Newberg Graphic Online

Bucks `sloppy' but get the job done Friday to beat the Grizzlies

St. Paul outdistances Gilchrist 56-34 to advance to the second round of the Class 1A football playoffs

• Published: 11/13/2009 6:00:51 PM
• Last Updated: 11/14/2009 10:34:11 AM

Photo By: Gary AllenUp for grabs
SPHS end David Ferguson and a Gilchrist player fight for a pass Friday afternoon in the Buck's 56-34 win in the first round of the Class 1A state playoffs.

   ST. PAUL - St. Paul continued the level of dominance the Bucks have become accustomed to this season, defeating Gilchrist 56-34 in the first round of the Class 1A state playoffs.
   Friday’s win at the rodeo grounds kept the Bucks’ unbeaten streak alive, with an overall record of 11-0 this season, but coach Tony Smith said he was not pleased with the team’s execution. The Bucks did not do the things that have made them successful, Smith said.
   “We’re lucky we were playing an inferior opponent,” he said. “Because if we play like this down the road, against somebody who’s as good or maybe closer to being as good as us, we lose.”
   Smith said fundamental mistakes such as not taking care of the football or not sustaining blocks led to the Bucks’ somewhat sloppy play.
   After the game, Smith talked to the team about what it means to be a tough, smart football team. While the second-year head coach said he feels his team has the potential to be a tough team, the Bucks didn’t show that on Friday.
   St. Paul’s mishaps began with the Bucks’ first possession of the game, when an errant pitch by quarterback Daley Smith was recovered by Gilchrist.
   Yet, the Bucks defense was stifling in the early going as the Grizzlies couldn’t sustain a drive until late in the second quarter.
   Meanwhile, St. Paul built a quick lead as Smith connected with Matt Gooding for an 11-yard touchdown pass. Ryan Pierson’s 29-yard touchdown run put the Bucks up 16-0.
Smith would tack on another score on a 1-yard quarterback keeper early in the second quarter.
   However, the Grizzlies clawed their way back into the game, finally scoring on a 29-yard touchdown pass with 55.8 seconds remaining in the half. With limited time, St. Paul responded with a heavy dose of Pierson, who knocked out runs of 33, 13 and 15 yards, before carrying the Bucks into the end zone again from five yards out.
   St. Paul led 28-18 at halftime, but Gilchrist immediately cut that lead with a long touchdown drive on its first possession of the second half.
   With momentum in their favor, the Grizzlies appeared capable of keeping the game tight at that point, but St. Paul’s offense slowly began to take over.
   Pierson, who finished with more than 300 yards rushing, ran for his third and final touchdown of the game, followed by scores from Smith, Gooding and backup running back Lester Kirk.
   For the game, the Bucks tallied 500 yards of total offense. Pierson had 358 yards on 23 carries and three touchdowns. Smith carried the ball 10 times for nine yards and two touchdowns. Gooding carried the ball 10 times for 90 yards and a touchdown and Lester Kirk once for 19 yards and a touchdown for the Bucks.
   Despite the 22-point margin of victory, coach Smith said he and the team know they didn’t play their best football of the year, and that level of performance began this week in practice.
   “We didn’t practice well this week,” he said. “We practiced about exactly how we played, about 50-50. We’ve got some kids dinged and we’ve got some kids sick, and we’ve got some other stuff, but those are just excuses.”
   Now the team needs to refocus its efforts, beginning with Monday’s practice, he said, adding “We may lose at some point, but we want to lose playing well.”
   The bright spot is that the coach feels he has the team in place that is capable of rebounding from a mediocre performance and stepping up its level of play as the Bucks head into the second round.
   In past games where the team has underperformed, Smith said the players have always responded well.
   “We have good senior leadership,” he explained. “And when we have talked to them and had issues with them, they have responded. That’s been the really nice thing about them.”
   Since Cove defeated Ione 38-6 Friday, St. Paul will likely travel to Cove, 7-2 overall, next week in the next round of the playoffs.

  (log in to rate)