COVINGTON – A slow start by the Covington Buccaneers led to another valuable learning experience in a rough night against Lehman Catholic that led to a 50-6 defeat.
Things started off rough for Covington from the outset as Lehman scored on its first offensive play on a 62-yard run and pushed its lead to 22-0 with two more touchdowns and a safety on a bad snap by the Buccs that landed in the end zone. This was all in the first seven minutes of the opening quarter.
Yes, things didn’t go well for the Buccaneers early on, but this group of kids battled their rear ends off the rest of the way, which has been the staple of this young team all season regardless of the circumstances.
Covington’s relentless effort provided several opportunities for turnovers, but unfortunately the Buccs couldn’t take advantage as three interceptions were dropped and a forced fumble wasn’t recovered by the defense. Still, the opportunities were there due to the effort.
Lehman was able to push its lead to 29-0 with a touchdown midway through the second quarter and the Buccaneers responded with a well executed drive that was capped by a one-yard plunge by freshman quarterback Landin Cassel to close the gap to 29-6.
What sparked the scoring drive for the Buccs was a huge catch by sophomore Day’Lynn Garrett that set the team up in scoring position.
The Buccaneer defense then forced Lehman to punt after three straight defensive plays, but Covington made a huge mistake with twelve players on the field when the Cavaliers punted the ball. The penalty resulted into a first down for Lehman, who took advantage by scoring in the waning moments of the first half to take a 36-6 lead.
Covington continued to play hard in the second half, but Lehman was able to score twice more thanks to the talented quarterback Donovan O’Leary, who is arguably the best quarterback the Buccs have faced all season. O’Leary threw for 186 yards and three touchdowns and also ran the ball for 78 yards and two scores.
Overall, it wasn’t the type of performance the Buccaneers had hoped for regarding overall execution, but the effort, enthusiasm, toughness and the attitudes from the entire team was the most positive part of the game.
Next up for the Buccs is the home finale against Riverside next Friday.
