Announcement
From the GAZETTE by Adam Ferrise, Special to The Gazette
WELLINGTON — Mike Kelly, who struggled through the Buckeye football team’s first four games, looked comfortable under center in leading the Bucks to their second straight win. Kelly completed 6-of9 passes, one for a 70-yard touchdown, and rushed for 68 more in the Bucks’ 28-19 Patriot Athletic Conference Stars Division win over Wellington on Friday.
“Mike’s an athlete,” Buckeye senior Cory Reisner said. “That’s something we didn’t have last year. It’s good for both of us to use our speed and quickness.” Reisner rushed for 153 yards on 21 carries, scored three touchdowns and intercepted the final pass of the game. “When we go Cory, Cory, Cory, teams can forget the quarterback is a very capable runner as well,” Buckeye coach Billy Burke said. “That’s how our offense is going this season.”
In the Bucks’ run-heavy offense, both players said their communication has been essential in the last two wins. “We watch how they line up and we talk each other through the play,” Kelly said. With the Bucks ahead 2119 in the fourth quarter, Kelly faked two handoffs and decided to rush himself. He avoided a slew of Dukes in the backfield with a nifty spin move and took the rush 28 yards to the 1. Reisner capped the drive on the next play with his third touchdown of the game. “I feel both me and Corey can make the big ones,” Kelly said. “We just go with whichever is better that play. We both feel either of us can make the play.”
For the second consecutive week, Kelly converted a fourth-down play for a score. This time it came in the second quarter. On fourth-and-7 from the Wellington 25, Kelly connected with Darren Boulton for a touchdown, giving the Bucks a 21-7 lead with two minutes left in the first half. Boulton had five receptions for 57 yards.
“As everyone understands, Mike isn’t the most gifted thrower in the world,” Burke said. “Once he understood that and we learned when he can throw well and where he’s efficient at, he really started to come into his own.” Kelly said he is gaining confidence in his decisionmaking, something that plagued the junior in the first four games, all losses. “It was hard getting used to at first,” he said. “I threw a lot of interceptions in those four games. The last couple games, I came out and decided that if it’s not close to being open, I’m not going to throw it.”
Dukes quarterback Steve Simonson went 74 yards for a touchdown on a draw to cut the Bucks’ lead to eight points at halftime. Wellington (1-5, 1-2) matched Buckeye (2-4, 2-1) touchdown for touchdown through three quarters, but failed to convert two extra points. Simonson, who rushed for 143 yards on 11 carries and connected on 12-of-22 passes for 122 yards, led Wellington on a nine-play, 82-yard drive at the end of the third quarter to make the score 21-19.
On their next possession, the Bucks scored on a 1-yard Reisner touchdown that was set up by Kelly’s 28-yard burst on third and 4. “We had to stop their offense, and it seemed like we had them stopped a couple times,” Wellington coach Matt Stoll said. “That’s kind of been the story of our season. We gave up long third- or fourth-down conversions.”
For Reisner, the win allowed the senior to get a little redemption. Two years ago as a sophomore, the Bucks lost a 76 game. Buckeye scored late in the fourth quarter and went for the two-point conversion, with Chaz Jordan carrying. The referees ruled the attempt failed — the goal line was buried under several inches of water, making it unclear — and the Bucks lost. “It was probably the worst day of my life,” Reisner said. “That got to me a little bit, but it feels good to get a little revenge.”
UP NEXT: Buckeye (2-4, 2-1) entertains Columbia. Wellington (2-4, 1-2) is at Black River. Ferrise may be reached at sports@ohio.net.
