Zucal, Cameron County run past Bucktail 41-14
By Bees O’Brien
EMPORIUM- Cameron County’s explosive running back Malakai Zucal needed just 78 yards to reach 1,000 yards for the second straight season. Zucal, only a junior would slice up the Bucktail defense for 127 yards on just 13 carries and a pair of touchdown runs and added a 51-yard punt return for a score to help the Red Raiders secure a 41-14 D9 League Region 3 victory.
At the time the Red Raiders had no idea what their mercy rule victory over the depleted Bucks would actually mean. Cameron County would need Smethport to pull off the biggest Region 3 upset at Otto-Eldred to give the Red Raiders a share of the Region 3 crown. The Hubbers would send shockwaves through the District 9 League with a stunning 48-32 victory over the Terrors. Otto and Cameron will now share the region title.
Bucktail moved the ball well all night against a much bigger Cameron County, but a four and out on their first series would result in a quick Red Raiders’ touchdown when quarterback Ryder Brown would find Koby Shephard on a 14-yard strike. Landon Farren’s PAT would have the host Red Raiders up 7-0.
Bucktail would be forced to punt on the next series. Zucal would bolt down the sidelines on the return for his first score of the night. Another Farren PAT had Cameron County up 14-0.
Zucal broke loose on a 15-yard score with just over two minutes left in the first quarter to give his squad the 21-0 lead.
Kamron Fragale’s 2-yard score was followed by a 28-yard scoring run from Zucal to put his team in position to apply the mercy rule on Bucktail in the second half, but Farren missed the PAT to put the score at 34-0. The Bucks avoided the mercy rule, but only momentarily. The Zucal score was the run that gave hime his 1,000 yards on the season.
Ryder Brown’s 42-yard strike to Koby Shephard with 9:31 to play in the third quarter would brong the Red Raiders’ lead to 41-0, applying the PIAA Mercy Rule.
Bucktail continued to fight and showed their heart in the second half. Senior quarterback Brody Pentz delivered for the Bucks multiple times on the night on both sides of the ball. Pentz’s 14-yard scoring run late in the third quarter gave Bucktail their first points of the night.
Pentz would also find Stephen Heiser from 24 yards out in the fourth quarter for another score. He also converted the two-point try to set the final at 41-14, in favor of the Red Raiders.
Pentz rushed for 97 yards on 18 attempts. He also led the Bucks on defense with 7 stops and Andrew Kitchen added 5 tackles on defense. Pentz also passed for 75 yards and a touchdown. Gavin Yachimiak led the Bucks’ receiving corps with 4 catches for 36 yards.
Cameron County improved to 6-2 on the season, while the Bucks dropped to 0-6 on the season and will host Sheffield on Friday in their final home game of the season. That game will also be the final football game in program history for Sheffield.
Bucktail
CamCo
Rushing
Bucktail- Pentz 18-97 TD, Intallura 7-17, Heiser 4-minus 2, Yachimiak 1-minus 3 TOTAL-30-109 TD
CamCo- Zucal 13-127 2TD, Fragale 2-13 TD, Narby 1-13, Snyder 3-7, Novak 1-2 TOTAL-20-162 3TD
Passing
Bucktail- Pentz 7-12 75 yds TD, Heiser 2-2 17 yds TOTAL- 9-14 92 yds TD
CamCo- Brown 2-2 63 yds 2TD, Novak 1-2 7 yds TOTAL-3-4 70 yds 2TD
Receiving
Bucktail- Yachimiak 4-36, Intallura 2-30, Heiser 1-24 TD, Stone 1-14, Pentz 1-3
CamCo- Shephard 2-63 TD, Snyder 1-7
Penalties
Bucktail 3-10, CamCo 6-50
First Downs
Bucktail-13, CamCo- 9
