1954 Bucks best the Garland Owls, move to semi-finals

Historically Speaking

The 1954 Buckaroos were co-champs of District 3A-1, with the Big Spring Steers. However, since the Bucks had beaten the Steers in the regular season (35-14), it would be the Bucks that represented District 3A-1 in the playoffs. Ironic that it was the district that the Bucks were voted out of for the 1955 season. Breckenridge had won the toss and elected to play at home in Buckaroo Stadium.

The town was all decorated with a Buckaroo banner stretched across Walker St. by Bill Black and Larry Doyle. All the drug stores, grocery stores and downtown stores were closed until after the 2:30 p.m. game was over.

Many sportswriters from across the state were in town to cover the game including from Fort Worth, Dallas, Wichita Falls and Abilene. The Big Spring coaches had brought their entire team to cheer for the Bucks. Additionally, the Vernon coach, Spot Collins, had brought some of his players to watch the Bucks play Garland.

The Magnolia Petroleum Co. sponsored the state-wide radio broadcast of the game. The bi-district playoff game between the Bucks and the Garland Owls was set for a week after the Thanksgiving game on Dec. 5, 1954.

The Garland Owls had an unblemished record, 10-0 for the season. The Bucks had a 10-1-1 record with a lose to Sweetwater (14-18) and a (13-13) tie with Levelland during district games. Both teams had played Brownwood. The Owls beat the Lions 19-6 and the Bucks had overwhelmed the Lions 42-7. The Garland offense averaged 24.1 points per game and the Bucks averaged 32.7 points per game. The Owls allowed 9.2 points per game and the Bucks had allowed 9.8 points per game.

The Bucks were able to score in each of the first three quarters and then were able to hold off the Garland Owls in the fourth quarter, even though the Owls got down to the Buckaroo one-yard line.The Bucks defense was anchored by Jerry Cramer (LG), Sonny Everettt (RG), W.L. Pevey (RG), Buddy Hamilton, James Jones (RG) and Jesse Chaney (LG).

In the first quarter, Watts slipped the ball to Dick Carpenter (FB) and he burst forward around the right end, cut back to his left and scampered through all the Garland defenders with the help of some timely blocks by Everret, Cramer and Chaney, for the Bucks first touchdown and Clyde Harris (RHB) made the conversion. The score was 7-0 for the Bucks.

The Owls drove back down the field to the Bucks 10 but were stopped there. Jerry Payne (C) broke through on the third down and forced a five-yard loss by the Owls, which was followed a hit on the fourth down by John Cotton, who pushed the Owls back another four yards. The Bucks took over on downs and in the beginning of the second quarter, the Bucks took 12 plays, that included a 25-yard gain by Dick Carpenter (FB), who went right up the middle. Harris had runs of 10 and 20 yards, which got the Bucks down to the one-yard line and Jake Sandefer (LHB) plunged over for the second touchdown for the Bucks. The Clyde Harris (RHB) kick went wide and the score was 13-0 for the Bucks, at the half.

Tommy Beasley (LE) kicked off for the second half with a low boot that allowed the Owls to grab the pigskin on their own 31 and race down the right side of the field for a 69-yard jaunt for their lone touchdown. Bobby Knight and Carpenter attempted tackles inside the five but were unsuccessful. The kick was good but then the Bucks only led by one touchdown.

Later in the third quarter, the Bucks marched 76 yards with Sandefer making a double-reverse click for 25 yards to the 35-yard line of the Owls. Harris ran off right tackle, cut sharply and zipped through the hole made by W.L. Pevey (RG) and Tommy Beasley (LE) and scampered past the Owl defenders for the third Buckaroo touchdown. John Cotton (RE) made the kick good, his ninth straight extra point conversion. The score was now 20-7.

In the fourth quarter, the Garland Owls mounted an 82-yard drive to the Buckaroo seven-yard line and then to the two-yard line in two more plays but was hauled to a stop by the Bucks tackle, Cramer. The Owls then fumbled the ball, recovered it but were out of downs.

The Bucks took over and ran out the next seven minutes of the clock, with 16 plays and 70 yards to the Owl 21, when time ran out. The Garland Owls were smothered by the Breckenridge Buckaroos 20-7. Harris, Sandefer and Carpenter were the big guns in the Buckaroo attack. Jerry Payne turned spoiler and swiped two Owl passes and returned one for 19 yards before being downed. Pevey, Cramer and Chaney led the defense, with Buddy Hamilton (RB/Linebacker on defense), along with James Jones (RG).

Next on the Buckaroo schedule was the 3A semi-final contest against Lufkin, which was pegged as the schoolboy classic and a must see playoff football game. That game was set for 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11, at Baylor Stadium in Waco. The semi-final game was proclaimed as the standout game in the state that Saturday and the Bucks were considered the underdogs. Not since the Abilene game, were the Bucks considered the underdogs.

Next week we will follow the 1954 Bucks against the Lufkin Panthers in the semi-finals game in Waco. This tilt will decide one of the finalists for the 3A State Championship. The other semi-final game was between Port Neches and McAllen.

Jean Hayworth can be contacted at news@breckenridgeamerican.com or at the offices of the B. A., located at 114 E. Elm St.