Bucks Post Comeback Win over CMVT
BLOOMSBURG — What a difference a year makes. As the Bucktail Bucks approach the midway point of the 2017 season, coach Bruce Ransom’s squad sits at 2-2, a far cry from last year’s 0-4 start.
The Bucks on Saturday avenged a 34-6 loss to Columbia Montour Vo-Tech a year ago; this time the Bucks headed back to Farwell with a come-from-behind 22-20 victory over the Rams.
And they did it the hard way, with just 16 players suited up. But the 16 came to play as they wore down the Rams with their three-headed ground attack of Blake Cannon, Gage Sutliff and Tanner Riggle.
What made the win even more remarkable was the game was almost not played, had it not been for the graciousness of the CMVT program. The contest was set for 1 p.m. Saturday but Bucktail would have been without three of its 16 suited-up players as, according to coach Ransom, a school needs more than 13 players. The result could have been a forfeit win for CMVT, but the host school agreed to move up the start time to 11 a.m. so three Bucks could participate in a wedding later in the day.
The game was back-and-forth, the Rams leading by 12-8 at halftime. The third quarter saw Bucktail put together an 80-yard drive taking more than seven minutes off the clock. It ended in the fourth with Cannon going in from five yards out. The Bucks ran the ball 19 straight times and the score was 14-12 Bucktail after a 2-point conversion try failed.
Bucktail tacked on eight more points in the final quarter. They used a 66-yard drive, scoring on a fourth-and-seven play from the Ram 25 as quarterback Richard Perry hit receiver Logan Long for the score. After Sutliff ran in on the 2-point conversion the Bucks led 22-12.
CMVT would answer back with a late touchdown and 2-point conversion to make it 22-20, but Bucktail would recover an onside kick and come home a winner. Cannon ended the game with two touchdowns and Long one. Both Cannon and Sutliff hit the 100-yard mark in rushing.
The Bucks return to Dwyer Memorial Field this Friday night to host St. Joseph’s Academy. Bucktail already owns a 12-0 road win over the Wolves who will check in at 0-3 after a bye this past weekend.
