Bucks play ignite fans in the final scrimmage

As football returns to Breckenridge, fans of the Buckaroos showed up in full force to support Buckaroo football. Facing a talented Mineral Wells Rams team, the contest began with a dominant start for the Bucks. The junior varsity team started the contest with back-to-back interceptions, stepping in front of passes from the Mineral Wells JV quarterback.

The Rams were unable to match the intensity of the Bucks and #9 Adrian Ruiz, Bucks running back, was able to gallop into the endzone for two early touchdowns. The JV Bucks were able to oppose their will against the Minerals Wells Rams JV team.

“The biggest thing was it was the first time we competed against someone,” Casey Pearce, Buckaroos head football coach said. “We were punched in the mouth and I thought we responded and competed. Emotions ran high at times and it was a lot of learning from this, but I was proud of the way we competed. They came out here and didn’t back down.”

By the end of the JV scrimmage, fans were anticipating the play of the Bucks varsity team. They received everything they have been waiting for months to see. A tough, physical Bucks team that could control both sides of the line of scrimmage.

The Bucks begin the first drive in dominating fashion, a play-action pass up the seam to #3 Jonas Arellano, putting the Bucks in Rams territory with just one play.

The Bucks were able to run the football at will, driving the length of the field and getting inside the 10. After an incompletion on third down, the Bucks had to settle for a field goal. Colby Stober, the Bucks kicker was able to put the ball through the uprights to score the first points of the scrimmage.

The Rams were able to score on their first offensive possession of the game, but the Bucks quickly answered with a drive with quarterback #3 Arellano under center. The team was able to drive down and score a touchdown.

On the Ram’s next possession, an outstanding defensive play by #15 Jayton Hash, breaking up a long ball deep down the right side of the field energize the packed Buckaroos Stadium.

The Bucks were unable to stop the run game and the Rams were able to get it into the end zone

After a late hit on #8, Henry Johnson went uncalled, the play seemed to ignite the Bucks players. The team answered with a touchdown drive that was capped off by #8 Johnson. The quarterback scored on a zone-read to the left, faked the pitch, and was able to get into the endzone for a touchdown.

The Bucks were tested with the deep ball during the scrimmage as the Rams are equipped with speedy receivers on the outside perimeter. The Rams were looking to answer the Bucks’ previous touchdown.

After a few possession of scrimmaging, the two teams began a half of football, with the coaches on the sidelines, the real game finally began.

With the game scoreless and the Rams marching into Bucks territory, the ball was inside the Bucks 15-yard line. The Rams quarterback rolled to the right and attempted a throw into the endzone. An athletic play occurred that changed the tides for the Bucks. A tipped pass by #3 Jonas Arellano land into Arellano’s arm for an interception and gave the ball back to the Buckaroos inside their own 15-yard line.

“Arellano is just a ballplayer,” Pearce said. “He going to be around the football when he’s on defense. At the point of attack, he can also block on offense, so he can make some things happen.”

During the Bucks possession, the Rams were able to strip the ball from #8 Johnson as he was evading a rusher and it pushed the Bucks back to the 15 yards line.

Backed up in their territory, with a second and long, 23 yards run by #8 Johnson bought up a third down for the Bucks. A 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty gave the Bucks a first down but a few plays later, an incomplete pass on fourth down bought the Bucks possession to an end.

With the score still scoreless, the Bucks were able to get to the quarterback as #35 Jerry Lawson sacked the Rams on fourth down and put the Bucks in scoring position.

The Bucks were able to use the momentum and turn that into a touchdown after #8 Johnson found a wide-open receiver for the in the endzone.

With 11 seconds to go, the last-ditch effort to score points ended with a sack for the Bucks ending the scrimmage with a 7-0 score.

The Bucks will travel to Jacksboro next Friday, August 28, to face the Tigers in the first game of the 2020 season.

“There are a lot of kids returning on that roster,” Pearce said. “We’ll have our work cut out for us. We’re going to have to find a way to utilize the kicking game and play solid on offense and defense. That where we’ll win football games.”