1955 Bucks lose to Eagles, beat Bobcats

Historically Speaking

In last weeks summary, the Bucks had a Jerry Payne (LE) touchdown called back and had an unusual 99 yards lost due to penalties, which would have made the score 38-9 instead of 26-9.

Bill Taylor (FB) had six carries for 47 yards, Bennett Watts (QB) had 13 carries for 27 yards, Eugene Offield (LHB) had seven carries for 21 yards and Buddy Hamilton (RHB) had six carries for eight hard-fought yards. Watts had four of eight passes completed.

By Oct. 3, 1955, the Breckenridge Buckaroos were named seventh in the state in 2A football after a start in pre-district with a lose to the Wichita Falls 4A Coyotes (6-20) and wins against Snyder (14-7) and Brownwood (26-9).

Next on the Bucks schedule was the tilt with the state-ranked 4A Abilene Eagles named second in the state for the 4A classification.

In the very first series that the Bucks had the ball, a Watts touchdown run of 24 yards was called back for an offsides penalty of five yards. That kind of took the wind out of their sails, which would have been a big psychological boost to score right off the bat in the first quarter.

The Bucks fought hard to stifle the Eagle drives which took 70 yards for their first touchdown in the first quarter and 75 yards for the Eagle second touchdown in the third quarter.

The Bucks recovered five of the Eagles seven fumbles that afternoon but could not turn them into touchdowns. In the second quarter, the Bucks got to the Eagle 21-yard line before they were stopped on downs.

In the third quarter, the Bucks got to the 28-yard line before they were stopped.

Watts and Payne were the stop gap when the Eagles broke through the usually impregnable front line with Ronnie Daniel (LT), Joe Fonville (LG), Frank Riggins (C), James Stanford (RG) and Larry Munnerlyn (RT).

In the first half, the Eagles had 203 rushing yards but were kept to only 105 yards the second half. The Bucks had 71 yards the first half and 80 the second half. Watts had eight passes for 99 yards, six of them to Payne. In the fourth quarter, the Bucks mounted their last offensive thrust and had battled from their own 41 to the Eagles 4-yard line, with fourth and two to go when time ran out. The final score was 0-13 for the Eagles. That made it a 11-8 series for the Bucks in their total of 19 meetings against the Eagles. The Bucks had one more game before starting their 2A district schedule. Initially, the Bucks were to go to 2A-9 but ended up going to District 8 in the 2A classification for the 1955 season.

The Bucks were set to play the Childress Bobcats and a crashing blow it was for the Bobcats. It was a 48-7 score, with four times as many first downs at 24 to 6 in favor of the Bucks. The Bucks had 325 rushing yards and Watts had 8 of 11 passing yards for 113 in the air. Bill Taylor (FB) kicked to the Bobcat 12 and the pigskin was returned to their 44. After three plays and a fourth down situation, the Bobcat quarterback gambled on a handoff to the FB, who proceeded to run 46 yards for their one and only touchdown for the day. The Bobcats led 0-7 briefly.

Offield took the Bobcat kick-off at the 25 and ran it to his own 37. Watts handed off to Buddy Hamilton (RHB), who ran 28 yards to the Bobcat 35 and then another run to the 25. Watts took a keeper in for the quick touchdown and Hamilton kicked the conversion. In less than five minutes, the score was now 7-7.

From there, the wheels fell off for the Bobcats. The Bucks took over on fourth down. Hamilton made 11 yards over right guard and then Watts passed to Joe Bob Jackson (RE) for 13 yards. Hamilton took off and rattled off another 31 yards. Two plays later, Hamilton fumbled the ball on the Bobcat one-yard line.

Childress took two plays and didn’t get anywhere and so opted for a quick kick on the third down but it only made it to the Bobcat 18.

Watts fed the ball to Hamilton, who went in for the second Buckaroo TD. The Watts kick was no good and the score was now 13-7.

On the next Bobcat series, Hamilton partially blocked the Bobcat kick, which went to the Bobcat 35, where the Bucks took over. Four plays later, Watts was on the goal line and fumbled and the Bobcats took over on their own 20. Unfortunately, the Bobcats lost the ball on downs and it was back to the Bucks on their own 45. Watts had a four-yard pass to Ronnie Payne, younger brother of Jerry. Watts kept the ball next and went around his own right end for 41 yards and the third TD. Hamilton made the conversion and the score was 20-7 at the half.

Offield took the Bobcat kick-off, to start the second half, at his own 22 and jaunted 20 yards to the Bucks 42. Watts took charge as the filed general and hurled a pass intended for Ronnie Payne (Jerry’s younger brother) but it was intercepted and stopped the Bucks on the their own 36. The Bobcats couldn’t get anything going and turned it over on downs.

Watts started the offense rolling with seven yards over left tackle on a keeper. Hamilton got 12 yards and Watts then passed to Jerry Payne (LE) and he tallied 32 yards to the Bobcat 19. Once again a Watts pass was intercepted right on the goal line and the Bobcat defender ran it out to the Bobcat 16. Unfortunately, the Bobcats were forced to punt after three unproductive attempts to move forward.

Watts and the Bucks took over on the Bobcat 44 and he ran for 14 yards on a keeper. Next, Watts pitched out to Offield for another 22 yards.

Watts took it another 11 yards and then handed off to Bill Taylor (FB), who made seven yards and another TD for the Bucks. Hamilton’s kick was good and the score was now 27-7.

Taylor kicked to the Bobcats on their own 14 and they returned it 19 yards to the 33. Taylor and Payne combined to land some really tough defensive tackles on the Bobcats in that series and it was soon fourth and 17 to go for a first down for the Bobcats. Once again they punted out to the Bucks 45.

Watts handed off to Offield, who went for six yards and then Hamilton took the pigskin for another 21 yards. Watts passed to Payne for 14 yards and then Watts handed-off to Offield for 12 more. Offield got the nod once again from Watts and went in for a TD. Hamilton kicked the conversion and the score was now 34-7.

On the next series, the Bobcats made it to the Buckaroo 8-yard line.

Two plays later, Watts intercepted a Bobcat pitchout and ran 92 yards north for another Buckaroo TD. He was escorted down the field with a sea of green and white just in case they were needed. Hamilton converted and the score was now 41-7.

The next Bobcat series failed and the Bucks took over on their 30. Bobby Goswick went in for Watts at quarterback. He ran only two plays before the substitute back, Freeland Morgan, fumbled the ball on the Bucks 28 and Childress recovered. Eight plays later, the ball was returned to the Bucks at their own 15.

Watts returned to begin another Buckaroo drive and handed off to Hamilton, who tallied 11 yards. Hamilton got the Watts nod once more and went for 16 yards and then Watts passed to Payne who shot off for another 22 yards. Morgan came back in the game and Watts handed off to him for five yards. Another new back, Jimo Wilson, went for a yard and then Watts went back to Morgan for five more yards and another Buckaroo TD. Morgan’s very first TD as a varsity running back.

Hamilton made the kick and the score was 48-7. After another unsuccessful series by the Bobcats, Goswick went back in and ran three more plays to the Bobcat 32, when the game ended. Hamilton had tallied 147 yards, which was more than the entire Bobcat backfield at 133 yards. “Wizard” Watts made 81 yards and Offield had 63 yards. Payne caught passes of 9,16, 4, 32, 14 and 12 for his 87 yards. Watts completed seven of nine passes and Goswick had one pass for 22 yards.

After that scramble, the Bucks were prepared for the District 2A-8 and their first opponent the DeLeon Bearcats on Oct. 21, 1955.

Jean Hayworth can be contacted at: jhay@suddenlink.net or at the B.A. offices located at 114 E. Elm St.