Fall Sports Guide The Record Delta
THERECORDDELTA.COM
THE RECORD DELTA
Copyright 2019
SECTION | C
Local Views...Local Sports
Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2019
BUCKHANNON-UPSHUR FOOTBALL
The 2019 Buckhannon-Upshur Buccaneer Football Team
Bucs look to overcome 0-2 start to the season TENNERTON – Despite an 0-2 start to the season, Buckhannon-Upshur head coach Duane Stoeckle feels his team goals are still in front of his Buccaneer team. That goal of course is returning to the state play-offs after a two-year absence. Last season the Buccaneers just missed out on a playoff opportunity finishing 18th in the state with a 5-5 record. The top 16 advance to the playoffs. B-U lost a 29-28 nail-biter to Bridgeport last season that
wound up costing them a potential playoff berth. “This biggest obstacle for this team is they still have to believe they can do it,” remarked Stoeckle. “Despite our start, our team and our seniors know what they have to do.” The Bucs will likely need to go at least 6-2 the rest of the season, although five win teams have made the playoffs in prior seasons. The Bucs had to open the season against the defending Class AA champions in Fair-
mont Senior and then face a long road trip to Ripley, who made the Class AAA playoffs a season ago with a 9-1 record. “We simply have to do a better job with our execution,” remarked Stoeckle. “The team that makes the fewer mistakes in a game is usually going to win and that hasn’t been us the first two weeks of the season.” The Bucs are led by senior quarterback Ryan Strader, who has completed 18 of his 30 passes for 172 yards and one touchdown.
His main receiver this year has been senior Brayden Cutlip who has caught eight passes for 89 yards. The Bucs have had their troubles getting the running game going early in the season with just 74 yards on 58 carries. “We have to do a better job of blocking up front and getting our backs some running room,” noted Stoeckle. “We are always going to look to run the ball first.” The Bucs are also looking for a way to slow down their
Seniors — Front row, left to right: Brett Sears, Tyler Kuhn, Todd Cutlip, Chris Burnside, Colby Boyles, Trenton Westfall and Dakota Wagoner. Back row, left to right: Anthony Cannone, Ryan Strader, Cameron Dunn, Ryan Smith, Brayden Cutlip and Euan Kettle.
opponents on defense. Fairmont Senior and Ripley have combined for 104 points and 871 yards in two games thus far. “We simply have to do a better job of tackling, especially in oneon-one situations,” said Stoeckle. The Bucs will battle another winless team this Friday when they travel to Philip Barbour in a clash with the Class AA Colts. Following that, the Bucs will have a week off to prepare for a play-off run and will then return to action Friday, Sept.27
at Greenbrier East. The schedule sets up nicely for the Bucs in October with three straight home games. They face John Marshall in a homecoming battle on Oct. 4, then rival Lewis County on Oct. 11 then a battle with the University Hawks on Oct. 18. The Bucs take to the road the final Friday with a trip to Brooke before returning home Nov. 1 with a senior night outing with Preston. They close out the season Nov. 8 on the road against Elkins.
2019 Schedule Aug. 30 – FAIRMONT SENIOR Sept. 6 – at Ripley Sept. 13 – at Philip Barbour, 7 p.m. Sept. 20 – Open Week Sept. 27 – at Greenbrier East, 7:30 p.m. HOMECOMING Oct. 4 – JOHN MARSHALL, 7 p.m. Oct. 11 –LEWIS COUNTY, 7 p.m. HALL OF FAME NIGHT Oct. 18 – UNIVERSITY, 7 p.m. Oct 25 – at Brooke, 7:30 p.m. SENIOR NIGHT Nov. 1 – PRESTON, 7:30 p.m. .Nov. 8 – at Elkins, 7 p.m.