Concordia Falls to Swathers on Homecoming

The 2026 Concordia High School homecoming week comes to an end on Friday, September 25th, as the Concordia Panther football team fell to the #3 team in Class 3A, the Hesston Swathers, 42-14.

After struggling the last two weeks on the road, Concordia started this Friday night clash with big energy and momentum, as the Panthers struck first. Brandon Vignery found Ayden Krier for the 66-yard touchdown pass on the first drive of the game for Concordia to put the Panthers up 7-0. Here's how the call sounded on KNCK Radio.

The Swathers responded with a touchdown drive to tie the game 7-7 with 4:02 to go in the first half. After both defenses stepped up the rest of the quarter, Hesston took the game over in quarter 2. The Swathers scored on the first play of the 2nd quarter with a big 66-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jerick Humphreys to Kason Landes down the near sideline and into the end zone. After a Panther interception, the Swathers took the ball 1st and 10 from the 11 and scored in just two plays on a run by Humphreys into the end zone, giving Hesston the 21-7 lead with 7:32 to go in the 2nd quarter.

Concordia would respond after the turnover on the previous drive. After a big run by Krier, Concordia was in the red zone and on 3rd and long. Vignery found Senior Kale Schroeder for the 18-yard touchdown catch to get the Panthers within a score.

Concordia Football Head Coach Brad Wildeman joined Tyler Dorman in the Panther Postgame Show and shared about his team's effort early.

The lethal Hesston offense would not be stopped however. The Swathers immediately responded with another methodical drive capped off by a 17-yard touchdown run from Nick Fry to give Hesston the 28-14 lead. Concordia stalled on the next offensive possession, giving Hesston another shot at the end zone right before halftime. Jerick Humphreys on the final play of the 2nd quarter found Gavin Larson, who made the catch at the same time as Concordia's Liam McNutt; the official ruled the tie in favor of the receiver for the 38-yard touchdown, and Hesston went from a one-score lead to a 35-14 lead into the halftime locker room.

Wildeman spoke about the effectiveness of the Swather passing attack.

To start the 3rd quarter, Concordia had a promising drive that stalled out inside of the 10-yard line, and unfortunately, this would be the common theme in the final 24 minutes of the game. Concordia had the football inside the red zone three times in the 2nd half and was never able to get any points. Hesston added 7 in the 4th quarter and went on to win the game.

Concordia finished the game with:

• 327 total yards
• 143 rushing yards
• 184 passing yards
• 12 first downs

Ayden Krier was named the Swenson Jeardoe Family Farms Player of the Game, finishing with 3 catches for 106 yards and a touchdown, while also adding 36 yards on the ground on 2 carries.

Kale Schroeder finished with 3 catches for 31 yards and a touchdown, and Braytin Hake finished with 17 carries for 93 yards. Brandon Vignery, in his first start of the year went 8/18 for 184 yards with 2 touchdowns and an interception. Coach Wildeman shared what he hopes his team takes away after the tough loss.

The Panthers fall to 1-3 on the season and 1-1 in NCKL play, and now 0-1 in 3A district play. Concordia looks to bounce back on the road when they take on the Chapman Fighting Irish, who are 3-1 on the season after a narrow 25-22 loss on the road to Wellsville on Friday night.