2.