By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
COTTAGE GROVE, Ore.– For the first time since 2010 and first time ever at the 2A Classification, the St. Paul Buckaroos are State Football Champions.
To do it, they had to come in clutch with some crucial play in a game in where both they, and Oakland, went back-and-forth.
Tied at 20 in the fourth quarter, the first clutch play occurred when Sullivan Grott recovered a fumble with 8:04 in the fourth. A few plays later, St. Paul pulled ahead with a Clay Smith three-yard strike with 6:07 left.
It was a game of grit and of determination for both teams. And for the 1A St. Paul squad, they had a point to prove that they belonged as they made the move up to 2A, 9-Man ball this season as they went out to play defense.
“Everyone did their jobs , just basic fundamentals. Just being able to block your guys on the line. Running backs Just keep running even though they were wrapped up and it was everyone doing their job correctly,” senior Lineman Cal Edwards.
The Oakers began to move down the field. They had already came back from 14-0 down to get even with the Bucks at 20 going into the fourth quarter.
But as Oakland got into St. Paul territory, the Buckaroos dug in their heels as they forced a four-and-out. Branson Cook made the pass break up
“I had other teammates there. They helped slow him down. It wasn’t all me. It was Wyatt Smith. He helped me out a lot with that play,” Cook said, who also had seven tackles in the game. “But it felt great to get that fourth down stop and got it back going our way.
“We had to prove that we were the toughest team out there, and I think we did.”
It was the Tony Smith effect that motivated them. The pregame talk, the halftime talk to keep them focused. And it paid off.
Fourteen years since their last Title and four State Runner-Up finishes in between, they did it. Accomplishing not just the feat at 1A but also at the 2A level. A feat that they’ll remember going forward regardless if they’re a senior or are returning next year.
“It means the world to me. It means the world to everybody, in my opinion, at St. Paul. I thank the Linemen, the freshman that helped on our scout team D during practice. Our running backs, our QB’s, everybody,” said Edwards. “The coaches, just talking the time in making us better and help us out.”
“I think we can keep doing the same thing if we keep proving our toughness and keep up what we’re doing, I think we’ll be good next year too,” adds Cook, who’s a junior.
Grady Wolf went 7-for-9, passing for 67 yards and two touchdowns, and rushed for 103 yards on nine carries. Clay Smith rushed for 75 yards with a touchdown and led the defense with nine tackles, and Diego Medina rushed for another 65 yards. Medina also had six receptions for 41 yards and a touchdown in the Bucks 13-0, perfect season
Silas Arscott led the Oakland defense with 12 tackles. Gabe Williamson rushed for 128 yards with two touchdowns for the Oakers on 27 carries. Oakland quarterback Ryan Fullerton threw for 128 passes on 8-for-14 passing as the Oakers finished the year 12-1.
Photos By Jeremy McDonald
