TENNERTON – Savion Farmer piled up 229 yards rushing on 27 carries and scored a touchdown to help lift the Buckhannon-Upshur Buccaneers to a thrilling 26-22 victory over the Philip Barbour Colts Friday night at Freal “Red” Crites Memorial Stadium.

“I was seeing the holes that our offensive line was opening up for me,” remarked Farmer. “I let the hole open and just hit it hard. The offensive line did a great job of staying on their blocks tonight. I simply didn’t want to lose and let my team down. I knew the line was going to do their best and I had to do my best.”

Farmer was part of a B-U offense that racked up 368 yards on the ground and added four more through the air for 372 total yards.

“Running the ball is who we are,” stated Buckhannon-Upshur head football coach Zach Davis. “Savion is a big part of that. It was just a great effort from our backfield and line tonight.”

Down 22-20 late in the fourth quarter, Farmer had a huge hand in leading the Bucs on their game-winning drive.

Taking over at their own 37-yard line with 6:33 remaining in the game, Farmer started the drive with a pair of carries for 23 yards moving the ball to the Philip Barbour 44-yard line.

Facing a fourth-and-two at the Colt 36, the Bucs forced the Colts to jump offsides giving them a first down at the 31-yard line.

Bryson Johnston carried for four yards, Farmer gained seven and Johnston picked up seven more taking the ball to the Philip Barbour 13.

Ian Donnen kept it for nine yards and then snuck it down to the one-yard line with 52 seconds remaining.

Donnen ran in the go-ahead score with a one-yard sneak with 36 seconds remaining in the game.

The conversion run was no good but the Bucs owned a 26-22 lead.

Philip Barbour started their final drive at their own 41-yard line but lost eight yards on the drive as time ran out on them as B-U’s Caden Jordan sacked Trenton Bodkins on the final play of the game.

“That last drive is who we are,” remarked Davis. “We will come at you, our guys stay disciplined, and we never panic. We practice that way. We know we have to execute in crucial situations and they did a great job of that tonight.”

The Colts took a first-quarter lead when Kaden Humphreys scored from one yard out and Layna Grassi drilled the point-after kick to put Philip Barbour up 7-0.

The Bucs deadlocked the game in the second quarter when Donnen scored the first of his three touchdowns with a one-yard run and Wyatt Mason’s kick was good as the game was tied at 7-7, which would be the score at the half.

Philip Barbour took the opening kickoff of the second half and chewed up almost seven minutes of the clock on a 17-play, 62-yard drive the ended on a Humphreys’ one-yard run.

Grassi’s point-after kick was good as the Colts took a 14-7 lead.

It took the Bucs just three plays to answer as Farmer took a handoff and went over the left side for a 35-yard scoring run. Mason was again true on his kick as the game was tied at 14-14.

Philip Barbour scored on their second play from scrimmage on their next drive as Ethan Floyd broke free in front of the Colt sideline and romped 76 yards untouched for the touchdown.

Floyd caught a pass from Humphreys for the two-point conversion as the Colts went up 22-14 with 3:51 remaining in the third quarter.

The Bucs went right back to work on their next possession going 69 yards in nine plays with the drive being capped off by Donnen going into the end zone from one yard out. The two-point conversion pass was no good, leaving the Bucs down by two, at 22-20.

Philip Barbour drove the ball down to the Buckhannon 33-yard line but the B-U defense held them on a fourth down and three play before setting up for their game-winning drive.

Philip Barbour, who was without starting tailback DeShawn Webster, piled up 270 yards on the ground and 279 yards of total offense.

“We knew Webster wasn’t going to play in warm-ups,” said Davis. “But I think that gave them some inspiration to step up and fill his spot. Floyd stepped up and played a heck of a game.”

Floyd ended the game with 201 yards rushing on 28 carries.

For the Bucs, Johnston added 64 yards on 11 carries and Elijah Bryant had 38 yards on 12 carries.

Philip Barbour dropped to 1-2 on the year.

The Bucs improved to 2-1 on the season and will travel to Moundsville next Friday to face the John Marshall Monarchs.

John Marshall will enter the game with a 1-2 record after falling to Bridgeport Friday night on the road by a 49-21 score.

See all the action in our high-resolution photo gallery, featuring more than 100 photos from Friday’s game!