Bucks win big at HOCO

The Breckenridge Buckaroos’ perfect start continued Friday, Sept. 23 during their 2022 Homecoming win against the Benbrook Bobcats. Prior to kick-off, Abigail Otts and Nate Aguilar were announced as the 2022 Homecoming Queen and King.

The 2022 Homecoming Court was also announced prior to the game. Camila Palacios and Nate Aguilar, Elizabeth San Lucas and Adrian Ruiz, Jesi Warren and Marco Jaramillo, Sadie Bailey and Nando Bacera, Abbigail Otts and Chase Lehr, and Jady Gonzales and Chicago Harper were announced as the Senior Court.

The Junior Princess and Prince were announced as Chloe Whitmire and Karter Smalley, with Miley Roberts and Isaac Hernandez-Pina announced as the Sophomore Princess and Prince. Lane Bartoskewitz and Joseph Juneau were announced as Freshman Princess and Prince.

The 2022 Best All Around Boy and Best All Around Girl are Emilio Maya and Haigan Thompson, with Zeke Castillo and Avery Rodgers as Most Popular Boy and Girl.

The team will enter district play with a 5-0 record following a 5617 homecoming victory. The Buckaroos’ first of eight touchdowns happened at the 9:42 mark of the first quarter. On their first offensive play of the game, Jerry Lawson broke a pair of tackles at the 25 and 30-yard lines for a 73-yard touchdown run. Sawyer Wimberley’s extra-point kick was good for a 7-0 lead.

The defense took over from there. On the next offensive play for the Bobcats, Jaylon William’s fumble was recovered by Hunter Eaton. The Buckaroos began their second possession from the Bobcats’ 32-yard line. A bad third-down snap to Lehr and a Buckaroos’ penalty forced them to punt on fourth-and-long from the Bobcats’ 43-yard line.

Offensively, the Bobcats struggled to get going on their third drive of the game and the drive met a premature end.

After being chased by Marco Jaramillo and Lane Castillo, Collin Thompson’s pass to Kade Kross was picked off by Alexis Franco and returned to the Benbrook 14-yard line.

On the following play, Chase Lehr rolled out of the pocket and to the right for a touchdown throw to Anson Rodgers. Wimberley’s kick gave the Buckaroos a 14-0 lead.

The Buckaroos never trailed in the game.

A defensive pass interference penalty by the Buckaroos helped to set up the first score of the game for the Bobcats near the end of the first quarter. The penalty gave the visitors a first down on the Buckaroos’ 41-yard line. The penalty was followed by a pass to the Buckaroos’ 7-yard line and then a 7-yard touchdown run by Thompson.

The Buckaroos led 14-7 at the end of the first quarter. A fumble by Lawson provided the Bobcats the opportunity to tie the game early in the second quarter, taking over on their 42-yard line. However, the Buckaroos’ defense held the Bobcats to a 32-yard field goal by Emerson Vazquez.

Three-straight touchdowns by the Buckaroos, including a fumble recovery by Tim Newell, gave them a 35-10 lead at halftime. The fumble recovery was the third of three takeaways by the Buckaroos’ defense in the game. Hunter, Lawson and Adler Loftis were each credited with forced fumbles in the game, with Eaton and Newell each recovering a fumble.

On the first play immediately following Newell’s fumble recovery, Lawson ran for a 19-yard score. Wimberley’s extra-point kick turned into a 35-yard extra-point kick. A bad snap led to Lehr picking up the ball and throwing for what was originally a successful 2-point conversion. However, a 15-yard blind-side block penalty negated the play and forced the longer kick. Wimberley’s second attempt was good for a 28-10 lead.

Following a failed possession by the Bobcats, the Buckaroos started their final drive of the half with a 23yard pass from Lehr to Rodgers. Lehr ended the drive by breaking a tackle at the 19-yard line and scoring a 19yard touchdown run for a 35-10 lead at halftime.

The second half started on the Bobcats’ 49-yard line after the Buckaroos recovered an onside kick to open the half. After a 5-yard run by Lawson, Lehr found Rodgers wide open near the 20yard line for a 44-yard touchdown throw. Following a three-and-out by the Bobcats, the Buckaroos’ run game finished their second drive of the half with a 9-yard touchdown run by Rodgers for his third of three touchdowns in the game.

Benbrook scored its final touchdown of the game in the third quarter on a 5-yard touchdown throw from Thompson to Kyler Hayes.

The Buckaroos’ final score of the game came in the fourth quarter. Camden Escalon, who entered the game for Lehr as the game was out of reach for Benbrook, threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Wimberley to cap off the win.

As a team, the Buckaroos ran for 268 yards, led by Lawson’s nine carries for 136 yards and two touchdowns. Lehr and Rodgers combined for 120 yards and three rushing touchdowns. Lehr completed five passes for 100 yards and two touchdown passes.

Defensively, the Buckaroos had their strongest game of the season, holding the Bobcats to 194 yards, the lowest defensive total of the season. Zeke Castillo led the defense with 12 tackles. Lawson had 11 tackles, including one sack, two tackles for loss and one forced fumble.

What’s Next

With their best start in decades, the Buckaroos will open district play at 7 p.m. next Friday, Oct. 7, when they travel to Iowa Park to meet the 1-5 Hawks.

The Hawks will enter the game after losing three-straight games to Burkburnett, Graham and Wichita Falls High Schools. The Hawk’s lone win of the season was a 63-21 win Friday, Sept. 2 against the Benbrook Bobcats at home.

The Hawks, along with Vernon, who the Buckaroos will visit next week, dropped down to 3A-I this year following the UIL’s bi-annual reclassification and realignment.