(DC3 Sports Information) Dec. 1, 2023 -- To etch yourself into the history books and be the first to accomplish something is a big feat, and the Dodge City football team had already accomplished many things during the 2023 season but to top all that the Conqs won the school's first-ever bowl game with a 37-6 victory over New Mexico Military Institute in the Xcel Energy Wool Bowl.
The Conquistadors with the win close out the season 8-3 marking the most wins since 2015 and tied for the second most wins in a single season in school history. The Conqs also end the season on a five-game win streak (longest since 2016) and puts Head Coach, Terry Karg at 11 career wins as Dodge City coach which ranks 11th most in school history.
It was a sluggish start to the contest for both teams as each team's first offensive drives would end in interceptions with the Conqs defense coming up with a Moses Sarweh interception and then a fourth down stop to stymie the Broncos of NMMI early. Early in the second quarter, the Conqs forced another punt by NMMI and Trey Simmons scooped up the ball returning it 66 yards to the two-yard line leading to a Stone Wilson one-yard touchdown run giving the Conqs a 7-0 lead with 8:53 left in the second quarter. The Conqs would ride the back of Wilson throughout the contest marching down the field towards the end of the first half and capping a scoring drive with a Bryce Conover one-yard touchdown run after getting the ball back on a forced fumble by Kenyan Hunter that Dwight Nunoo recovered. Conqs forced a three-and-out the next NMMI drive and Bobby Arnold III busted through on the punt and blocked it, then scooped it up and ran it back 27 yards for a touchdown leading to a 20-0 lead at halftime for the Conqs.
Wilson helped the Conqs extend the lead early in the third quarter scoring his second touchdown of the game on a one-yard run with 11:13 left in the third quarter to make it 27-0. Then the Conqs would add a 22-yard field goal by Angel Dominguez after another NMMI turnover. Early in the fourth quarter Arnold would put his fingerprints all over the game again with the Conqs' fourth interception of the game and returned it 72-yards to give the Conqs a 37-0 lead. NMMI would get on the board with 13:38 breaking a big 65-yard touchdown pass but the Conqs would go on to secure the 37-6 victory in the Wool Bowl.
In the contest, the Conqs ran for 262 yards as a team and the defense was strong holding NMMI to just 214 total yards, just eight first downs, 2-13 on third down, and five turnovers.
Wilson paced the Conqs on offense running for 196 yards on 37 carries with two touchdowns while adding two catches for 12 yards.
On defense, Antonio Delgado tallied seven tackles, while Jaden Kelly registered six tackles. Sarweh, Arnold, Tyrence Crutcher, and Kenyan Hunter all record interceptions, while Hunter added a forced fumble.
The Conqs close out the 2023 season racking up multiple accomplishments including winning the first-ever bowl game victory as the team finished the season with an 8-3 record.