Buckaroos dominate Mavericks for first win of season
Victory caps week of Breckenridge High School Homecoming activities
The 2025 Breckenridge High School varsity football team enters Buckaroo Stadium on Friday evening, Sept. 19, at the beginning of the Homecoming game. They wrapped up the night with a 35-6 win over the Eastland Mavericks. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
By Brant Thurmond/Breckenridge Texan
The Breckenridge High School Buckaroos varsity football team capped off a week-long schedule of Homecoming activities with a dominating 35-6 win over the Eastland Mavericks on Friday night, Sept. 19.
Following a week of celebrations that included several theme days in the local schools, a parade and bonfire, and the annual crowning of the Homecoming king and queen, the Buckaroos had their chance to shine in front of a packed crowd Friday night at Buckaroo Stadium.
Buckaroo wide receiver Ryan Waller catches a pass from Joseph Juneau for the first score of the 2025 Homecoming game against the Eastland Mavericks. Click here to see more photos from the game. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
The Bucks’ last Homecoming win was in 2023 when they defeated the Mavericks, 41-35.
With Homecoming week and all the things that come with it, players can often become distracted from the task at hand, but Buckaroo head coach Casey Pearce said the team handled everything well from the very first day of practice on Monday.
“The kids had focus, I can tell you, from day one,” Pearce said. “Monday, when we showed up and the defensive plan wasn’t scattered and frustrated…we had a shot.”
Offensively, the Buckaroos took advantage of some things that the Eastland defense presented and had some great plays from the Buckaroo receivers.
“Offensive, we are finding things that we can do, not what we have to do or try to do. We are doing some things better and it’s got to continue to get cleaned up,” Pearce said. “I thought in our throwing game we took advantage of coverage matchups. (Number) 13 (Ryan Waller) went up and got the football. (Number) 12 (Cameron David) went up and got the football. You do that, and it makes the quarterback job a little easier when you just have a target to throw at. Proud of them.”
Pearce said it was an overall team effort from everyone involved.
“There wasn’t a player out there that didn’t compete or didn’t fight or didn’t make a play tonight,” he said. “Those kids have earned their right to compete.”
The Buckaroos opened the game with the ball and moved it 63 yards in 11 plays, capping off the drive with a nine-yard touchdown pass from Joseph Juneau to Ryan Waller. The PAT by Josiah Acosta was good, giving the Bucks a 7-0 lead with 6:32 remaining in the first quarter.
The Mavericks had an answer on their second possession of the game, moving the ball 65 yards on five plays. The drive was capped off with a two-yard touchdown run by Jesse Bilby. The two-point conversion failed, making the score 7-6 with 4:35 left in the first quarter.
The Bucks failed to convert a fourth down attempt on their next possession, but Hunter Davis recovered a fumble for the Buckaroo defense on the first play of the ensuing drive by the Mavericks.
Two plays and 20 yards later, Juneau found the end zone on a four-yard touchdown run. Davis helped set up the touchdown with a 16-yard reception on the first play of the drive. Acosta’s PAT was good, giving the Bucks a 14-6 lead with 1:06 remaining in the first quarter.
Jaime Cruz scored three touchdowns for the Buckaroos in Friday’s game against Eastland. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Two plays into the next Maverick drive, Truett Trammel jarred the ball loose from an Eastland runner and Crispen Pineda recovered the fumble for the Buckaroos.
The Buckaroos put together a five-play 62-yard drive, aided by a 33-yard pass from Juneau to Waller, that ended with a four-yard touchdown run by Jaime Cruz. Acosta’s PAT was good, making the score 21-6 with 9:41 remaining in the second quarter.
Eastland put together a seven-play drive, but the Buckaroo defense came away with a fourth down stop on the ensuing Maverick drive.
Three plays later Cruz scored his second touchdown of the game with a 22-yard run. Acosta successfully kicked the PAT, giving the Bucks a 28-6 lead with 4:15 left in the second quarter.
The score would remain 28-6 at halftime following another fourth down stop by the Buckaroo defense.
Two plays into the opening Maverick drive of the second half, Douglas White recovered a fumble for the Buckaroo defense.
The Buckaroo offense was unable to cash in on the turnover after being stopped on a fourth down attempt on their next possession.
Another fourth down stop by the Buckaroo defense gave the ball back to the offense, however an interception by Eastland’s Bryson Brown ended the Bucks’ drive.
Six plays later and on fourth down, Buckaroo Joacim Fernandez forced a fumble that was scooped up by Hunter Davis and returned 44 yards to the Maverick six-yard line.
Buckaroo kicker Josiah Acosta made all five point-after-touchdown attempts, in addition to six kickoffs. (Photo by Tony PIlkington/Breckenridge Texan)
On the first play on the ensuing Buckaroo drive, Cruz scored the game’s final points on a six-yard touchdown run. Acosta’s PAT was good, giving the Bucks a 35-6 lead with 7:48 remaining in the fourth quarter.
The Buckaroos finished with 216 yards rushing and 152 yards passing for a total of 368 yards.
Juneau completed six of eight passing attempts for 132 yards and had one touchdown and one interception. Juneau also rushed for 27 yards on nine carries and one touchdown.
Cruz was the leading rusher for the Buckaroos with 137 yards on 17 carries and three touchdowns.
Waller led all receivers with five receptions for 116 yards and one touchdown, while David had two receptions for 36 yards.
Defensively, Hayden Mendoza was the leading tackler for the Buckaroo defense with 11 total tackles (five for loss), one solo and 10 assists. Juneau had nine total tackles, (six for loss), one solo and eight assists.
The Buckaroos will take on the Tolar Rattlers at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, in Tolar.
The Breckenridge Texan has compiled several Photo Galleries from last week’s Homecoming activities, including Friday night’s game. Check out the links below:
Buckaroos 2025 Homecoming game against Eastland
Buckaroo quarterback Joseph Juneau hands off the ball to Jaime Cruz while Cameron David protects them from the advancing Mavericks. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
District 3-3A Results
*District Opponent in Bold
Jim Ned (3-1) 23
Jacksboro (0-4) 13
Comanche (2-2) 36
Tolar (2-2) 33
Clyde (3-1) 49
Snyder (0-4) 7
Lubbock Estacado (2-2) 44
Sweetwater (1-3) 21
Sept. 26 Matchups
- Comanche at Early
- Jim Ned at Holliday
- Sweetwater at Wall
- Clyde vs Muleshoe
- Breckenridge at Tolar
- San Angelo TLCA vs Merkel
BHS senior Emma Walker, center, was named the 2025 Homecoming Queen. She is pictured here with her family and Homecoming King candidate Joseph Juneau and his mom. Click here to see more photos from the pre-game ceremony. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Glen Thibodeaux, center, was named the BHS 2025 Homecoming King in pre-game activities Friday night. He is pictured with his family and Homecoming queen candidate Raegan Robinson and her family. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Breckenridge FFA members salute the flag in the pre-game flag-raising ceremony on Friday night. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
The fans were decked out in Buckaroo green, many sporting Homecoming mums, Friday night in support of the Breckenridge High School football team as they took on the Eastland Mavericks. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
The Pride of Breckenridge – Buckaroo Marching Band and color guard entertained the crowd at Friday night’s Homecoming game against the Eastland Mavericks. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
For the first time this season, the B at the top of Clear Fork Bank in downtown Breckenridge was lit on Friday night after the Buckaroos beat the Eastland Mavericks 35-6. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Cutline, top photo: The Buckaroo defense takes down the Eastland quarterback in Friday night’s game. It was the 2025 Homecoming for Breckenridge, and they dominated the Mavericks, wrapping up the night with a winning score of 35-6. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
