Navarro developed more than passing interest two minutes into Saturday's game after ninth-ranked Garden City struck for the first touchdown.

The 13th-ranked Bulldogs took advantage of a 263-yard passing performance that featured Tim Burns' three TD receptions and stormed to 34 unanswered points over the frustrated Broncbusters. 

With a 34-20 win in hand, Navarro secured its first season-opening victory since 2021's 35-14 win at Cisco.  Saturday's win enabled NC to claim its third win in four meetings with the 'Busters.

McKinney (Boyd) freshman quarterback Ryan Shackleton threw for 226 yards with touchdown strikes of 70 and 49 yards to Burns, a Miami, Fl., sophomore, as the Bulldogs jettisoned to a 24-7 lead at halftime.  Sophomore Mason Shorb played in the second half and zeroed in on a nine-yard scoring pass to Burns, who out-battled defenders for possession inside the right front-corner pylon.

Burns finished with six catches for 153 yards with three scores – most productive single-game yardage total by a Bulldog receiver since Karl Reynolds (8-189-2) in a 56-49 loss to Blinn at Midlothian ISD Stadium on October 9, 2021.

Shackleton and Shorb guided Navarro to 24 first downs and 374 yards offense.  Of their combined 16 completions, 14 went to returning sophomores (Burns, Braylon Finney, Shawn Brown and D'Tyrian McCoy).

Garden City had its issues defending the pass – and more frustrations overflowed in other areas for first-year coach Kiyoshi Harris' squad.   The Broncbusters were penalized 17 times for 168 yards, their defense spent 32 minutes on the field, and offensive inconsistency resulted in eight punts.

Kennesaw State transfer, Tyler Nelson ran for 143 yards for GCCC, but struggled throwing the ball, finishing 11-of-24 for 100 yards and one interception. DeJuan Lacy  carried the ball 11 times for 57 yards, and Zac Dyer had six catches for 52. 

Garden City looked good early with an up-tempo ground attack. Nelson's 62-yard run on the fourth play from scrimmage set up the freshman's eight-yard touchdown run that gave the Broncbusters their only lead..   

On Navarro's first play of its ensuing possession, Shackleton hit Burns in stride for a 70-yard touchdown to tie the game.  

Plano Prestonwood freshman placekicker Haden Tessier booted field goal of 27 and 48 yards.  Tessier's 48-yarder matched marks by Patrick Sohrt in 2012 and Patrick O'Brien in 2014 for Navarro's longest field goals during the SWJCFC's 29 -year era.

Elsewhere in the SWJCFC v. KJCCC Challenge:  TVCC 37, Independence 30; Northeastern Oklahoma A&M 26, Butler 25;  Hutchinson 42, NMMI 10; and Dodge City 20, Tyler 17  The SWCGC leads 3-2 with only one game – Coffeyville at Cisco – scheduled Saturday, September 7.