COVINGTON – Love thy neighbor must have been forgotten when the Covington Buccaneers whipped the Bradford Railroaders 20-0 Friday in Covington.
The Buccs wasted no time scoring as they took the opening kickoff and hammered home a touchdown with 9:21 left in the first quarter. Bucc quarterback Matt Pond scored on a 13-yard keeper and Bill Besecker scored the extra point to make it 7-0 Covington. Bradford had previously shut the Buccs out the last three years.
Covington kicked off and held the Roaders in check. Bradford punted and the Buccs were held at 4:42 to go in the first quarter. The Roaders got the ball back and were forced to punt on fourth and 19. Covington took possession at their own 46 and started pounding out another drive, which led to a score with 11:54 to go in the first half. Running back Jim Stickley scored on a 22-yard run. Besecker kicked the extra point to give Covington a 14-0 lead.
The Roaders took the kickoff and fumbled two plays later with the Buccs recovering on the Bradford 37 with 9:15 to go in the half. Bradford held, but on a fourth and 11, Stickley broke loose once again and got a first down on the Bradford 18. Fullback Ty Owens rammed the Roader front line and scored from three yards out with 6:04 to go in the second. The extra-point attempt failed making it 20-0 Buccs. There would be no more scoring in the ball game as neither team mounted a serious attack in the second half.
Bradford played a somewhat inspired second half with both teams looking sluggish on offense. In the end it would be the Buccs well executed and powerful attack that would take its toll on the smaller Roader defenders.
"They totally dominated us," said Bradford coach Kent Shafer. "Covington is well coached and well disciplined. Every position on the team is filled with a good ball player. I don't really consider us a bad ball club. We were just not ready to play football; not taking anything away from Covington. We've got two quarterbacks who both have their good qualities, but until we find a starting quarterback we will do basically the same things."
Shafer said the size disadvantage was not a factor.
"We've had a size disadvantage for 13 years," he noted.
"Two different halfs, two different games," said Covington Buccaneer head coach Charlie Burgbacher. "In the first half our offense went out and attacked. We created some offense. We had some backs coming through untouched. We've got work to do in all areas but it's nice to start the season with a win. We've got to dwell on one game at a time."
Burgbacher said that on the whole, he thought his team's execution was good. He said that it was a lot better than the last two opening season games. He noted it was great to have Jim Stickley back in the line-up. Stickley sat out last season with a broken leg.
"I'm pleased to see him back. He gives us an added dimension," said Burgbacher.
Next week Bradford entertains Bethel and Covington ships out to Twin Valley South.
