Announcement
Undefeated Buckeye Hands Firelands Its First Loss
10/13/2017 - By ALBERT GRINDLE Gazette Sports Writer
YORK TWP. -Three lost fumbles, a punt return touchdown wiped off the board, two potentially game-changing controversial calls and a gutsy, physical Firelands football team led by Nick Denney, Logan Strader and Blake Ruffner could have rattled Buckeye’s Adam Fauver.
The unflappable quarterback reminded everyone why he’s the top signal caller in the 12-school Patriot Athletic Conference and why the Bucks remain the top dogs in the Stars Division.
Rushing for 211 yards, throwing for 153, having a hand in all four touchdowns and completing a game-sealing, fourth-down pop-pass with less than a minute to go, Fauver refused to let the Bucks lose in a 25-22 showdown of undefeated, state-ranked rivals.
Buckeye (8-0, 3-0) has won 21 straight in the PAC Stars and 17 in a row overall in the regular season.
Coach Greg Dennison’s team also all but sewed up a fifth consecutive Division III playoff berth after stopping the winning streak of the Falcons (7-1, 2-1) at eight.
“That was one heckuva rivalry game, two teams 7-0,” Fauver said. “It was like a playoff game.”
Firelands proved to be a worthy opponent, responding from deficits of 19-7 and 25-14 and getting fumble recoveries from Michael Bansek, Strader and Landon Peterson. The first was made possible by a brilliant play from Denney, who tracked down Fauver after a 67-yard run and popped the ball into the air.
The Falcons threw everything they had at the Bucks offensively by motioning Denney (8 carries, 31 yards; 3 receptions, 79 yards, 2 TDs) all over the field, running speed options with Bansek and Strader (15 carries, 55 yards) and putting Ruffner (8 carries, 129 yards, TD; 2-for-3, 19 yards, TD) at QB with an unbalanced line and two fullback blockers to his front-left.
Denney opened and completed the scoring with a 60-yard reception from Bansek and a 17-yard shovel pass from Ruffner, powering through a wrap tackle on each. Ruffner cut the deficit to 19-14 late in the third quarter on an 83-yard sweep left, but a Strader 20-yard TD run that was called back mid-second quarter proved costly, as Firelands turned the ball over on downs and had to play catch-up.
“We knew coming into this game that they were an athletic team,” said Buckeye running back/outside linebacker Dominic Monaco, who had three tackles for loss and 11 carries for 65 yards. “They pretty much had everything ready to go, but we came out and had a game plan for everything they did. At the end of the day, you just play football.”
The bottom line was Firelands just couldn’t stop Fauver.
The 6-foot-1, 206-pounder, who missed all but two quarters of last season with a torn ACL, carried 22 times and completed 9-of-11 passes, including for first downs on third-and-10, third-and-7 and fourth-and-7. He was particularly effective on power options with speedster Justin Canedy (3 receptions, 67 yards, TD) and running left behind tackle Ryan Smith and guard Dom Kriz.
Momentum could have swung Firelands’ way after the Bucks, leading 19-14, lined up on the Falcons 7-yard line for the final play of the third quarter. Halfback Canedy couldn’t handle a swing pass to the right, and the ball bounced backward to the 20.
Firelands’ Peterson recovered — “I thought (the ball) went forward. It’s a forward route,” Fauver said — but Buckeye forced a punt thanks to two tackles for loss by Monaco.
Fauver seized the redemption opportunity, powering the Bucks on a 17-yard drive after a 34-yard punt return by Anthony Watkins. Fauver carried a defender into the end zone on a 14-yard run — his third rushing TD on third-and-7 or longer — to give Buckeye a 25-14 lead with 8:24 to play.
“They execute their gap schemes really well, and he’s a really tough runner,” Falcons coach Ryan O’Rourke said. “You can’t run that type of system unless your quarterback is a really tough kid, and he did a heckuva job.”
Firelands appeared to turn over the ball on downs on its next possession, but Watkins was called for pass interference when his feet got tangled with the intended receiver. Denney then took the shovel pass from Ruffner and broke multiple tackles to trim the deficit to 25-22 with 3:20 to play.
Fauver again took over after a leaping onside kick recovery by Evan Tesar, bursting up the middle for a first down and forcing Firelands to burn timeouts. The Falcons held for a fourth down and All-Ohio punter Kriz lined up with the ball at the Falcons 37 with 1:01 left, but Dennison called a timeout and went for broke.
In the pistol formation for the first time, Fauver faked a lead to Monaco and flipped a lollipop to wide-open tight end Logan Schulz (2 catches, 26 yards; 3 tackles for loss, 2 sacks), who caught the ball and rumbled to the 14 as the home crowd went bonkers.
One knee by Fauver and the game was over.
“The coaches have confidence in me, and I always have confidence in myself,” Fauver said calmly. “I know I’m a pretty good athlete and I want to go out there and make plays.”
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