The Boyd-Buchanan Buccaneers took the field for the first time on Friday night as the state's top-ranked Class AA football team, and they were very business-like in their 35-3 win at Bledsoe County. The Bucs who took over the top spot last week by knocking off top-ranked Marion County, scored on their first three possessions against the Warriors. The Bucs drove 85 yards in 9 plays on their first series as Isiah Dillard scored on a 19 yard run putting his team up 7-0 with 5:03 in the first quarter.
After a Bledsoe County punt, the Bucs scored again on a 9 yard run by senior quarterback Cooper Hodge, capping a 57 yard drive.
Boyd-Buchanan led 14-0 after the first quarter. After a pass interception by Will Watkins set the Buccaneers up at the Bledsoe County 36 yard line, Cooper Hodge hit Carter Broom from 19 yards out with a perfectly thrown touchdown pass and the lead had grown to 21-0.
"Cooper Hodge has really worked hard to improve," Bucs' Coach Grant Reynolds said. "He is really throwing the ball well."
Play became a little sloppy in the middle of the second quarter, as the Bucs roughed the kicker on a Warrior punt and fumbled the punt away on the Boyd-Buchanan 18 yard line. that resulted in a Bledsoe County field goal by Gabe Boring just before the half, and the Buccaneers led 21-3 at the break.
Boyd-Buchanan put the game away with a couple of third quarter touchdowns. An E.J Mathews touchdown run of 34 yards made it 28-3 with 9:45 left in the third, then Mathews scored again on a 35 yard run with 3:14 left in the third, and the Bucs were rolling 35-3. Mathews finished with 136 yards rushing on just 13 carries, while Cooper Hodge was 5 of 8 in passing for 71 yards. The Bucs outgained the Warriors 354 yards to 116, and picked up 16 first downs to just 6 for Bledsoe County.
Boyd-Buchanan improves to a perfect 6-0 on the year and they're also 3-0 in region 3-2A and in first place. The Bucs are playing in a new region in 2015, one that Coach Reynolds thinks will benefit his team. " This is our first year in this region and after a few games, we see how competitive it is. I think playing against these teams week after week will be good for our program.
Next week the Bucs host Meigs County in their homecoming game at David L.Boyd Field.