Breckenridge Texan

By Brant Thurmond/Breckenridge Texan

One of the greatest things in high school football is the joy of homecoming week. Students and administrators participate in several theme days at the schools; and, the annual parade and the crowning of the homecoming king and queen are among the many activities that take place during Homecoming Week.

Following last week’s celebrations, the Breckenridge Buckaroos had their chance to shine in front of a packed crowd Friday night at Buckaroo Stadium. The Bucks capped off the week-long activities with a dominating 56-17 win over the Benbrook Bobcats.

The 2022 Breckenridge High School Homecoming Queen, Abby Otts, and the Homecoming King, Nate Aguilar, were announced before the game on Friday, Sept. 23. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

The win improved the Buckaroos’ overall season record to 5-0 heading into an open week before starting the district 3-3A portion of their schedule with back-to-back road games at Iowa Park on Oct. 7 and Vernon on Oct. 14.

Being 5-0 can be very exciting as a team, but head coach Casey Pearce said the Buckaroos know the next five district games are what matter the most if they want to make it to the postseason.

“We had a good ball game tonight. I’m proud of our kids and this coaching staff to get us where we are at right now,” Pearce said on Friday night immediately after the win. “We got to get better ourselves this week in the open date and get healthy and feeling right, because now they count. Now it’s a playoff mentality. You better take care of your business in every one of them.”

A solid offensive effort saw the Bucks score 56 points with the back-up players getting significant playing time in the second half. Though it was not the objective to score those 56 points, Pearce said, it is a product of how the team is playing right now.

“We really weren’t trying to score those 56 points, but it’s part of it. And you got to give them all a shot to play, and that’s how we are playing right now.” he said. “We are doing some things right, and we took advantage of some things tonight.”

Friday’s win was also a first for Pearce as a former player and now as a coach celebrating his first Homecoming win in Breckenridge.

“It’s the first homecoming I have ever won in Breckenridge, Texas, because we didn’t have homecoming when I was in high school.  So I didn’t get to celebrate it because we only did it on certain years, and I didn’t get to celebrate it as a player with a win,” Pearce said. “Obviously, we haven’t won it the last two years, so what we better do is enjoy this one.”

It didn’t take the Bucks long to get on the board after forcing a punt on Benbrook’s opening possession of the game. Jerry Lawson broke free for a 73-yard touchdown run on the Bucks’ first play of the game, and 13 seconds later, the Buckaroos had an early 7-0 lead.

Around two minutes later and following an interception by Buckaroo Alexis Franco, the Buckaroos scored on their first play of that drive with a 14-yard pass from Chase Lehr to Anson Rodgers. Sawyer Wimberley connected on the PAT, giving the Bucks a 14-0 lead with 5:31 left in the first quarter.

The Bobcats cut their deficit in half following a nine-play 82-yard drive that ended with an eight-yard touchdown run by Collin Thompson. The PAT was good, making the score 14-7 with 1:10 remaining in the first quarter.

Five plays into the next Buckaroo drive, a lost fumble put an end to the drive. That turnover led to a 35-yard field goal by Benbrook’s Kyler Hayes.

Breckenridge needed just four plays to move the ball 64 yards and capped the drive off with a 34-yard touchdown run by Lehr. Wimberley’s PAT was good, giving the Bucks a 21-10 lead with 4:12 left in the second quarter.

On the ensuing Bobcat possession, Lawson recovered a fumble by the Bobcats, and on the first play of the next Buckaroos drive, he scored on an 18-yard touchdown run. The PAT kick by Wimberley was good, making the score 28-10 with 3:54 left in the second quarter.

The Buckaroos’ defense forced another punt, and three plays later they found the endzone once again with a 19-yard touchdown run by Lehr. Wimberley connected on the PAT, giving the Bucks a 35-10 lead with 1:28 left in the first half.

On their first possession of the third quarter, the Bucks extended their lead to 42-10 with a 44-yard pass from Lehr to Rodgers. Wimberley was good on the PAT.

The Buckaroo defense forced another punt after just three plays offensively by Benbrook.

Six plays and 64 yards later, the Bucks scored once again with a nine-yard run by Rodgers. Wimberley’s PAT was good, giving the Bucks a 49-10 lead with 6:41 left in the third quarter. Rodgers had 42 of the 64 yards on the drive, including a 27-yard run on the second play of the drive.

The ensuing Benbrook possession is where some uncharacteristic penalties by the Bucks took place.  The Bobcats started the drive on their own 25-yard line and moved the ball 75 yards and capped the drive off with seven-yard touchdown pass from Thompson to Hayes with 1:04 left in the third quarter.

It was the events leading up to the touchdown that were uncharacteristic of the Bucks. The Bucks had four 15-yard penalties, including a pass interference penalty on third and 20 that ultimately kept the drive alive.

“The third quarter got a little chippy. That’s the first time we have 15-yard penalties all year and really in two years,” Pearce said. “We got to clean that up, whether it’s instigated or not, we got to be able to clean those kinds of things up and take care of our business. It is what it is, and we will move forward and get ready for the district race.”

The Bucks took a 49-17 lead into the fourth quarter and scored the game’s final points with a 25-yard touch pass from Camden Escalon to Wimberley with 1:23 left in the game.

The Bucks rushed for 268 yards on 29 attempts and completed seven of eight passing attempts for 149 yards for a total of 417 yards.

Lawson was the leading rusher with nine carries for 136 yards and two touchdowns, while Lehr had four carries for 65 yards and two touchdowns and Rodgers had seven carries for 55 yards and one touchdown.

Lehr completed five of his six passing attempts for 100 yards and two touchdowns, and Escalon was two for two with 49 yards and one touchdown.

Rodgers led the Buckaroos in receiving yards with three catches for 81 yards and two touchdowns, while Brilee Bernal had three catches for 43 yards and Wimberley had one catch for 25 yards and one touchdown.

The Bucks will have a week break before starting preparations for the district opener against Iowa Park. Pearce said the Bucks will continue to have the same approach as the first five games and continue to focus on one game at a time.

“We got to focus on them (district games) like we have these first five, one at a time. We got to work through them and take care of us,” he said. “We still had too many self-inflicted wounds tonight. If we start taking care of our business, we have a chance to get better and maybe get into the playoffs, but we got to play them one at a time.”

Look for a complete district preview on the Breckenridge Texan prior to the district opener on Oct. 7.

Sept. 23 District 3-3A Results

(District opponent in bold)

Wichita Falls (3-2) 34
Iowa Park (1-4) 7

Burkburnett (4-1) 35
Vernon (3-2) 30

Clyde (4-1) 29
Sweetwater (1-4) 28

Childress (2-3) 49
Bowie (0-5) 22

Jim Ned (2-3) 34
Eastland (0-5) 3

Breckenridge (5-0) 56
Benbrook (0-5) 17

Click here to see the Breckenridge Texan’s Photo Gallery from the Sept. 23 Homecoming Game.

Senior Running Back Jerry Lawson runs past Bobcat defenders during Friday night’s Homecoming game. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

Members of the Breckenridge High School Marching Band perform during halftime in Buckaroo Stadium Friday night. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

Cutline, top photo: Buckaroo Quarterback Chase Lehr runs toward the goal line during Friday night’s Homecoming game against the Benbrook Bobcats. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)