By TOM NYHUIS
Niles Daily Star

BUCHANAN – Buchanan’s varsity football team dropped to 1-3 on the season and 1-1 in Lakeland Conference action after a 29-14 loss to visiting Berrien Springs Friday night at Memorial Field.

Each team struggled in the first quarter to get their offense rolling. The Shamrocks fumbled the ball on their first drive of the night with the Bucks Patrick Swem covering the pigskin at the Rocks 33-yard line but Buchanan would not capitalize on the miscue and turn the ball back over to Berrien.

The first score of the game came in the closing second of the first quarter. Shamrock quarterback Nolan O’Brien hit Sean Mitchell for a scoring pass on a fourth and nine from the 27.

Anthony Johnson’s run for the point after gave Berrien Springs an 8-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Buchanan had another scoring opportunity slip through their hands after an interception by the Bucks Nick Troxel gave them the ball at the 17.

The drive came up short and the Shamrock defense stopped the Bucks at the seven inch’s short of a first down to keep the drive alive.

Berrien took the ball back down the field highlighted by a 58 yard pass play from O’Brien to Joseph Dybdahl to place the ball at the 2-yard line and Johnson taking the ball in two play’s later from the one.

Nathan Siebenmark made it a 15-0 advantage with the point after kick with 5:16 to play in the first half.

Buchanan got back into the game with a five play 65-yard drive finished off with a 23 yard pass by Bryan Kuntz to Tyler Ganus with Ryan Catalano hitting the point after to trail 15-7 with 3:54 to go in the first half.

The Shamrocks had one final drive in the half capped off by a 4-yard O’Brien to Dybdahl touchdown pass taking a 22-7 with 14 seconds in the half.

A 5-yard O’Brien to Marlen-Parsons Skyler pushed the lead to 29-7 before the Bucks were able to pick up the final touchdown of the game with a 7-yard Kuntz to Ganus scoring pass with 5:11 to play in the game.

O’Brien threw for 174 yards hitting 6-of-19 with one interception and ran for another 87 yard to lead the Shamrock offense that finished with 324 total yards of offense.

Kuntz finished with a 9-of-22 and one interception performance for 89 yards. Cordell Johnson rushed for 61 yards as the Buck offense finished the night with 168 total yards of offense.

Berrien Springs 8 14 7 0 – 29
Buchanan 0 7 0 7 – 14
BS – Nolan O’Brien 27 pass to Sean Mitchell (Anthony Johnson run)
BS – Anthony Johnson 1 run (Nathan Siebenmark kick)
BU – Bryan Kuntz 23 pass to Tyler Ganus (Ryan Catalano kick)
BS – O’Brien 4 pass to Joseph Dybdahl (Siebenmark kick)
BS – O’Brien 5 pass to Marlen-Parsons Skyler (Siebenmark kick)
BU – Kuntz 7 pass to Ganus (Catalano kick)