By By TOM NYHUIS / Niles Daily Star
BUCHANAN – For the third week in a row the Buchanan Bucks have had to hang on for dear life to earn their third straight win as they held off Berrien Springs 41-28 in a Lakeland Conference football action Friday night at Buchanan's Memorial Field.
The Shamrocks came back from a 20 point deficit and cut the lead to 31-28 with 5:21 to play in the game after a 4-yard run into the end zone by Shamrock quarterback Jeremy Dybdahl. Berrien's defense stopped the Bucks on a fourth and inches at the Shamrock 31 with 2:29 to play.
The Buchanan defense made a stand to stop the Shamrocks near mid-field holding on to the 6-point lead with 1:15 to play. Buchanan's next play saw Marquis Hall pound his way all the way to the 1-yard line to set up Clinton Orr's second score of the evening with 40 seconds left on the clock and give the Bucks some breathing room for the final seconds.
"We stopped them when we had to," Buchanan's Joe Austin said following another heart stopping game. "I don't know how many more games like this I'm going to be able to take. It was an exciting game to watch and this was our third game in a row that's been like this. Berrien did a great job. But our kids, and we don't have many, and with the heat it was tough and we stopped them when we needed to. It's the first Lakeland Conference win and we'll take it. That was a good football team and Berrien is always tougher then heck to beat."
Bennie Jones III set the tone early taking the games opening kick-off 83 yards for a quick 7-0 lead after a Josh Borr point after kick.
Berrien didn't help themselves early turning the ball over on their second play from scrimmage on a fumble by Tyler Roots. Ten plays later Hall was punching it across the goal line for the first of three TD in the game taking it in from 5-yards out. Borr's PAT kick gave Buchanan an early 14-0 advantage.
Berrien Springs looked to be putting together an good drive moving the ball on the Bucks defense. Once again the Shamrocks shot themselves in the foot as Tim Mosier picked off a Dybdahl pass at the Buchanan 29.
Buchanan's turned the ball over on a Orr fumble but the Shamrocks were unable to do any damage on the Bucks miscue taking the ball to the 11-yard line before turning the ball over on down.
Once again it was the power running of the Bucks offense to bring the ball back 89 yards in 10 plays with the combined effort of all three Buck backs, Hall, Orr and Drew Medlin, all picking up big yardage in the drive. Even Buchanan quarterback Taylor Oake 19 yards on two carries in the drive before Hall popped it in for the score from 3 yards out with 5:04 to play in the first half and a 20-0 lead.
Berrien Springs responded with a kick-off return of their own as Roots raced in ensuing kick-off 85 yards to paydirt the the Shamrocks posted eight points on the score board with 4:56 to play.
Buchanan wasn't finished in the first half scoring with Hall breaking free for a 54-yard scamper with 3:32 left in the half. Oake took the ball in for the point-after and the Bucks looked to be in control at the break 28-8.
After holding the Shamrocks in their next series Buchanan coughed up the ball on interception by Ryne Siebenmark at the Shamrock 35 and Dybdahl turned the turnover into six points hitting Gregory Whitehead in the end zone with three seconds left on the clock and now trailing by to touchdowns, 28-14.
Berrien's opening drive of the second half saw the Shamrock take the ball all the way down to the 1-yard line. Buchanan defense made the biggest stop of the night forcing Berrien to turn the ball over on downs at the one. A break for the Bucks, Berrien was penalized 15-yard, which brought the ball out to the 15. Three plays later Orr broke free for a 74-yard sprint to the goal line giving the Bucks a 34-14 lead.
A bad snap to the punter Josh Borr on a fourth and 10 at their own 25 gave the ball to Berrien Springs at the nine. Two plays later it was Roots taking it in from five yards out with a point-after kick by Jordan Carrigan the lead was cut to 34-21.
Another turnover on downs by the Bucks set up the Shamrocks next score finished off by a 4-yard run by Dybdahl with 5:21 to play.
Hall finished the night with 201 yards rushing and Orr added another 186 as the Bucks finished the night with 439 rushing yards. Oake was 0-for-2 passing with an interception. Berrien totaled 136 yards on the ground and Dybdahl finished the night with 11-of-18 with an interception for 144 yards.
Berrien Springs 0 14 0 14 – 28
Buchanan 14 14 6 7 – 41