Buck Football Sees New Faces
by Jim Morgan
FARWELL – The 2014 Bucktail Football team will be inexperienced not only on the field, but on the sidelines as well.
Veteran head coach Bruce Ransom will have a couple new coaches with him. Coach Bill Probst will now be calling the offensive plays as he replaces Bill Penton who had been calling the plays for the last 37 years. New assistant coach Josh Day who played for Central Mountain High School will be a big asset for the linemen, both offense and defense.
Bucktail scrimmaged Sayre and South Williamsport and one thing that stood out for Bucktail was some size on the line. The Bucks were able to move the ball forward on offense during both of those scrimmages. On that offensive line it looks like juniors Ryan Prebble, Kyle Ransdorf and Brice Cannon. Senior Brandon Payne will be centering the ball. Seniors Brant Bixler, John Probst and sophomore Devin Embick will all be helping to protect sophomore Mike Casper as quarterback.
With Casper in the backfield will be two good backs that have speed. Seniors Aaron Ransdorf and Willie Hopkins will see the ball in their hands about twenty times each during the game. Giving them a little rest are sophomore Josh Marr and junior Anthony Intallura. Flankers and ends will be juniors Josh Knauff, Keifer Mason, sophomore Hunter Gavlock and senior Blake Gavlock.
The defensive side of the ball will be on the line juniors Collin Spancer, Austin Ransdorf, Tommy Miller, Tommy Riggle and Cannon. Bixler and Payne are looking at going both ways. Sophomore Zack Cummings will also add to the line. Freshmen Aaron Lucas and Cody Hand will see some offense and defensive line as well. In the backfield of the defense are Hopkins, A. Intallura, Mitch Intallura, Aaron Ransdorf, Kyle Ransdorf, Mason and Knauff.
Bucktail’s passing will be limited down field with the inexperience at the QB position, the big thing will be keeping Casper healthy during the season. Who will Coach Ransom turn to if Casper is sidelined? That could be a number of them, Hopkins, Mason, Knauff and Blake Gavlock. Casper will have to learn quickly on protecting himself by throwing the ball away and getting out of bounds before he takes a hard hit from the opponent.
The big task for the coaches is getting the line to jell for protection and opening holes enough for the running backs. I believe that the Bucks will be in most of the games during the season. The key will be how are most of these Bucks going to react in the second half of the game. Bucktail opens this Friday at Montgomery, kick-off time is 7 p.m.
