Breckenridge Texan

By Carla McKeown and Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan

Although the Breckenridge Buckaroos lost the game, it was a hard-fought win for the Cisco Loboes at Chesley Field on Friday night.

The last 15 minutes of the game had the green-clad fans on their feet in full-on cheer mode. Parents, grandparents, former football players, recent graduates holding their newborn babies, and those who just came to see a good football game…they were all standing, stomping, yelling, cheering, sometimes even jumping up and down as the Buckaroos sent the game into overtime.

The Buckaroos stop a Loboes ball carrier in Friday night’s game in Cisco. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

Up until the fourth quarter, it was a low-scoring game for the Buckaroos. As the third quarter ended, the score was 6-20 in Cisco’s favor, but Breckenridge wasn’t ready to call it quits.

About three minutes into the fourth quarter, the Buckaroos scored. A failed extra point attempt put the score at 12-20 at 8:54 on the clock. Less than two minutes later, a Buckaroo interception gave them the ball again. They took advantage of the situation, and with 2:28 left in the game, they had tied the score 20-20.

In those two and a half minutes, the Buckaroos held the Cisco Loboes away from the goal line, leading to a tie when the clock ticked down.

In overtime, the Buckaroos received the ball first and scored a touchdown. With the extra point kick good, the score was 27 -20 when the Loboes got their overtime turn. They also scored, and a two-point conversion gave them a total of 28 points to win the game.

“A year ago, we never would’ve fought this hard,” Head Coach Casey Pearce said after the game. “I’m super, super proud (of the team).”

Comparing the game to last week’s Homecoming loss to the Bells Panthers, Pearce said the difference “was just absolute fight. They were prepared. It meant something. They had pride. There’s still no excuse for last week. We play like this a week ago, we win that ballgame, or we’re in it, at least.”

Pearce said the Breckenridge team has changed a lot in the past year. “This group of kids is committed to making a change in how we do things,” he said. “They come to work. And they grind, and they can flush adversity and keep moving forward. There’s no finger pointing. There’s no complaining. They have a role, and they embrace their roles every day.”

First Quarter

The Buckaroos won the coin toss and chose to receive the ball to start the game off. The first points were put on the board at 2:04 on the clock when Cisco scored a touchdown. The Buckaroos blocked the extra point kick, and the score was 0-6.

Second Quarter

Breckenridge had the ball at the beginning of the second quarter, and made a touchdown a minute and a half later with a pass from Chase Lehr to Anson Rodgers, tying the score at 6-6. Just before the halftime break, Cisco scored again, leaving the score in the first half 13 for the Loboes and 6 for the Buckaroos.

Third Quarter

Cisco increased their lead by another 7 points about halfway through the third quarter, the only points to be scored that period.

The Buckaroos take down a Cisco Lobo during Friday night’s game at Chesley Field. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

Fourth Quarter

Trailing by 14 going into the fourth quarter, Rodgers scored a touchdown for the Buckaroos at 8:54 on the clock. The extra point attempt failed, and the score was 12-20.

Less than two minutes later, Rodgers intercepted a Cisco pass. Breckenridge maintained possession of the ball and scored with a pass from Lehr to Zeke Castillo. Another pass from Lehr to Jerry Lawson was good for the two-point conversion, tying the game at 20-20 with 2:28 left on the clock.

On Cisco’s next possession, they got the ball down to the Buckaroos’ 3-yard-line. The Loboes attempted a field goal on fourth down with 13 seconds left in the fourth quarter, but the kick failed, sending the game into overtime.

Overtime

The Buckaroo fans had been on their feet since that fourth-quarter interception, and the overtime sent them into a frenzy. The overtime plan was for each team to have an offensive possession, starting at the 25-yard line, and attempt to score. At the end of the second possession, if the score was not tied, the team with the higher score would be declared the winner.

Breckenridge got the first overtime possession, and Lawson scored a touchdown. Benny Escobedo’s kick was good, and the Buckaroos were leading 27-20 in overtime.

It was Cisco’s time for the overtime possession, and they also scored a touchdown. Their 2-point conversion attempt was successful, putting them in the lead by one point.

Final Score: 28 Cisco, 27 Breckenridge.

Stats

The Buckaroos finished with 292 yards of total offense, 145 yards rushing on 39 attempts and had 147 yards passing.

Lehr completed 17 of 19 passing attempts for 147 yards and rushed for 44 yards on 12 attempts. Lawson finished with 55 yards on 14 attempts and one touchdown. Rodgers had two touchdowns, and Castillo had one.

On defense, Julian Eutimio had 11 tackles. Rodgers and Emilio Maya had one interception each.

Next week

Next week, the Buckaroos travel to Eastland to take on the Mavericks. Eastland is 0-3 for the season and lost to Jim Ned last week 20-48. Friday, Sept. 17, will be the Mavericks’ 2021 Homecoming game.

In 2020, Eastland made it to the quarterfinals of the 3A-Div. II playoffs, losing to Gunter High School Tigers, 28-61.

DISTRICT 3-3A SCORES

Windthorst 52
*Clyde 7

*Jim Ned 48
Eastland 20

 *Early 58
Comanche 14

 Grape Creek 50
*SA TLCA 22

*Wall – Canceled game with Midland Christian due to COVID-19 cases on Wall team.

*Denotes District Opponent

Breckenridge running back Jerry Lawson scored a touchdown and 2-point conversion in Friday night’s game against the Cisco Loboes. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

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