Buckeye Local tops Toronto, 29-13
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RAYLAND -- A year removed from a last-minute loss to Toronto, the Buckeye Local got its revenge and put together a solid performance on both sides of the ball, winning for the first time this season with a 29-13 decision over the Red Knights at World War II Memorial Stadium Friday night.
Panther head coach Jim Hoover garnered his first win as Buckeye Local's grid boss as his team improved to 1-2.
Coach Josh Franke saw his Red Knights drop their second game of the season while falling to 2-2. Toronto will be on the road again next week with a long road trip to Kansas, Ohio to take on Lakota High.
"We just kept shooting ourselves in the foot," Franke said after the game. "Ten penalties is just too many and it just seemed that every time we got ourselves in a good position, we made big mistakes that cost us." "That opening kickoff return and that big run for the touchdown early got us started in the wrong direction, we got down 15-0 very early and just found ourselves battling back the entire game."
Buckeye's Dylan Palmer returned the opening kickoff 52 yards to the Toronto 37. A holding penalty pushed the Panthers back to 47 and on the first play from scrimmage speedy sophomore QB Skyler Ebright swept the left side for 47 yards and the score. Wyatt Kalman booted the PAT.
A misjudged boot on the ensuing kickoff was covered by the Panther's Johnny Leput and Buckeye was again on offense on Toronto's 27 with 11:11 on the clock. Three straight runs by bruising junior back Trey Hoover picked up six, four and the final 17 for the score with 9:38 on the clock. Ethan McHugh passed to Leput for the two-pointer and a 15-0 lead.
"It was a total team effort, a total team effort," an elated coach Hoover said after the win. "Not one kid stood out. The quarterback ran well, Trevor ran well, the line blocked well, the defense did its job. We probably should have scored two more touchdowns.
"Their offense is a lot of smoke and mirrors, but our defense did the job. Coach Franke does a good job.
"They grew up the last week. Regardless of last week, we told them that they were going to challenge them and they challenged them, but we were up to the challenge. Our scout team did a phenomenal job getting them ready. Our backs block for each other."
Late in the first frame, Toronto started what was to be its first scoring drive from its own 24. A 16-yard run by Zane Kinsey and a 12-yarder by Zebulin Kinsey set up a 26-yard gain by Dominic Brouscher brought the Knights to the 14. Brouscher's 12-yard run came two plays before Zebulin Kinsey scored from the 1 with 11:16 on the second quarter clock. Shane Keenan booted the PAT.
Standout defensive plays were the highlights of the remainder of the half. Keenan's 11-
sack of Ebright for the Knight's and Palmer's defensive gem with a pass deflection at the goal for the Panthers topped the excitement.
Early in the third quarter, Palmer picked off a Red Knight pass and returned it 37 yards for the score. Kalman's PAT extended the lead to 22-7 with 10:26 on the board.
Toronto controlled the ball for the next 6:23, but was stopped from entering the endzone primarily with a pair of defensive gems in the secondary by Palmer and Noah Kourim.
However, it was late in the third that Toronto got back on the board on a 72-yard bomb from Aiden Mick to Keenan with :16 remaining. The PAT was wide left.
Buckeye added to its lead 9:32 left in the game on three-yard run by Hoover. Kalman's boot finished the scoring. The Panther defense did come up with three big plays to erase any Red
Knight hopes. McHugh picked off pass at the 5:49 mark, Hunter Darrah had a big sack in the
final minute and Ayden Krupinski pounced on Toronto fumble to seal the win.
"They say winning is a habit, but losing can become a habit as well," Hoover said. "All it takes is get your mind rolling and get on the right track."
Adrianna Blazeski was crowned Homecoming Queen during halftime ceremonies.
Buckeye Local 29, Toronto 13
Buckeye Local 15 0 7 7 – 29
Toronto 0 7 6 0 – 13
First Quarter
BL - Ebright 47-yd R (Kalman kick)
BL - Hoover, 17-yd R (Leput P from McHugh)
T - Za. Kinsey, 1-yard R (Keenan kick)
BL - Palmer, 37-yd INT ret. (Kalman kick)
T - Keenan 72-yd P from Mick (kick failed)
BL - Hoover, 3-yd R. (Kalman kick)
RUSHING (39-225-3) - Ebright, 15-147-1; Hoover, 22-118-2; Kourim, 1-4; McHugh, 1-10.
Toronto (29-52-1) - Zane Kinsey, 10-49; Ze. Kinsey, 8-15; Bouscher, 2-20; Mick, 5-24; Keenan 1-
4-1)
PASSING (0-2-0) - all by Ebright. Toronto (14-23-203-1Td-2int) - all by Mick
RECEIVING - Buckeye Local, none. Toronto - Bouscher, 7-103; Keenan, 2-83-1: Za. Kinsey, 1-0;
Nett, 1-8; Ze. Kinsey, 1-5; West, 1-3; Wirgand, 1-1.
Buckeye Local Toronto
First Downs 11 10
Penalties 8-53 10-146
Fumbles/Lost 0-0 4-2
Punting 3-30.0 4-35.0