Buckaroos wrap up pre-district play with loss to Lions
Still searching for their first win of the 2019 season, the Breckenridge Buckaroos had high hopes of being able to achieve that goal Friday as they took on the Dublin Lions at Memorial Stadium in Dublin.
But, the Bucks will continue the search for that first win following their 28-21 loss to the Lions, dropping them to 0-5 on the season.
Buckaroo Aaryn Medina scored two touchdowns with passes from Owen Woodward on Friday night in Dublin. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
The contest between the two teams has proven to be a defensive battle and a great matchup on the field as the two teams have had the last three meetings separated by a combined eight points dating back to 2016.
Breckenridge’s last win against the Lions came in 2016 (21-17), while Dublin won in 2017 (27-24) and in 2018 (22-21).
After having the Lions spoil the Bucks’ homecoming the past two seasons, the Bucks were hoping that the tables would be turned and could spoil the party Friday evening for the Lions.
With the score tied at 21-21 with 33 seconds left in the game, the game appeared to be on track to be decided in overtime.
However, the Lions had other plans as Dublin’s Cy Wing connected with a wide-open Colten Couch on a 68-yard touchdown pass with 22 seconds left to put the Lions up 28-21.
If many Buckaroo fans were having flashbacks to the 2018 matchup, it may not have come as a surprise as Dublin did nearly the same thing to the Bucks in that game and with under a minute remaining.
The Bucks attempted to tie the game on the ensuing drive and had a short field to help them accomplish that, starting the ball on the Dublin 47-yard line.
Breckenridge made it to the Dublin 39-yard line but failed to convert a fourth and two.
After the game, the disappointment was evident with Buckaroo Head Coach Casey Hubble.
“I’m just disappointed overall,” Hubble said. “We didn’t play good enough to win. Didn’t coach good enough to win.
“We got to be the same every week, and we are not,” he said. “We play our competition every week, it seems like, instead of playing us. We can’t do that. We got to be us. We don’t need to play really good against a Cisco team and then play bad against anybody. We just need to be us.”
Following a defensive battle for the first half of the opening quarter, the Buckaroos got on the board on the last play of the quarter as Owen Woodward connected with Aaryn Medina for a 6-yard touchdown pass.
Jonas Arellano evades the Dublin defense in the final pre-district game of the season. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/ Breckenridge Texan)
The score capped off a 12-play 64-yard drive that saw the Bucks convert two fourth down attempts. The Bucks also used 5:52 of the clock on the drive.
Dublin answered with a 7-play 38-yard drive that was capped off with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Wing to Couch with 10:31 remaining in the second quarter.
The score would remain tied at 7-7 until Dublin’s Hagen Huffman scored on a 21-yard run with 2:53 remaining in the half.
Breckenridge responded with a 75-yard drive that was capped off with a 33-yard pass reception by Medina from Woodward with 12 seconds left in the half.
The score was tied 14-14 at the halftime break.
The Bucks used the momentum from an interception by Medina at the 7:15 mark of the third quarter to drive the ball 80 yards and use up all but 34 seconds of the remaining third quarter clock.
Woodward broke the 14-14 tie with a 1-yard touchdown run with 33 seconds left to put the Bucks up 21-14.
A sack and fumble recovery by Dublin saw the Lions move the ball 40 yards in six plays ending with a 15-yard touchdown pass from Wing to Angel Ramirez with 6:41 left in the game, tying the score at 21-21.
The Bucks began another lengthy drive that took off all but the final 33 seconds of the clock.
Breckenridge moved the ball from their own 13-yard line to the Lions 29-yard and looked to be able to possibly kick a game-winning field goal. However, the Bucks turned the ball over on downs after failing to convert fourth and long, leading to the Lions’ final score.
Breckenridge finished the game with 321 yards of total offense (91 passing and 230 rushing) on 89 plays and had one turnover.
The Lions had 289 yards of total offense (180 passing and 109 rushing) on 43 plays and one turnover.
The good news now for the Bucks is they will have two weeks to prepare and get healthy for a grueling District 3-3A race with stiff competition.
The Bucks had two players get hurt Friday evening, adding to the three who were hurt earlier this season.
“Hopefully we can get some guys healthy and get some guys back,” Hubble said of the open week next week. “We need to get some guys healthy.”
The Bucks open the District 3-3A schedule by hosting the Jim Ned Indians at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11.
The first district road game will be against Eastland on Oct 18, followed by two home games on Oct. 25 (homecoming) and Nov. 1 against Early and Wall.
The district schedule will conclude with a road trip to Clyde on Nov. 8.
The Buckaroos had 91 yards passing in the Friday night game against the Dublin Lions. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/ Breckenridge Texan)
District 3-3A Division I Results (9-27-19):
Dublin 28 (4-1)
Breck 21 (0-5)
Clyde 54 (3-1)
Colorado City 0 (0-5)
Jim Ned 40 (5-0)
Brady 23 (1-4)
Wall 40 (5-0)
Big Spring 0 (1-4)
Eastland 39 (5-0)
Jacksboro 22 (2-3)
Early 63 (3-2)
Hico 0 (0-4)
*Statistical numbers are unofficial at time of publication and were provided courtesy of Charlie Parker, KLXK-KROO Radio.
Story by Brant Thurmond/Breckenridge Texan
Cutline, top photo: Buckaroo Quarterback Owen Woodward hands off the ball to Anson Rodgers in the game against the Dublin Lions on Friday. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
