1954 Bucks continue win streak — Beat Plainview 35-7

The editor of the Breckenridge American, at the time of the Bucks 1954 season, added his own comments about the game against the 4A Abilene Eagles.

“It was an impressive display of perfect timing from the Buckaroos,” 1954 B.A. editor Charlie Hall said. “They had it Friday night. The Bucks demonstrated team play and how one team who wasn’t supposed to win against their opponent, who wasn’t supposed to be defeated by another team and then the underdog team won purely on team play - that was, Friday night.”

Hall went on to say Jerry Cramer and Dick Carpenter showed up, but we cannot forget the other nine.”

One interesting aspect was probably missed by most of the crowd but at the last Bucks touchdown, the score keeper automatically put up 35, but then quickly realized what he had done and changed it to 34 because the extra point conversion had not been completed yet, by Clyde Harris. Possibly, the scorekeeper took it for granted that Harris would make the kick good as he had done all evening, and then we saw the final score, 35-7. Five Bucks touchdowns and five extra point conversions.

The third district game was against Plainview. The coach at the time, Joe Kerbel spoke about the game going in.

“They have a great quarterback, a 235 pound tackle and a bone-crusher fullback that just runs right over all defenders, which is a big threat to a Bucks victory,” Kerbel said.

The Bucks finally faced off against the Plainview Bulldogs and once again Bennett Watts demonstrated his well-honed, deceptive ball-handling, with hand-offs, laterals and passes.

Kerbel put the second team in at the beginning of the third quarter and they scored a touchdown for the first time that season. However, when it looked questionable that the Bulldogs might score, Kerbel sent the first team back in to keep the Bulldogs from crossing the goal line.

Watts used quick thrusts at the line of scrimmage to carry out the option plays. There were only two forward passes used in the entire game, which garnered a total of 81 yards. The Bucks ground game included 387 yards rushing against 165 for the Bulldogs. Other contributors to the rushing yardage included Bob Acree, Buddy Hamilton, Bobby Knight and Edwin Robertson.

The Bucks scored five of the first six times they had the ball, which is enough to unnerve any opponent no matter how determined they are at the start of the game. The missed opportunity was a fumble the second time the Bucks had the ball. The next four possessions, the Bucks scored, which sent a definite message to the Bulldogs.

Dick Carpenter (FB) thundered through the Bulldog defenders with 11 carries for 140 yards rushing. Jake Sandefer (Left HB) demonstrated his quick take-offs for five carries for 111 yards.

Clyde Harris (Right HB) had only three carries for 63 yards in this game, which was down from his usual contribution. Watts, who demonstrated how well he utilized his quick, deceptive ball-handling, as he directed the backfield, only called his own number three times for 16 yards. The remaining yardage was gathered by the other backs mentioned above.

The Bucks defensive line held all night except for one Bulldog touchdown in the first quarter and then held the rest of the game.

The Bulldog quarterback did demonstrate his great passing skills. Unfortunately, his receivers kept dropping several balls right through their outstretched arms.

The game began with the Bucks scoring first but the Bulldogs retaliated with one of their own and it was all tied up, 7-7. But, before the half was over the Bucks ran the score up to 21 points, clearly demonstrating they were taking over the game.

The Bucks went 52 yards for the first touchdown. It took three plays with Carpenter pounding out 11 yards on his first two carries. Then, Sandefer burst through the left tackle and pitched the ball back to Carpenter, who ran for 33 yards and a touchdown, with Sandefer blocking a path for him right over the goal line. Harris made his first of five conversions and the score was 7-0.

The Bulldogs began a 54-yard drive late in the first quarter, into the second quarter when they finally got across for their first only touchdown of the night. The score was now 7-7, at the beginning of the second quarter.

It didn’t take long for the Bucks to spark up another run down the field. Sandefer took the kick-off from the Bulldogs and jaunted 30 yards down the field and then added a 42-yard sprint for a Buck’s TD and extra point added by Harris and the score was 14-7.

There was another Bucks touchdown during the second quarter that included a 59-yard move to the Bulldog goal line with Carpenter going for 21 yards and then a 38-yard jaunt to the Bulldog 7-yard line. Sandefer spurted across the final seven yards for the third Bucks TD and Harris kicked the extra point.

The Bucks led with another touchdown in the third quarter in a 73-yard drive in one play.

Sandefer took a pitchout from Watts and then Sandefer tossed the pigskin to Harris on the 50-yardline and he zipped to the Bulldog goal line and another BucksTD and a Harris conversion kick. The score stood at 28-7.

The final touchdown followed a fumbled Bulldog punt, which Sonny Everett (LE) recovered on the Bucks 13-yard-line. It took four plays to go 87 yards. Carpenter ticked off 39 yards in two carries andthen Sandefer collected 36 yards before he was stopped at the

11. Then on the final play, Sandefer blasted through for the final yardage and the TD. Harris made the extra point and the final score was 35-7 for the Bucks.