COVINGTON – The Covington Buccaneers clinched a first-place tie with Versailles in the Southwestern River Conference by defeating the Lehman Cavaliers 55-6 Friday night. Barring a computer error, the victory will put the Buccs into the state post-season playoffs.
The Buccs dominated the game from the very beginning. The run back of the opening kickoff set the tone of the game. Jim Stickley took the kick at the Covington 20-yard line and broke free, going to Lehman’s 41 before being run out of bounds. The Cavs were hit with a personal foul penalty and that gave the Buccs first-and-ten from the 26.
The next play resulted in an unsportsmanlike conduct against the Buccs, which pushed them back to the 41. After Scott Taylor carried the ball to the 20, Lehman’s defense held and the Cavs took over on downs at the 22-yard line.
The Cavs had to punt four plays later and the Buccs took over at their own 14-yard line. The Buccs kept the ball on the ground. With second-and-four from Lehman’s 42, Rich Phillis ran around left end and carried the ball into the endzone from the three. The point after failed and Covington led 6-0.
After Lehman punted the ball, the Buccs started the second quarter on their own 26. One play later they threatened again. A pass from Matt Pond to Taylor went for 47 yards and gave the Buccs a first-and-ten from the Lehman 17. Three plays later Phillis ran in from 10 yards our. Pond found Butch Boehringer in the endzone for the two-point conversion and the Buccs led 14-0.
The Buccs scored three more touchdowns before the half, the third coming on a 9-yard Matt Pond pass to Boehringer to make the score 33-0 at the half.
Fumbles and penalties continued into the second half for Lehman, as the Buccs marched on to a 55-0 score before the Cavs could get on the board. With about two minutes to go in the game, Tom Froning lateralled the ball to Nathan Anderson for a 65-yard touchdown to end the Buccs’ chances of a shutout.
“We played a great game offensively,” said an elated Charlie Burgbacher, Covington’s coach. “The holes opened up and we went through them.”
When asked about the playoffs, Burgbacher said, “If Waynesville did in fact lose (it was announced over the PA just before the game was over) then we are in.”
Lehman coach Steve Hunsucker was less than thrilled with the outcome.
“There is nothing much to talk about,” said Hunsucker. “You can’t say much about a game like this.”
Lehman ends the season with a 1-9 and 0-6 record. Covington end the regular season with a 9-1 and 5-1 record.
SCORING SUMMARY:
COV: Ty Owens 1-yd run (Kick Failed)
COV: Rich Phillis 16-yd run (Butch Boehringer pass from Jim Stickley)
COV: Ty Owens 3-yd run (Bill Besecker Kick)
COV: Matt Pond 1-yd run (Besecker Kick)
COV: Butch Boehringer 9-yd pass from Matt Pond (Kick Failed)
COV: Butch Boehringer 19-yd pass from Matt Pond (Jim Stickley Run)
COV: Ty Owens 3-yd run (Besecker Kick)
COV: Scott Taylor 7-yd pass from Matt Pond (Besecker Kick)
LEH: Nathan Anderson 47-yd pass from Tom Pope (Run Failed)
SCORE BY QUARTERS:
Lehman: 0 0 0 6 = 6
Covington: 6 27 15 7 = 55