TENNERTON – Following a 2-1 start to the season, the Buckhannon-Upshur football Buccaneers were mired in a four-game losing streak.
Not anymore!
The Buccaneers were near perfect in all three phases of the game as they crushed the Grafton Bearcats by a 48-0 score Friday night at Freal “Red” Crites Memorial Stadium.
The B-U offense compiled 483 yards gaining 458 rushing yards, the defense held Grafton to negative 28 rushing yards and special teams blocked a punt that set up an easy touchdown as the Bucs improved to 3-5 on the season.
Savion Farmer led the B-U rushing attack with 140 yards on 17 carries and one touchdown while Elijah Bryant gained 90 yards on 10 carries and two scores.
“It was an amazing night,” stated Bryant. “We showed everyone what we can do as a team when we work together and fire off on the ball. The offensive line was providing me with some big holes and we had good blocking from our backs. I love the team that I am playing for.”
Buckhannon-Upshur head coach Zach Davis said he felt good for his team who never quit working hard during the four-game slide.
“Our guys have practiced well and continued to work hard,” noted Davis. “We were finally healthy as well which made a big difference tonight.”
Davis praised his running game for their impressive 458-yard performance and his defense for pitching the shutout.
“It’s what we do,” said Davis about his running attack. “When we can run the football, we give ourselves a chance to be in any game. Defensively, shutouts are hard to come by, what a great defensive performance.”
The Bucs scored on their second possession of the game on a Farmer four-yard run.
Wyatt Mason’s kick was good as the Bucs took a 7-0 lead with 4:21 showing on the first-quarter clock.
Luke Yardley barged in and blocked a Grafton punt at the Bearcat 25-yard line and scooped it up and returned it to the Bearcat one-yard line.
One play later, quarterback Dawson Tenney ran it in from a yard out for the touchdown, and with Mason’s kick, the Bucs led 14-0 with 2:13 left in the first quarter.
The Bucs forced a punt on Grafton’s next dive and took over at their own 25-yard line.
Nine plays later, Bryant capped off the drive with a four-yard run over right tackle for the touchdown.
Mason’s kick was true as B-U upped their advantage to 21-0 with 8:41 remaining in the second quarter.
Buckhannon-Upshur set up shop at their own 40-yard line after another Grafton punt and found the end zone six plays later when Bryant scored his second touchdown of the game with another four-yard run.
Mason’s kick made it a 28-0 contest with 5:03 left in the half.
The Bucs put one more touchdown on the scoreboard in the first half when Tenney found Carter Zuliani in the back of the end zone for a 15-yard scoring strike with 55 seconds remaining.
Mason’s kick made it a 35-0 contest, which was the score at intermission.
On their first drive of the second half, the Bucs marched 54 yards in 10 plays as Tenney ran it in from a yard out again for his second score of the contest.
Mason’s kick gave B-U a 41-0 lead.
Buckhannon-Upshur added one more score when Ethan McCarty found an opening on the right side and scampered 57 yards for the touchdown with 2:38 left in the third quarter.
The conversion kick was no good but the Bucs owned a 48-0 lead.
With a running clock in the fourth quarter, neither team scored.
Grafton totaled just 68 yards of offense.
Bearcat quarterback Camden Foley completed nine of his 20 passes for 96 yards as Grafton dropped to 1-8 on the season.
Tenney completed two of his three passes for 25 yards for the Bucs.
“We needed a win like this,” concluded Davis. “I told them after the game to go home and enjoy it and see you on Monday.”
The Bucs will go on the road next week to Kingwood as they face the Preston Knights at 7 p.m.
The boxscore:
Grafton 0 0 0 0 – 0
Buckhannon-Upshur 14 21 13 0 – 48
(Scoring)
Buckhannon-Upshur – Savion Farmer, 4-yard run (Wyatt Mason kick).
Buckhannon-Upshur – Dawson Tenney, 1-yard run (Mason kick).
Buckhannon-Upshur – Elijah Bryant, 4-yard run (Mason kick).
Buckhannon-Upshur – Bryant, 4-yard run (Mason kick).
Buckhannon-Upshur – Carter Zuliani, 15-yard pass from Tenney (Mason kick).
Buckhannon-Upshur – Tenney, 1-yard run (Mason kick).
Buckhannon-Upshur – Ethan McCarty, 57-yard run (kick failed).
TEAM STATISTICS
First downs – Grafton: 4 (1 rushing, 3 passing, 0 penalty); Buckhannon-Upshur: 21 (19 rushing, 2 passing, 0 penalty).
Rushing yards – Grafton: 16-(-28); Buckhannon-Upshur: 53-458.
Passing yards – Grafton: 96; Buckhannon-Upshur: 25.
Total yards – Grafton: 68; Buckhannon-Upshur: 483.
Passes – Grafton: 9-20-0; Buckhannon-Upshur: 2-3-0.
Penalties – Grafton: 3-23; Buckhannon-Upshur: 4-27.
Punts – Grafton: 5-35.4; Buckhannon-Upshur: 1-45.0.
Fumbles – Grafton: 1; Buckhannon-Upshur: 3.
Fumbles lost – Grafton: 1; Buckhannon-Upshur: 0.
All-return yards – Grafton: 137; Buckhannon-Upshur: 93.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing
Grafton – Kaden Keener 1-12; Seth Horne 1-1; Jonathan Maier 1-(-5); Isaiah Vanscoy 6-(-5); Braden Boggs 4-(-7); Camden Foley 1-(-9); team 2-(-15). Totals 16-(-28).
Buckhannon-Upshur – Savion Farmer 17-140 (1 touchdown); Elijah Bryant 10-90 (2 touchdowns); Wyatt Morris 7-59; Ethan McCarty 2-52 (1 touchdown); Bryson Johnston 7-48; Landon Zirkle 2-25; Taiwo Thropp 3-18; Liam Garcia 1-15; Cooper Antolini 1-6; Chase Hackett 1-3; Dawson Tenney 2-2 (2 touchdowns). Totals 53-458 (6 touchdowns).
Passing
Grafton – Foley 9-for-20 for 96 yards, 0 touchdowns, 0 interceptions.
Buckhannon-Upshur – Tenney 2-for-3 for 25 yards, 1 touchdown, 0 interceptions.
Receiving
Grafton – Tristan Floyd 5-68; Dillon America 2-20; Bryce Trimble 1-6; Vanscoy 1-2. Totals 9-96.
Buckhannon-Upshur – Carter Zuliani 1-15 (1 touchdown); Farmer 1-10. Totals 2-25 (1 touchdown).
