Buckaroos beat Loboes for first time since 1999
By Brant Thurmond/Breckenridge Texan
Following a week of excitement after dominating the Childress Bobcats a week ago, the Breckenridge Buckaroos got a chance to really make a statement and turn some heads this week as they took on the Cisco Loboes in Buckaroo Stadium Friday night.
Despite a strong showing by the Loboes, who scored 20 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, the Buckaroos held on till the end, claiming the 30-27 victory and improving their season record to 3-0.
None of today’s students had even been born the last time the Buckaroos defeated the Loboes, 28-0, in 1999.
The two schools traditionally played each other each year for several years, but the series took a halt after the 1999 match up and then resumed with scrimmages in 2012 and 2013 under head coach Steve Freeman. The first recently scheduled game was in 2014 when former head coach Casey Hubble came to Breckenridge. The series has seen the Loboes win each match up for eight consecutive seasons before Friday’s win over the Loboes.
The Buckaroos were very close to breaking the streak in 2021 when they played the Loboes to overtime, before a two-point conversion ultimately decided the game and saw Cisco come out on top 28-27.
Buckaroo head coach Casey Pearce knew that the Loboes would be ready to battle and that his Buckaroos would be in for a chess match to the very end.
“The biggest deal was it was the game this week and we were able to come out and win it,” Pearce said. “It came with every bit of what Cisco brings. I don’t think it disappointed anybody in these stands. If you showed up tonight, you saw two good football teams get after it. You saw one make some mistakes in the first half and get exposed, and you saw one make mistakes in the second half and it expose them. Both of these teams are going to get better for it, and I think you may see both of these teams make a run. That would be awesome.
“Hats off to them (Cisco) because they came back with some things for us to deal with offensively and they came back with an energy versus our defense,” he continued. “They weren’t going to lay it down, and weren’t going to give up. It’s what I expected and what (Cisco coach Kevin) Stennett expected. That’s why we schedule each other – to get better and keep a rivalry alive that’s 30 miles down the road. And I think it was everything it was built up to be. It was great energy and environment tonight and it was awesome. I’m proud of these kids and proud of our coaches.”
Buckaroo running back Anson Rodgers evades the Cisco Loboes on his way to a first down in Friday night’s game. He scored two touchdowns in the game. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Friday’s game lived up to the hype and expectations on the game with the Buckaroos holding a 30-7 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Cisco scored its second touchdown of the game 16 seconds into the fourth quarter with a one-yard touchdown run by Hunter Long, capping off a 10-play 58-yard drive. The PAT was no good, making the score 30-13.
On the ensuing drive, the Bucks were forced to punt, but despite another 10-play drive by the Loboes, the Bucks’ defense came away with a big fourth down stop.
The next drive for the Buckaroos offensively ended on the first play from scrimmage following a fumble that was recovered by Cisco.
With 5:16 left in the game, the Loboes quickly scored again less than a minute later with a four-play drive that ended with a 49-yard touchdown pass from Long to Cade Gayle. Long completed a pass to Jaden White for the two-point conversion, making the score 30-21 with 4:49 left in the fourth quarter.
The Bucks were unable to get anything going offensively on the ensuing drive after failing to convert a fourth down attempt.
The Loboes took over with 2:46 left in the game and went 56 yards in seven plays before Long scored on a five-yard touchdown run. There were two attempts at the two-point conversion with the first one being successful, but a holding call forced a retry. On the second attempt, Buckaroo Adrian Ruiz broke up a pass in the endzone to deny the Loboes the two points.
With 42 seconds left, the Loboes were down to their last chance as they attempted an onside kick. Buckaroo Jerry Lawson recovered the kick, and the Bucks ran out the clock from there.
The game got off to a good start for Breckenridge when the Buckaroos came out of the gate firing on all cylinders when the defense forced a punt by the Loboes after just three plays. Breckenridge built a 21-7 lead by halftime, scoring 14 points in the first quarter and another seven in the second.
Breckenridge quarterback Chase Lehr dodges a Cisco defender on a quarterback keeper in Sept. 9 game. Click here to see a photo gallery from the game. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Breckenridge went 80 yards in five plays and capped the drive off with a 49-yard touchdown pass from Chase Lehr to Ruiz for the first score of the game. Sawyer Wimberly connected on the PAT, giving the Bucks a 7-0 lead with 8:01 left in the first quarter.
Cisco responded with an 11-play 70-yard drive that ended with a five-yard touchdown run by Long. The PAT was good, tying the score at 7-7 with 3:12 remaining in the first quarter.
Another quick six-play drive that ended in a touchdown for the Buckaroos was the result of their next possession.
Lehr had a 48-yard pass to Bryson Herring, and Lawson had a 15-yard run on the drive before Anson Rodgers ultimately capped off the 62-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run. Wimberly connected on the PAT, making the score 14-7 with five seconds left in the first quarter.
Defensively, the Bucks forced another punt by the Loboes, and the Buckaroo offense went on a long 90-yard drive that chewed up 7:14 off the second quarter clock.
Lawson capped off the 19-play drive with a one-yard touchdown run. Wimberly connected on the PAT, giving the Bucks a 21-7 advantage.
The Buckaroo defense forced a punt on the next Cisco drive but following a six-play drive on the next offensive possession, the Loboes’ defense intercepted a pass attempt by Lehr.
Buckaroo running back Jerry Lawson takes a handoff from quarterback Chase Lehr in Friday night’s game against the Cisco Loboes. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Breckenridge opened the second half with an eight-play 61-yard drive that was capped off with a 14-yard touchdown run by Rodgers. Wimberley connected on the PAT, giving the Bucks a 28-7 lead with 8:13 left in the third quarter. Rodgers also had runs of 16 and 15 yards respectively on the drive.
The Buckaroos earned their final points of the night on the ensuing drive after forcing the Loboes to punt after just three plays. On the punt, the snap went over the punters head and into the endzone when it was recovered, resulting in a safety, giving the Bucks a 30-7 lead with 6:08 remaining in the third quarter.
The Buckaroos had 321 yards of total offense with 200 yards rushing on 41 attempts and 121 passing yards after completing 9-13 attempts.
Lawson led the rushing attack with 80 yards on 20 carries and one touchdown, while Rodgers had 62 yards on nine carries and two touchdowns and Lehr had 51 yards on 11 carries.
Lehr completed 9 of 13 passing attempts for 121 yards and had one passing touchdown and one interception.
Ruiz was the leading receiver with two receptions for 63 yards and one touchdown. Herring had one reception for 48 yards.
Friday’s win over Cisco marks the second consecutive week that the Bucks have knocked off a ranked team in their respective divisions. Childress was ranked No. 9 by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football a week ago in Class 3A Division II, while Cisco was ranked No. 9 in Class 2A Division I.
The Buckaroos will travel to Eastland on Friday, Sept. 16, to take on the Mavericks. Eastland is 0-3 for the season; Friday night, they lost to Hawley, 12-36.
Kick-off for the Sept. 16 game was originally scheduled for 7 p.m. but has been changed to 7:30 p.m.
District 3-3A Results
(District opponents in bold)
Breck (3-0) 30
Cisco (2-1) 27
Wall (2-1) 3
Jim Ned (0-3) 0
Clyde (2-1) 41
Merkel (1-2) 21
Burkburnett (2-1) 29
Iowa Park (1-2) 22
Vernon (3-0) 23
SA Lake View (2-1 ) 12
Henrietta (3-0) 29
Bowie (0-3) 26
9-16 District 3-3A Matchups
- Breckenridge at Eastland
- Jim Ned at Rockdale
- Clyde at Ballinger
- Idalou at Vernon
- Iowa Park at Graham
- Burkburnett at Bowie
Click here to see the Breckenridge Texan’s Photo Gallery from the Sept. 6 varsity football game against the Cisco Loboes in Buckaroo Stadium.
Members of the Breckenridge High School Marching Band play to the packed hometown crowd during halftime at Friday night’s Buckaroo football game against the Cisco Loboes. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
The Buckaroo varsity football team celebrates with fans and cheerleaders following their victory over the Cisco Loboes at Buckaroo Stadium on Friday night. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Cutline, top photo: Senior wide receiver Adrian Ruiz catches a pass and runs it in for the first touchdown during Friday night’s game against the Cisco Loboes at Breckenridge Stadium. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
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