Trending
FARWELL - In Week One of Bruce Ransom's return to Bucktail football's helm, the Bucks held their own against a Cameron County squad that's throttled them in recent years.
Last season, the Raiders won their two matchups by an average of 38.5 points. And this past Friday, Bucktail fell to Cameron County by just ten (32-22), narrowing a four-score gap down to two scores through the second half.
With that, Bucktail (0-1) has set the tone for what could be a season of progress for the small program. It'll look to carry Friday's success into its home opener against Otto-Eldred on Friday and put multiple imposing streaks to bed in the process.
As it stands, the Bucks carry a nine-game losing streak into Friday's home matchup, a streak that gets extended when considering competitive wins. Bucktail's 2025 victory over Renaissance Academy came by forfeit while its most recent competitive win took place in Week 7 of 2023, a 42-16 victory over Elk County Catholic.
That makes the prospect of a potential win all the more momentous for the Bucks. It certainly isn't a guarantee given Bucktail previously fell to Otto-Eldred/Oswayo Valley by a score of 50-8 last season. But this young Bucktail team has grown a lot since that matchup.
Last Friday, the Buck offense was led by Steven Heiser and Teagan Stone, who each surpassed 100 yards in their own right. Stone and quarterback Corbin Pentz connected on two late touchdowns, five runners - led by Heiser - combined for an effort that saw Bucktail amass 276 rushing yards and the unit as a whole nearly surpassed 400 yards.
Considering Otto-Eldred allowed 73 points in its stand-alone return at Smethport, the stage is set for an explosive offensive performance for the Bucks. Bucktail had its own issues stopping the run last week, as Cameron County rushed for 386 yards, but it adjusted well in the second half.
Friday's game at Bucktail is set to kick off at 7 p.m.