TENNERTON – Buckhannon-Upshur head coach Zach Davis wanted a fast start from his Buccaneers in their non-conference encounter with John Marshall Friday night at Freal “Red” Crites Memorial Stadium.
The Bucs scored first early in the second quarter taking a 7-0 lead but they were their own worst enemy after that, turning the ball over four times — each time in their own end of the field, giving John Marshall short fields to work with.
The final result was a 33-14 setback for the Bucs in their home opener on Homecoming Night.
“We had too many turnovers,” remarked a dejected Davis after the game. “We were able to move the ball but you can’t turn it over that many times. We execute these plays so well in practice, then we get into a live game and it’s a different deal. Doing it right in practice isn’t the same as doing it correctly in a game. We just have to get better in that regard.”
The Bucs ran the ball extremely well against the Monarchs, piling up 230 yards on 44 attempts averaging 5.3 yards per carry.
Savion Farmer went over the 100-yard mark for the Buccaneers as he gained 101 yards on 16 carries with one score.
It was his rushing touchdown that put the Bucs ahead 7-0.
The Bucs took over possession of the ball at their own 34-yard line following a John Marshall punt.
The Bucs went 66 yards in eight plays, all on the ground, with Farmer capping the drive with an eight-yard run.
Cameron Zuliani was good on her extra-point kick as the Bucs went up by seven.
John Marshall answered with a score on their next drive on a nine-yard run by Klypson Wallace, but the extra-point kick came-up short, leaving the Bucs up 7-6.
The Monarchs intercepted a B-U pass setting up their next score taking over at the Buccaneer 35-yard line.
Seven plays later, Wallace ran it in from a yard out for the score.
The two-point conversion came up short but the Monarchs led by a 12-7 count.
John Marshall scored on the final play of the first half on a one-yard quarterback keeper by Jacob Coffield after the clock was inadvertently stopped on the previous play.
Connor Fitzpatrick was true on his extra-point kick as John Marshall took a 19-7 lead into the break.
“That was a big momentum shift,” noted Davis. “I thought the clock should have run out.”
The Monarchs added to their lead in the third quarter with a pair of scores, a one-yard run by Coffield and a three-yard run by Wallace for a 33-7 lead.
B-U’s Liam Garcia outraced the Monarch defense for a 54-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to wrap up the scoring for his second score of the season.
“We were physical and tough in the game, we got after people,” stated Davis. “John Marshall is a good football that is probably going to finish with seven or eight wins. We were right there with them, but we just have to fix some things. We are playing our tails off, we are headed in the right direction. We just have to pick ourselves after this one and keep moving forward.”
The Bucs, now 1-3 on the season, will return to action next Friday as the host Lewis County at 7 p.m.
The boxscore:
John Marshall 0 19 14 0 – 33
Buckhannon-Upshur 0 7 0 7 – 14
Scoring
Buckhannon-Upshur – Savion Farmer, 8-yard run (Cameron Zuliani kick).
John Marshall – Klypson Wallace, 9-yard run (kick failed).
John Marshall – Wallace 1-yard run (run failed).
John Marshall – Jacob Coffield, 1-yard run (Connor Fitzpatrick kick).
John Marshall – Coffield, 1-yard run (Fitzpatrick kick).
John Marshall – Wallace, 3-yard run (Fitzpatrick kick).
Buckhannon-Upshur – Liam Garcia, 54-yard run (Zuliani kick).
TEAM STATISTICS
First downs – John Marshall: 15 (10 rushing, 5 passing, 0 penalty); Buckhannon-Upshur: 12 (11 rushing, 0 passing, 1 penalty).
Rushing yards – John Marshall: 40-230; Buckhannon-Upshur: 44-230.
Passing yards – John Marshall: 112; Buckhannon-Upshur: 2.
Total yards – John Marshall: 342; Buckhannon-Upshur: 232.
Passes – John Marshall: 10-14-2; Buckhannon-Upshur: 2-5-2.
Penalties – John Marshall: 4-45; Buckhannon-Upshur: 3-14.
Punts – John Marshall: 3-42.3; Buckhannon-Upshur: 4-35.5.
Fumbles – John Marshall: 1; Buckhannon-Upshur: 4.
Fumbles lost – John Marshall: 1; Buckhannon-Upshur: 2.
All-Return Yards – John Marshall: 25; Buckhannon-Upshur: 52.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing
John Marshall – Ben McCardle 5-105; Klypson Wallace 13-46 (3 touchdowns); DiMario White 4-45; J. D. Wells 6-31; Jacob Coffield 8-20 (2 touchdowns); Brennan Sobutka 1-3; team 3-(-20). Totals 40-230 (5 touchdowns).
Buckhannon-Upshur – Savion Farmer 16-101 (1 touchdown); Liam Garcia 5-68 (1 touchdown); Luke Yardley 7-31; Zach Mayle 6-18; Elijah Bryant 4-15; Ian Donnen 4-2; Sterlin Thropp 2-(-5). Totals 44-230 (2 touchdowns).
Passing
John Marshall – Coffield 9-for-13 for 114 yards, 0 touchdowns, 0 interceptions; Brennan Sobutka 1-for-1 for (-2) yards, 0 touchdowns, 0 interceptions. Totals 10-for-14 for 112 yards, 0 touchdowns, 0 interceptions.
Buckhannon-Upshur – Donnen 2-for-5 for 2 yards, 0 touchdowns, 2 interceptions.
Receiving
John Marshall – Braden Sobutka 3-53; Nate Menendez 2-29; Wesley Hughes 2-13; White 1-14; Koda Moore 1-5; Mason Hagedom 1-(-2). Totals 10-112.
Buckhannon-Upshur – Bryant 1-3; Thropp 1-(-1). Totals 2-2.
