Bucks teeter on brink of elite
Playoff success only thing missing for football squad
Josh England and his Buckeye teammates have been in the middle of the best run in school history. Photo by BRUCE BILLOW
Buckeye’s football program, if it ever could before, no longer can be considered a flash in the pan. Four years of sustained success make that an easy label to shed.
The last four seasons Buckeye is a combined 33-11, with a playoff experience each year. The Bucks are by no means a state power, but they certainly can number themselves among northeast Ohio’s best, based on their recent prowess.
The year that just ended started with an overtime loss to Revere and ended with a 3-point playoff loss to New Philadelphia. Between were nine mostly lopsided wins as the Bucks overcame the departure of a ton of talent to graduation and a Week 1 season-ending injury to their starting quarterback.
The Bucks were outright Patriot Athletic Conference champions and hosted a playoff game. Despite having playoff victories continue to elude them, the year was nothing but a success.
“The senior class will definitely be missed,” Bucks coach Mark Pinzone said. “Everyone counted them out because of our talented class last year. You know what? This senior class is a talented. Every one of them strapped the team on their back and we had success the rest of the way.”
Guys like linemen Hunter Gray and Cody Jackson, receiver Ricky VanBoxel, linebacker Justin McCullough and fullback Josh England will be missed, along with Mike Doerge and Keaton Sandor.
Enter linemen Dominic Kriz, Spencer Murphy, Turner Mitchell and Luke Conrad, all juniors, and sophomores Logan Schultz and Ryan Smith. Linebackers Brent Medvic and Isiah Williams also could be back.
Also among the returnees could be quarterback Adam Fauver, who went down on opening night, and speedster Justin Canedy, who like Doerge eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards this year.
“My favorite part of the season is the idea that so many players stepped in and made plays when we had so many injuries this year,” Pinzone said, noting that all the injuries detracted somewhat from the enjoyment. “Those guys really deserved a chance to complete. The good news is that most of them are underclassmen and coming back next year to play.”
Doerge, who stepped in at quarterback and ran for 1,000 yards and passed for more than 500, will not be back after winning conference offensive player of the year honors. All-League kicker Richard Gatt also will graduate. Canedy, Gray, Kriz, Van Boxel and McCullough all earned first-team All-PAC honors. Canedy and Kriz are the only first-team all-conference performers who won’t graduate.
That doesn’t mean Pinzone doesn’t expect the Bucks’ run to continue. He expects that and more.
“The long range plan for next season is to win and win a lot,” he said. “We always expect to win, win the conference and get to the playoffs. The big thorn in our side is getting that first playoff win in school history and beyond. Almost everyone is returning next year so we feel real good about the opportunity to do just that next year.”
The last four seasons Buckeye is a combined 33-11, with a playoff experience each year. The Bucks are by no means a state power, but they certainly can number themselves among northeast Ohio’s best, based on their recent prowess.
The year that just ended started with an overtime loss to Revere and ended with a 3-point playoff loss to New Philadelphia. Between were nine mostly lopsided wins as the Bucks overcame the departure of a ton of talent to graduation and a Week 1 season-ending injury to their starting quarterback.
The Bucks were outright Patriot Athletic Conference champions and hosted a playoff game. Despite having playoff victories continue to elude them, the year was nothing but a success.
“The senior class will definitely be missed,” Bucks coach Mark Pinzone said. “Everyone counted them out because of our talented class last year. You know what? This senior class is a talented. Every one of them strapped the team on their back and we had success the rest of the way.”
Guys like linemen Hunter Gray and Cody Jackson, receiver Ricky VanBoxel, linebacker Justin McCullough and fullback Josh England will be missed, along with Mike Doerge and Keaton Sandor.
Enter linemen Dominic Kriz, Spencer Murphy, Turner Mitchell and Luke Conrad, all juniors, and sophomores Logan Schultz and Ryan Smith. Linebackers Brent Medvic and Isiah Williams also could be back.
Also among the returnees could be quarterback Adam Fauver, who went down on opening night, and speedster Justin Canedy, who like Doerge eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards this year.
“My favorite part of the season is the idea that so many players stepped in and made plays when we had so many injuries this year,” Pinzone said, noting that all the injuries detracted somewhat from the enjoyment. “Those guys really deserved a chance to complete. The good news is that most of them are underclassmen and coming back next year to play.”
Doerge, who stepped in at quarterback and ran for 1,000 yards and passed for more than 500, will not be back after winning conference offensive player of the year honors. All-League kicker Richard Gatt also will graduate. Canedy, Gray, Kriz, Van Boxel and McCullough all earned first-team All-PAC honors. Canedy and Kriz are the only first-team all-conference performers who won’t graduate.
That doesn’t mean Pinzone doesn’t expect the Bucks’ run to continue. He expects that and more.
“The long range plan for next season is to win and win a lot,” he said. “We always expect to win, win the conference and get to the playoffs. The big thorn in our side is getting that first playoff win in school history and beyond. Almost everyone is returning next year so we feel real good about the opportunity to do just that next year.”