Announcement
YORK TWP. — On a homecoming night when Buckeye celebrated the 50th anniversary of its 1965 Inland Conference champion football team, the current Bucks reenacted a Martha and the Vandellas song from that year: They made sure Wellington had “Nowhere to Run.” Buckeye’s defense held the Dukes to 30 total yards in the first half and 48 in the game en route to a 54-6 Patriot Athletic Conference Stars Division victory and a 6-0 start.
“I think our focus has been taking us to a whole nother level,” Buckeye senior quarterback Nathan Polidori said. “We get our focus going at game time, and the coaches have been doing a really good job of getting us ready.” Polidori got things going in the right direction for the Bucks with a 57-yard punt return for the game’s first touchdown. After muffing the kick, the senior picked up the ball and raced for the right sideline. “It was wide open,” he said. Buckeye didn’t need much more.
The defense set the tone from the start, and after Wellington turned a Polidori fumble into an 11-yard touchdown run by Max Carevic, the Dukes (3-3) went silent. Buckeye’s secondary kept tight coverage on Wellington, which missed its last 16 passes. “It felt like the secondary as a unit was playing really well, and the defensive line was making sure to get to the quarterback,” senior defensive back Justin Lowry said. “We were able to make some plays out there.” Fellow defensive back Nathan Scott, who also ran for a pair of scores, said the Bucks are improving as the season moves along. “We’re definitely getting better each week,” he said.
“We practice like we play, and we’re playing well.” Buckeye Coach Mark Pinzone said his staff did a good job of preparing the secondary. “My coaches are doing a great job,” he said. “The DB coach (Jesse Dooling) is drilling them every day, and a lot of those (defensive backs) are receivers also, so they’re doing a great job of managing their time with the players.” Buckeye came into the game averaging better than 42 points, but Pinzone said his squad has done a good job of remaining focused each week. “I believe in my heart that they’re staying on task, on the field, off the field, in the film room,” he said. “They’re all in.”
Trevor Thome ran nine times for 102 yards in the second quarter for Buckeye, while Scott picked up 57 yards on the ground to go with his two scores. Kyle Svagerko put away any doubts by starting the second half with two carries — the first for 43 yards and the second for 28 and a touchdown. That started the running clock, and Michael Doerge (3-yard run) and Collin Graham (9-yard run) added touchdowns to round out the scoring.
