They lit that B: Buckaroos dominate in San Angelo, winning 58-0
By Brant Thurmond/Breckenridge Texan
The famous “B” was shining bright Friday evening over the Breckenridge skyline, on top of the Clear Fork Bank building downtown, and that could mean only one thing this time of year… the Buckaroo football team was victorious on the gridiron.
That was, in fact, the case as the Buckaroos traveled to San Angelo to take on the TLCA Eagles. The Bucks wrapped up the game and the season with a dominating win of 58-0.
The “B” was a welcoming sight for fans returning home from the game, and the win helped the Bucks avoid a 0-10 finish to the season. With the win, the Buckaroos’ 2024 record was 1-9 for the season overall, and 1-4 in district.
After the Buckaroos’ Friday night win over SA-TLCA, the “B” atop Clear Fork Bank was lit for the first time this season. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Despite both teams having an 0-9 record prior to the game, the Bucks knew that, with the teams they have faced this year and what they have had to overcome, they were the better team on paper, compared to the Eagles.
The Eagles had scored a combined 26 points all year and were shut out in three of the four district games heading into Friday’s contest.
“That (the win) was the expectation of the night,” Buckaroo head coach Casey Pearce said. “We knew we weren’t playing a very good football team, compared to what we have played the last nine weeks. Credit to Coach Oh for keeping his group together and not letting them scatter and being able to play this thing out for 10 weeks. I’m proud of our group for keeping it together and continuing to play.”
Pearce praised the way the seniors on the team stuck together throughout the entire season and didn’t quit on each other.
“Win or lose, this senior class won’t be forgotten because of the way they handled themselves and each other,” Pearce said. “They could have rolled over and quit; they could have scattered and be finger pointers, but they have chosen to work. I can’t say enough about the humbling experience that we have been through and how this senior group carried us. Something special will happen to that group, and I’m proud of them.”
In Friday night’s game, the Bucks ran the ball 33 times and had nine different players get carries.
Pearce said that was part of the game plan to get multiple players carrying the ball.
“The number one priority was to win this football game, and number two was those battlers and warriors that have shown up and toted the football whenever we didn’t block people and were getting their butt knocked off, we wanted to get them in the endzone one way or another,” Pearce said. “I’m proud of the way we got it done. I’m proud of Coach (Jeremy) West and Coach (Jarrod) Shepperd for having a plan to do it.
“The kids executed and knew there were going to be limited opportunities, and they took advantage of the opportunity,” he said. “I’m proud of the way they handled it and the way our kids behaved under duress with some stuff going on after the whistle. It speaks to the character of our program.”
Jaime Cruz scored the Buckaroos’ first touchdown in the game against the San Angelo – TLCA Eagles. Click here to see more photos from the game. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
It didn’t take long for the Buckaroos to establish their dominance as they scored on each of their first three possessions in the first quarter.
Jaime Cruz had the Bucks’ first touchdown of the game with a 46-yard reception from Joseph Juneau. Jack McKay followed that score with a 46-yard touchdown run on the first play of their second possession, and Christian Flores capped off a four play-31-yard drive with a four-yard touchdown run to give the Bucks a 22-0 lead just halfway into the first quarter.
Gunnar Pearce intercepted an Eagle pass attempt and returned it 35 yards to give the Bucks a 28-0 lead with 4:56 remaining in the first quarter on the Eagles’ ensuing drive.
The Bucks scored again in the second quarter, following a failed fourth down attempt by the Eagles as Juneau connected with McKay on a swing pass and McKay ran 76 yards for a touchdown. The two-point conversion pass from Juneau to Cameron David was good, giving the Bucks a 36-0 lead with 9:43 left to play in the second quarter.
Buckaroo running back Hayden Mendoza scored two touchdowns in Friday night’s game in San Angelo. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
The Breckenridge defense forced another punt by the Eagles and put together an eight-play 73-yard drive that ended with a nine-yard touchdown run by Hayden Mendoza. Zage Gravitt completed a pass to Alejandro Franco for the two-point conversion, giving the Bucks a 44-0 lead with four minutes remaining in the first half.
The Bucks led 44-0 at halftime, but a running clock in the second half limited the scoring for the Buckaroos.
“They (the Eagles) lost their quarterback and didn’t have a backup and were snapping it to a running back, and Coach Oh said, ‘Can we run the clock?’ and I said, ‘Yes sir,’” Pearce explained about the running clock in the second half.
Additionally, he said, the Buckaroos were down a kicker, and Pearce explained to the Eagles’ coach why the Bucks were going for two after each touchdown.
Breckenridge scored on their second possession of the third quarter following a failed fourth-down attempt by the Eagles with a one-yard run by Douglas White. The score capped off a five-play 57-yard drive for the Buckaroos.
After stopping the Eagles once again on defense, the Buckaroos’ offense needed just three plays to go 45 yards and score on a 16-yard touchdown run by Mendoza. The two-point conversion was no good, giving the Bucks a 58-0 lead with 11:45 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Game stats
The Buckaroos finished the game with 276 yards rushing and 183 yards passing for a total of 459 yards, while TLCA finished with negative two yards rushing and 48 yards passing for a total of 46 yards.
Jack McKay takes down the San Angelo ball carrier in Friday night’s game against the Eagles. McKay was the game’s leading rusher, leading receiver, had the most tackles and scored two touchdowns. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Juneau completed seven of nine passing attempts for 152 yards and had two touchdowns, while Gravitt completed all four of his passing attempts for 31 yards.
McKay was the leading rusher for the Buckaroos and finished with 81 yards on six carries and had one touchdown, while Mendoza had 74 yards on 11 carries and two touchdowns.
Other notable players contributing to the Buckaroos’ rushing attack were White, who had six carries for 43 yards and one touchdown, and Flores, who had two carries for 12 yards and one touchdown.
McKay also led the Buckaroos in receiving yards with 76 yards on one reception and a touchdown, while Jamie Cruz had one reception for 47 yards and a touchdown.
McKay led the Bucks in tackles with 10 total tackles – five solo and five assists (one for a loss), while Flores recorded nine total tackles (four for a loss) seven solo tackles and four assists and one fumble recovery.
Pearce had five total tackles, including three solo and two assists; a fumble recovery; and an interception returned for a touchdown.
Future of Buckaroo football program
Through all the ups and downs that the season has had, Pearce noted that there is work to be done within the program.
“It’s been a very humbling experience, but we got work to do,” Pearce said. “We have some underclassmen have opportunities to play, and they can’t forget the opportunities and what it means.
“We have young kids that are ready to get after it next year,” he continued. “That JV bunch is going to contribute. The biggest deal is, we have got to create some bodies up from that are going to hold up versus the schedule that we have chosen to play. There’s a lot a work in that weight room and on that track that to create bodies that can compete at the level we are playing at in that non-district schedule and the level that this district forces us to play at.”
The Buckaroos will turn to some JV players — that were a part of a team that finished the 2024 season with an overall record of 5-3-2 — to fill some spots of the seniors that will be lost due to graduation in the spring of 2025.
“They had to play through some injuries and had to play through not having some of their guys in key spots to be able to compete at a high level and a freshman group, had to play a bunch of sophomores and juniors,” Pearce said. “They were out-athleted and out-manned many of those nights, but they found ways compete and fight and that’s going to pay off going into next year, because they got to play against some of these same caliber people.
“That’s just how our sub-varsity is just going have to be,” the coach said. “Freshmen are going have to play JV schedules, and we are going to grow them up fast. That JV bunch (this year) took some lumps and took some loses, but they have grown up from it. This is the best we could get from them with the season like they had. Those two ties are kind of crazy, to say you have two ties, but that used to be the norm back in the day. It’s part of it, and we will move forward from it.”
District 3-3A results
(Winners in bold)
Jim Ned (7-3, 4-1) 45
Sweetwater (6-4, 4-1) 28
Comanche (7-3, 4-1) 42
Clyde (4-6, 2-3) 14
Breckenridge (1-9, 1-4) 58
San Angelo-TLCA (0-10, 0-5) 0
District 3-3A Standings
(Top 4 make the playoffs)
1. Jim Ned 4-1
2. Sweetwater 4-1
3. Comanche 4-1
4. Clyde 2-3
5 Breckenridge 1-4
6. SA TLCA 0-5
Photo Galleries
Check out the Breckenridge Texan’s photo galleries from Friday night’s game:
Bucks at San Angelo-TLCA in photos
BHS Band Halftime Show at San Angelo-TLCA
Buckaroo wide receiver Gunnar Pearce returns an interception for a touchdown in Friday night’s game against the San Angelo – TLCA Eagles. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
The Breckenridge High School marching band, cheerleaders, football players and coaches celebrated the win in San Angelo with the BHS school song after the game. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
The Pride of Breckenridge – Buckaroo Marching Band performed at halftime during the game Friday night. This year, the band received a Division 1 rating at the Regional UIL Band Contest, advancing to the Area contest. Click here to see a photo gallery from Friday night’s performance. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Cutline, top photo: The Buckaroos dominated the Eagles in San Angelo on Friday night, Nov. 8, winning the game 58-0. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Check out these other sports stories on the Breckenridge Texan:
Buckaroos suffer frustrating loss to Sweetwater in final home game of season
Despite strongest game yet, Buckaroos fall to Comanche, 34-21
Inconsistency continues to plague Buckaroos with 48-0 loss to Jim Ned
Buckaroos start district play with 38-21 loss to Clyde
Breckenridge to start district play Oct. 11 against Clyde in Buckaroo Stadium
Buckaroos shutout by Mavericks in Eastland, 14-0
Buckaroos still looking for a win following 30-20 loss in Cisco
Buckaroos move to 0-2 after home opener loss to Childress
Buckaroos drop football season opener to Holliday, 64-0
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