Announcement
From The GAZETTE by Dan Brown, Staff Writer
YORK TWP. — Buckeye running back Cory Reisner had the letters MVP painted below each of his eyes Friday night.
Lutheran West’s football team got the message.
The junior back played like a most valuable player, finding the end zone four times in a 30-27 win over the Longhorns in a Patriot Athletic Conference cross-division tilt.
The self-motivated Reisner rushed for 180 yards on 19 carries and reached the end zone three times with his feet and once on a pass from quarterback Jesse Horton.
“I sat down and had a talk with him earlier this week, just about football,” said Buckeye coach Billy Burke, whose team has won two straight after dropping its first three. “But he doesn’t need anyone to talk to him. He has such a passion for competition and he will always find some way, some how to do it.”
The 5-foot-10, 160-pound Reisner might look small, but the crafty back ran through Lutheran West defenders all night, many times off direct snaps.
“I can get in the zone any time,” Reisner said of his motivation. “I know that every time our line is capable of making a hole, so I was pretty confident.”
That zone meant a long day for the Longhorns (3-2, 0-2). After a Lutheran West touchdown early in the fourth quarter, Reisner scampered in from 12 yards out with 8:30 to go for the go-ahead score.
The TD came on the fifth play of the drive and was set up by a big 33-yard gain by fellow back Shawn Cordes (5 carries, 79 yards).
“I thought their running backs did a great job of breaking tackles,” Longhorns coach Troy Fehrs said. “And with a very big and good offensive line, they did a great job.”
With more than half of the final period still to play, the Bucks (2-3, 2-0) needed a defensive stop.
Lutheran West strung together a 15-play drive that started on its own 20, spreading the field with quarterback Paul Fackler (14-for-25, 193 yards, TD) and running back James Ziegan (15 carries, 66 yards, 2 TDs).
It all came down to fourth-and-9 on the Bucks 24. When Fackler’s pass to Mike Beradinis on a fade route was short, the game was over.
“That’s what this game was about,” Burke said of the final stand. “We finally made a play.”
Buckeye’s defense did come up with big plays early in the game as well.
Senior Josh Varney blocked a 24-yard field goal attempt late in the first quarter, which Reisner picked up and returned to the Bucks 45. Seven plays later, Horton (7-for-9, 76 yards, TD) found Reisner on an 8-yard TD pass.
“We’ve finally found our groove,” Burke said. “We’re finding ways to win in different fashions. Last week we won a blowout (40-7 at Clearview) and this week we pulled out a close one.”
Kicker Darrin Read rounded out the scoring for Buckeye, connecting on a 20-yard field goal late in the first half.
Brown may be reached at wp.medina-gazette.com or dan_brown@ohio.net.
