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Cowboys Stun Scott City 42-36 on Last-Second Touchdown
SCOTT CITY — Twenty-three years. That's how long the Goodland Cowboys had waited to beat Scott City.
And with one second remaining Friday night, the Cowboys finally delivered a moment more than two decades in the making.
Goodland pulled off an improbable comeback, stunning the Scott City Beavers 42-36 on a last-second touchdown to snap a 23-year losing streak against its longtime GWAC rival.
It was a finish that will be remembered for years to come, capped by an unforgettable performance from senior Jaxson Miller and another remarkable display of resiliency from a Cowboy team that simply refuses to quit.
With Goodland's backs against the wall and facing a third-and-25 on its final possession, quarterback Reid Cure and Miller connected for one of the biggest plays of the season to keep the Cowboys' hopes alive.
Moments later, Cure found Miller in the end zone for the game-winning touchdown. The ball was deflected into the air, but Miller somehow managed to tip it back to himself and secure the catch in the middle of the end zone, sending the Goodland sideline and traveling Cowboy fans into a frenzy.
Just like that, 23 years of frustration against Scott City came to an end.
"All glory to God and the credit to the kids," Goodland head coach Dax Ruhs said afterward. "They played really hard and overcame a lot of adversity tonight."
Miller delivered one of the most remarkable individual performances in recent Goodland football history.
The senior accounted for four touchdowns, hauling in three touchdown receptions while also returning a kickoff 90 yards for a score.
His game-winning touchdown reception provided the exclamation point on a night that saw Miller repeatedly come through when the Cowboys needed him most.
Quarterback Reid Cure was equally impressive, tossing three touchdown passes without a turnover while directing Goodland's offense through several crucial possessions.
The Cowboys also received a big contribution from Konnor Collett, who found the end zone twice on the ground, giving Goodland a much-needed rushing presence to complement its explosive passing attack.
Ruhs credited Miller's work ethic and the dedication of Goodland's senior class for producing moments like Friday night's finish.
"I think it's really just a testament to how hard he's worked his whole life," Ruhs said. "That's true for a lot of our seniors on our team. They've worked super hard, and they've always been a successful class."
But the victory was about more than one player.
For the third time this season, Goodland found itself in a dramatic finish with the football and an opportunity to win the game in the closing moments.
The Cowboys had come up six points short in similar situations against Holcomb and Ulysses earlier this season, but those heartbreaking losses helped prepare them for Friday night.
Ruhs said the coaching staff placed a greater emphasis on two-minute offense during practice following those defeats.
"I think we learned our lesson through Holcomb and Ulysses on our two-minute offense and just how important that is, especially now in these very competitive games," Ruhs said.
"We've been working a lot of two-minute offense in practice. The kids have been loving it and excited for it."
When the opportunity finally arrived against Scott City, the Cowboys were ready.
Ruhs praised the offensive line for providing protection during the final drive, Cure for delivering the football under pressure, and his receivers for making the plays necessary to complete the comeback.
Defensively, Goodland faced plenty of challenges against Scott City's explosive offense.
The Beavers piled up more than 460 yards of total offense, outgaining the Cowboys and consistently finding success running the football to the outside.
Scott City quarterback Drew Metzger was especially difficult to contain, rushing for 174 yards and accounting for five total touchdowns in a remarkable individual performance of his own.
Ruhs said Goodland adjusted to a four-linebacker look at halftime in an attempt to contain the outside running game before eventually returning to its original defensive alignment.
"I thought we played really well against the interior run," Ruhs said. "It was the outside run that was killing us."
But while the Cowboys struggled to slow down the Beavers' offense, they came through with several crucial defensive plays when they needed them most.
Goodland forced three Scott City turnovers, helping offset the Beavers' advantage in total yardage and providing the Cowboys with additional opportunities to stay within striking distance.
Despite surrendering 36 points and more than 460 yards, Goodland's defense continued to battle, doing just enough to allow its offense to deliver the dramatic finish.
And the significance of the victory extends well beyond Friday night's final score.
Goodland had not defeated Scott City since 2003, a streak that spanned more than two decades and included numerous losses to one of western Kansas' most consistently successful football programs.
Ruhs, himself a Goodland graduate, was part of the Cowboys' 2013 team that came close to ending the streak but ultimately fell short.
Now, in his first season as head coach, Ruhs has helped lead the Cowboys to the victory that had eluded the program for 23 years.
The win also pushes Goodland to 5-2 on the season, giving the Cowboys their most victories in a single season since 2013, when Ruhs was a senior.
After opening the season 3-0, suffering back-to-back six-point losses to Holcomb and Ulysses, and bouncing back with a historic 50-0 Homecoming victory over Colby, the Cowboys have now delivered another milestone moment.
For Ruhs, the credit belongs to a senior class and a team that bought into the program's direction from the beginning.
"They wanted it, and now they're going out, and they're getting it," Ruhs said. "They bought in early, and they've stayed consistent, and they've shown up every day at practice and do everything we ask them to do."
Friday night was more than just Goodland's fifth win of the season.
It was a comeback for the ages, a victory over one of the Cowboys' biggest rivals, and the end of a streak that had lasted since 2003.
Twenty-three years later, the Goodland Cowboys finally beat Scott City.
And they did it in unforgettable fashion.
Goodland wraps up the regular season on Friday, October 23rd at home, hosting Hugoton with a home playoff game on the line.
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