Bucktail set to host first-ever District 4 playoff game Friday versus Northwest
By Bees O’Brien
FARWELL, PA- In 2021, the Bucktail varsity football program was winless with an 0-9 record and in just two short seasons the Bucks would go 5-4 in 2023 and find themselves the number four seed in the upcoming PIAA District 4 1A playoffs. This Friday will mark the first time the program has ever hosted a district playoff game in Farwell.
Bucktail has hosted Eastern Conference playoff games, but never has Dwyer Memorial Field seen this level of a playoff atmosphere.
Their opponents will be Northwest, who come into the contest with a deceiving 2-8 regular season record. The Rangers enter the contest following the toughest strength of schedule of the entire D4 1A playoff field. Seven of the Rangers’ eight losses are to D4 playoff teams, and their final three games would have been enough to finish off any team.
Northwest closed out the season with losses to undefeated and D-4 2A’s top-seeded Troy. 1A’s top seed Muncy and 3-seeded South Williamsport closed out a tough schedule. Other losses to playoff teams include Cowanesque Valley, Towanda, NP-Mansfield and Warrior Run. This was a schedule that was well deserving of a shot in the playoffs. The battle tested Rangers will give Bucktail a fight.
Quarterback Jace McCoy leads Northwest’s offense. He has tossed for over 1,000 yards this season. Andrew Bonczewski and Adam Chonko are McCoy’s favorite targets. Nick Stevens will get the bulk of the carries when the Rangers’ offense goes to the ground. He leads the team with 289 yards rushing.
If the Rangers intend on pulling the upset, they’ll have to find a way to contain the Bucktail running game. The Bucks have racked more rushing yards than any other team in all of District 4 with a massive total of 3,136 yards in just nine games.
It’s no secret that Brody Pentz leads the way with his 1,264 yards and 16 touchdowns. The Bucktail quarterback can also throw well. Pentz has tossed for 628 yards through the air and 5 touchdowns.
Tanner Pettingill is the workhorse at fullback. Pettingill has piled up 741 yards this season and added 7 touchdowns. Braylon Fantaski may be one of the best dual threat athletes in the bracket. Fantaski has rushed for 597 yards and caught 398 yards as a receiver. He also is a threat on special teams. In Bucktail’s season finale against Coudersport, he returned a kickoff 91 yards for a score.
Bucktail’s rushing stars continue with Brett Mason and Gavin Pick. Mason has 284 yards rushing and three touchdowns. The freshman Pick has 130 yards on just 16 carries.
Johnny Green and Evan Hillyer have stepped up huge on both the offensive and defensive lines during their senior campaign and could both be in the running for All-Region 3 selections. Paired with the likes of Jeremy Gallagher, Talan Ditty and Martin Lewis the Bucktail line has fared well and survived some key injuries.
Defensively the Bucks will need Pentz, the hard-hitting Mason, Pettingill , senior Brian Dwyer and especially secondary players like Will Steele, Braylon Fantaski and Gavin Yachymiak to make some plays.
When asked about the turnaround this season, head coach Frank Sutliff had plenty to say in regard to his team.
“I think first and foremost, I’m an old school coach with a very disciplined team structure. The kids bought in, not immediately but they did.” Said Sutliff, “Kids crave discipline and structure.”
Bucktail’s last and only District 4 playoff game came in 2017 in a lopsided loss at Montgomery. The Bucks have only ever won one playoff game and that came in 1985 when they defeated Juniata Valley 27-12 before falling to Homer Center 9-6. That run was during the time the Bucks spent in District 6. They would make one more D6 playoff showing in 1991 when they would fall to Bishop Guilfoyle 36-30.
“Having eight seasoned seniors and a great athletic quarterback doesn’t hurt” said coach Sutliff “Braylon, Brett, Johnny, Hillyer, Tanner and Brian have all played a lot of football and understand the game.”
The entire western Clinton County will no doubt be either jamming into Dwyer Memorial Field on Friday or watching live on The Record Online when kickoff takes place at 7 p.m. Friday.
“It’s big for the community and I want to make them proud.” Added Sutliff ,“For a small town, we have a lot of passion for Bucktail football and it shows every game. I fully expect this to be a dog fight and I’m hoping our kids will rise to the occasion.”
