1956 Bucks finish preseason with 1-4 record

The Breckenridge Buckaroo fans went to Fair Park in Abilene to see the annual clash between the Bucks and the Eagles. Unfortunately, the Bucks were out-played with pitchouts to the outside on option plays. Then, when the Buck defenders spread out to cover the outside options, of course, the Eagles cut sharply inside and traveled those routes to pay dirt.

Coach Chuck Moser did show some mercy by getting all 12 of their backs involved in the game and pulled his starters after the first quarter.

The Eagles had scored three touchdowns in the first quarter and then two TDs in the second quarter and had it not been for a timely interception in the fourth, by the Eagles, the score would have been 0-34, instead of the final score of 0-41.

The Bucks looked better in the third quarter, when the Eagle subs were put on the field, and managed 24 plays at the Eagle end of the field, but no scores. The Eagles also had two fumbles in the fourth, but the Bucks were unable to convert them into touchdowns.

Maurice Mehaffey collected 37 yards in 15 carries to lead the Bucks ground game, such as it was that day. George Wragg got 32 yards on 13 carries and was proving to be a big asset for the Bucks on the ground. Gary Ingram had 26 yards on 12 carries and Jimo Wilson had seven yards in two carries. Jimmy Wright was the quarterback once again for the injured starting quarterback, Bobby Goswick, who had a broken hand, but was expected back for district play, which was set to begin in two more weeks with the Brownwood Lions.

On Oct. 14, the Bucks faced Snyder in their last pre-season tune-up. The Snyder Tigers were picked as the number one team in the state for 3A football that year and had won all four pre-season games.

The Bucks would have Ronnie Martin in at center for Frank Riggins and once again, Jimmy Wright would be the quarterback. The Bucks had two seniors, three juniors, four sophomores and two freshman starting for the Green and White. The Bucks were forced to bow to the superior play of the Snyder Tigers powerhouse in another shutout, 0-28.

The strong front line of the Tigers held the Bucks to 67 yards on the ground and the Bucks only acquired five first downs. The Bucks had two completed passes in the fourth quarter for 35 yards but no score. The Bucks held the Tigers in the first quarter but then the Tigers exploded in the second quarter with three touchdowns to give them a 0-21 lead going in at half. Ronnie Payne, youngest of the four Payne brothers, was a freshman at RE, but also did the punting for the Bucks. He had a record 82-yard punt with the ball dying on the Snyder two-yard line, during the fourth quarter. The Bucks had two unfortunate fumbles in the fourth to give the Tigers two more TDs.

The Bucks were able to hold the Tigers scoreless in the third quarter. They marched from their own 38 into Tiger territory in the fourth.› Wright passed to Payne for 15 yards and hit Wilson for 20 yards during the march downfield. Mehaffey got eight yards and Wright made a first down on the Snyder 13. Unfortunately, the Bucks fumbled at that point and the ball went back over to the Tigers. Wilson racked up 35 yards on 11 carries, Ingram gathered 32 yards on 14 carries, Mehaffey got 16 yards on five carries and Wright had minus yards on eight carries. The Bucks won only one of their pre-district games against the Gainesville Leopards, 25-0 and lost four, which included two 4A teams of Abilene and Wichita Falls.

The Bucks were set to begin district play with the first game against the Brownwood Lions, Oct. 21, 1956. All the first string team members were back on the starting roster, with Riggins at center and Goswick at quarterback. The Brownwood Lions had the same preseason record as the Bucks with one win and four losses. The Bucks were picked to win this opening clash.

Next week, I will cover the Bucks/Lions game in detail, since it was one of three wins that season. The rest of the games of the 1956 season will be abbreviated like the two games above. The Mineral Wells game will be covered in detail, since that is one the Bucks won that season.