Announcement
YORK TWP. — “The Quiet Storm” whipped around Edwin Steingass Field like a cyclone Friday.
If he keeps up the pace, Nathan Scott might reach typhoon status by the time the season is over.
A wide receiver employed quite a bit in the Buckeye football team’s run scheme, the junior had a career night in a 39-13 win over Lutheran West in Patriot Athletic Conference cross-division action.
Used early, often and whenever the Bucks (3-2, 2-0) needed him, Scott accounted for 233 yards from scrimmage (151 rushing, 82 receiving) and four touchdowns in a fantasy football-like showing.
“I call him ‘The Quiet storm,”’ Bucks coach Mark Pinzone said. “When he’s playing well and when he’s slacking off a little bit, he’s ‘The Soft Drizzle.”’
Scott was more like a hail storm against the Longhorns (1-4, 0-1), who came into the game minus their first-, second- and third-string running backs.
Defensively, however, Lutheran West had no answer for Scott, who scored on receptions of 22 and 46 yards and ran two more in from 12 and 78 yards.
Buckeye saw a soft spot in the Longhorns’ defense and ran jet sweeps and wheel routes all evening.
“We’ll hold onto this game and keep moving forward,” Scott said. “I didn’t expect a huge game like this. I give all the credit to my teammates.”
Scott’s teammates had a hand in it as the Bucks rolled up 475 yards offense.
With the Bucks putting up 231 yards in a 55-16 win over Oberlin and 372 yards two weeks ago in a 27-7 win over Cloverleaf, it appears they are ready to make some noise as PAC action heats up.
“I think it’s big for our offense to see what they can do,” said Bucks quarterback Nate Polidori, who was 7-of-12 for 217 yards and three touchdowns. “We’re such a dual threat as a team. It’s hard to stop that in high school. When our line gives us time, there’s no stopping us. We had a slow start, but this was huge. When we’re confident, we’re very good.”
One play typified the resolve the Bucks have shown in their three-game winning streak.
Backed up to second-and-23 from its own 10-yard line, Buckeye had a 90-yard score from Scott wiped out in the second quarter thanks to a holding penalty.
Unfazed, the Bucks went back to the drawing board and Polidori hit a wide open Trevor Thome (92 rushing yards, 119 receiving) on a school-record 87-yard pass play to put Buckeye up 20-0.
It was exactly the shot in the arm the Bucks needed and everything Lutheran West wasn’t looking for.
“Those kids are fantastic,” Pinzone said. “We hang our hats on them. They had a great game. They got the break they needed. We’re proud of them. I think that did break their back. That’s tough for any team.”
As strong as Buckeye was on offense, it was equally up to the task defensively. The unit forced four turnovers and came up big when Pinzone needed it most.
The Longhorns were inside the 10 twice in the first half and came up empty both times. The first time a big fumble recovery negated a Lutheran West first down. The second time, the Longhorns turned it over on fourth-and-6 from the 7.
For good measure, Buckeye’s John Garner came up with an interception on first-and-goal from the 4 at the start of the second half.
“That was huge for us,” Pinzone said. “Right now, the defense is something we’ve been relying on. We’ve been bending a little bit, but we worked on some things and we definitely played better.
“The big thing is for the first time all season we can say we’ve had a winning record. That was something we talked about all week. We wanted a homecoming win. We wanted a winning record and our offensive coordinator (Bill Turner) lost his dad this week. We were playing for him as well.”
Contact Brad Bournival at sports@medina-gazette.com.
Buckeye 39, Lutheran West 13
