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Riding a high from the week one win on the road over Dodge City the Highland Community College Scotties played host to the defending NJCAA National Champions third ranked, Garden City on Saturday to continue the season. The game proved to be like the last four a tight contest decided by single digits as Garden City snuck away with a 27-23 win. 

Both teams had limited opportunities offensively through the first portion of the game and it was scoreless after the first quarter. Garden City however was in the redzone at the end of the first and started the second quarter with a fourth and one from the six-yard line and decided to go for it when Highland came up with the first of several great stops in the contest turning the Broncbusters over on downs inside the 10. The Broncbusters returned to the redzone twice more in the second quarter but Highland had answers each time as Garden City lined up for a 35-yard field and the Scotties blocked it and Domonique Williams scooped the ball up and returned it 82-yards for the score. While the PAT was unsuccessful the Scotties owned the 6-0 lead and before halftime stopped Garden City on another fourth down in the redzone to go into intermission up 6-0. 

Out of the half the Scotties found the endzone again capitalizing on a Damarion Williams interception setting up a short field for Highland to cover to visit the endzone. Kevin Brown capped the drive with a 21-yard touchdown run making it 13-0. Garden City took their goose egg off the scoreboard with just under five minutes on the clock in the third when they ran it in from 10-yards out capping a 10-play drive that covered 72 yards. Highland had an answer just before the end of the third as William Solomon split the uprights from 39-yards to make it 16-6 entering the fourth quarter. 

In the fourth Garden City jarred the ball loose and Auston Robertson picked the Scottie fumble up returning it 35-yards for the touchdown and with the PAT the Scotties led just 16-13. With 8:26 on the clock Garden City took their first lead when Terry Wilson hit Nigel Kilby for a 25-yard touchdown making 20-16. The Scotties down for the first time in the contest had plenty of time left and put together a seven play drive that covered 67 yards capping in a 13-yard touchdown pass from Kyle Kearns to Kevin Brown and the PAT the Scotties held a 23-20 lead. That lead however was short lived as Garden City again moved the ball down the field to find the endzone on a four-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to Jeremiah Jackson making it 27-23. The Scotties got the ball back with an opportunity for a game winning drive with a little over two minutes remaining but stalled out and Garden City took the contest 27-23. 

Highland in the matchup gained 256 yards of total offense but Garden City posted 393 yards including 210 on the ground. Scotties won the turnover battle with a +1 margin for the game but Garden City was able to convert 9-18 third downs and were aided by nine Highland penalties for 77 yards. Kearns finished the contest 15-35 for 127 yards with a touchdown and interception, while Willie Jordan gained 73 yards on 20 carries and Brown added 64 yards on 13 carries with a score. Albert Howard caught four passes for 38 yards, while six different Scotties caught a pass on the day. 

On defense Highland was led by Jeremiah Hill who had 11 tackles, while Amadou Fofana record 10 tackles and a sack. Kendrick Catis notched nine tackles with 3.5 for loss, while Jahkeem Green tallied nine tackles. Both Darius Johnson and Damarion Williams each had an interception. 

The loss moves Highland to 1-1 overall and also in KJCCC play to head into the bye week. Scotties will next be in action against at Iowa Central on Saturday, September 16th with a 12:00pm kickoff.