What Happened: The varsity football team experienced another early start at East Kentwood with a 4:30 p.m. kickoff this past Friday night. With changes in scheduling, it’s hard to say how a team will adapt, however, the earlier start time has shown to help the Buccaneers play some of their best and strongest football this season. Especially, during the East Kentwood game where the Bucs proved their capability to start with a higher level intensity, leading to impressive results in offense with four touchdowns in the first two quarters. Even with a couple of troublesome moments, leading to a tied up game at the end of the fourth quarter. The Bucs demonstrated their hunger to win and cool heads during a heated overtime, which unlimitedly lead to a victory for the boys by a field goal.

What does this mean: With this win in their arsenal, the Buccaneers have gained the much-needed confidence in their ability to play a higher-ranked team in the O-K Red Conference along with coming out with the necessary intensity and keeping that mentality for the entire game. Also, this game was a turning point for the Bucs in terms of the players learning to have the needed trust in their teammates, but also the coaches to have confidence in their players to do their job, even when there’s added pressures of a win or lose outcome. 

Key players:

• Senior Connor Worthington had several impressive runs, one in particular led to a touchdown. 
• Senior Braydon Franz caught a 47 reception and ran it for a touchdown. 
• Senior Tyler Harp had a big stop during overtime, stopping East Kentwood from scoring the crucial touchdown to win the Falcons the game.                                                                                                                                                                 

Key moments: Several moments set the course of the game towards the Buccaneer’s favor. However, within the first several minutes of the game, Senior Owen Krizan got a pick 6 then ran 88 yards for the Bucs first touchdown of the night. Also, the first overtime of the season added its own set of anticipation and pressures, but it was senior Teague Wilson who kicked the winning field goal to put the Bucs on top.

They said it: “Build a lot of confidence for us because they’re a really good team and we manage to stick with them,” senior Bronsen Jewell said. “Show us that we have the capability of finishing the game, that if we trust our teammates to make plays, that the plays will be made.”

What’s next: he Bucs on their home field this Friday, Oct. 7 at 7:00 p.m. kickoff for their homecoming game against Caledonia.