BUCHANAN – Buchanan’s varsity football team had their sights set on making a deep run into the playoffs.

Friday night that run made an abrupt stop as Olivet came into Buchanan’s home field and but an end to the Bucks’ season with a 38-28 win in the Division 5 opener.

“They were a versatile team and the better team won tonight,” a disappointed Buchanan coach Joe Austin said. “They were well coached. Dean Peters is a heck of a coach along with their staff and a great football team. I’m really proud of these kids but give Olivet credit. We fought all the way and these kids have accomplished a heck of a lot that have played here for us. Any time you step out here under the lights on a Friday night you risk something like this happening and we haven’t lost to many ball games in their careers and I wouldn’t trade anyone of them for a million bucks.”

The Eagles took an early 6-0 lead on their opening drive but it was the Bucks answering back with a Bryan Kuntz to Brandon Jackson 37-yard touchdown pass.

The next Eagle drive ended at the Buchanan 4-yard line after a fumble was recovered by Nick Troxell.

The Bucks drove the ball 96 yards and Cordel Johnson capped the drive off with a 3-yard tote into the end zone and Ryan Catalano’s second of four conversion kicks made it a 14-6 Bucks lead.

But its was the Eagles’ senior quarterback Jay Cousineau keeping his team in the game taking in a 1-yard score and took a 18-14 lead after a 22-yard pass to Colin Spencer with just over a minute to play in the first half.

Buchanan took back the lead on a 1-yard plunge by Kuntz to lift the Bucks up 21-18 for the only score in the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter Nick Coolidge took the ball in from 20 yards out on the Eagles next drive to regain the lead 24-21.
From there things began to fall apart for Buchanan as the Bucks coughed up the ball on the kick off return. The Eagles converted the miscue into points with Cousineau taking the ball in from the five.

The Bucks’ next drive resulted in yet another fumble and midfield and again it was Cousineau directing his team back into the end zone finishing off the drive with a 9-yard carry. Cousineau’s pass to Ethan Williams for the Eagles’ first point after conversion put the Olivet up 38-21.

“Turnovers are like missed free throws in basketball they’ll come back and kill you. We haven’t had many this year so turnovers kill you,” Austin said. “It was a great effort by both team out there and that is what the playoffs are all about.”

Buchanan wouldn’t give up taking their next drive 65 yards on one play as Kuntz hit Mac Elliott for the Bucks’ final score of the night and the final 38-28. Kuntz finished the game with 11-of-20 passing for 268 yards and two touchdowns but the ground game was limited to just 102 yards. Johnson was held to 47 yards on 11 carries.

Cousineau was 15-of-17 for 240 yards. The Eagles ground game picked up 172 yards with Cousineau picking up 84 rushing yards.
Buchanan ends their season at 8-2, while Olivet moves on to next Friday’s round two game with an 8-2 record.

Olivet 6 12 0 20 – 38
Buchanan 7 7 7 7 – 28
O – Jay Cousineau 2 run (kick failed)
B – Brandon Jackson 37 pass from Bryan Kuntz (Ryan Catalano kick)
B – Cordel Johnson 3 run (Catalano kick)
O – Cousineau 1 run (pass failed)
O – Colin Spencer 33 pass from Cousineau (run failed)
B – Kuntz 1 run (Catalano kick)
O – Nick Coolidge 20 run (kick failed)
O – Cousineau 5 run (kick failed)
O – Cousineau 9 run (Cousineau pass Ethan Williams)
B – Mac Elliott 65 pass from Kuntz (Catalano kick)