For the second straight year the Covington Buccaneers began the season with a new head coach. After one season John Graher turned the controls over to Dave Tobias, a former Buccaneer player himself.

Just 11 years removed from his playing days, the Buccaneer loyalists were looking for some of the same magic that produced a state runner-up trophy in 1979.

But, this isn’t 1979 and Tobias isn’t at quarterback.

Instead of returning to the winning ways of the past, the Buccs failed to capture a winning season for the sixth straight year. What transpired was a 1-9 record for the second straight season.

The lone win in 1990 came against Twin Valley South, 24-14. The Panthers were also the only win the Buccs recorded a year ago.

In the victory over South the Buccs fell behind 14-0 early in the third period and appeared doomed for a second straight defeat after dropping a 26-0 contest against Bradford. Instead, Covington rallied for 24 unanswered points to take their first and only win of the season.

Of the nine losses, five were shutouts. Only twice throughout the season did the Buccs put double digits on the board; in the win over South and a 48-14 loss to Versailles.

On the season Covington scored 60 points and surrendered 288 points.

Fortunately for the Buccs, this is the last year in the Southwest Rivers Conference. The Buccs have not won a conference game since 1988; a 14-13 win over Sidney Lehman.

Covington will join the Cross County Conference in 1991 and hope for a fresh start and better success. A sign of optimism is the fact of a 5-1-1 record recorded by the junior varsity squad.

The Buccs lose ten seniors: Josh Long, Mike Kesler, Jason Sommer, Matt Locke, Shad Earick, Chris Dilley, Jeff Keller, Brad Cecil, Dan White, and Matt Good.