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YORKVILLE – The Toronto football team showcased its big-play ability against Jefferson County rival Buckeye Local.
Drake Buscher scored on a 55-yard run on the third play of scrimmage to give Toronto the early lead, and the Red Knights did not look back en route to a 42-13 victory against the Panthers on a rainy Friday night on Buckeye Local’s Homecoming down on Ron Pobolish Field inside World War II Memorial Stadium.
“We were able to get our running game going,” Toronto (8-1) head coach Jaret Aubiel said. “We challenged our offensive line, and they came through for us. It was a successful night for us.”
The loss drops Buckeye Local to 0-9 on the season.
Bouscher’s run capped a 54-yard drive, and it was the first of two touchdowns the boys from the Gem City tallied in the first quarter.
Following three-straight punts – two by Buckeye Local – the Red-and-White took over at the Panthers’ 49. Three runs moved the ball down to the 33, and a 5-yard penalty on the hosts gave the Red Knights a first down at the 28. On the ensuing play, Toronto quarterback Max Rebich hooked up with Kenny Jett on a 28-yard touchdown, and DJ Manley kicked his second extra point of the quarter to give Toronto a 14-0 lead.
Toronto’s defense forced Buckeye Local to punt from its 25 on the ensuing drive, however, the punt only traveled 12 yards giving the ball to the Red Knights at the Panthers’ 37. The victors started off the drive with a 15-yard completion from Rebich to Jett to move the ball down to the 22. Toronto ended up facing a 4th-and-13 from the Buckeye Local 25, however, the Red Knights were unfazed as Rebich hooked up with Matthew Radvansky for a 25-yard score, and Manley once again split the uprights with his extra point to give his team a 21-0 lead in the second quarter.
The Red Knights defense forced a fumble the next time the Panthers had the ball, and Michael Leone scooped it up and appeared to run it in for a touchdown, however, the officials ruled Leone was down on the play giving the ball to the boys in white at the Buckeye Local 38. The Red Knights capped off this drive with Rebich’s third touchdown pass of the first half as Colt Joynson hauled in a 19-yard touchdown to make the score, 27-0. The extra point was no good keeping the score the same.
Buckeye Local punted the ball on its next possession, and Toronto took over at its own 39. Bouscher got the drive off to a good start as he rumbled for 15 yards down to the Panthers’ 45. The Red Knights ended up moving the ball down to the 8 before a 19-yard penalty moved the ball back to the 29. Facing fourth-and-goal from there, Rebich hooked up with Jett for 25 yards down to the 4 resulting in the Panthers taking the ball over on downs.
The boys in blue ran the ball twice to bring the first half to a close.
The Panthers had minus-9 yards of offense in the first half.
“It was important for us to bounce back with a win,” Aubiel said. “We challenged our kids. We had a good week of practice, and we were able to do what we needed to do.”
Buckeye Local got the ball first to start the second half. The Panthers drove down to the Toronto 42, however, the drive came to an end at that point as Kenny Jett intercepted a pass and returned it to the Red Knight 35.
From that point, Toronto marched 65 yards – all of which came on the ground – for its fifth touchdown of the night to bring the running clock into play. Colton Wiseman capped off the drive with a 12-yard run, and Manley split the uprights on the extra point to make the score, 34-0, in the third.
Wiseman also had runs of 13 and 19 yards on the drive, and Bouscher ripped off one for 11.
On the ensuing drive, the hosts took over at their own 38. A first-down run netted two yards, however, the Red Knights forced a fumble on the next play, and Braedon Record scooped up the loose ball and ran it into the endzone to extend Toronto’s advantage to 40-0. Following a bad snap on the extra point, Rebich rolled out and found Leone in the endzone for the 2-point conversion increasing the Red Knights’ advantage out to 42-0.
“It is always good when you are able to get some of the younger guys experience,” Aubiel said. “We are happy we were able to do that. Now, it is time to move on to next week.”
Buckeye Local got on the scoreboard on its next drive as freshman Clayton Griffiths capped off an 80-yard drive with an 8-yard run, and Jonas Eddy kicked the extra point to make the score, 42-7, in the fourth.
Late in the game, Griffiths broke through the Toronto defense on his way to an 82-yard run to make it a 42-13 ballgame. The Panthers deficit remained at 29 points as the Red Knights blocked the extra point.
Toronto is scheduled to end the regular season against Cameron at 7 p.m. Friday night at home inside Clarke Hinkle Field.
Buckeye Local is slated to wrap up its season against Harrison Central at 7 p.m. Friday night on the road out at Wagner Field. The Panthers and the Huskies will be battling it out for the V.A.L.E.S. Trophy.