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BY KEN CANFIELD Gazette Sports EditorYORK TWP.-Buckeye and Highland left Friday’s game the sameway they entered it—tied.The Bucks and Hornets played to a 6-6 standoff on Buckeve's slick field lastbefore a large drenched crowd on hand to witness the 21st meeting between the twoclubs.Buckeye grabbed a lead with 4:01 in the first quarter. Fullback Tom Kruse blasted over right tackle, catching the Hornets in a stunt, and plowed over 55 vards of mud for the score. Steve Unionnight. The tie left the county rivals even was caught sweeping left end for thein Inland Conference play as they share second place with 5-1-1 records.All the scoring came in the first quarter, and then the defenses took overextra points try.Highland marched right back and set the game at its final 6-0 resting point. “Mighty Mite” Guy Konyha returned the Buck kick 60 yards up the middle to setthe Hornets in play at the home team’s20.Konyha, Jim Kendel, Randy Chimento and Bob Jones took turns carrying the ball. The Hornets made good on a fourth and one at the Buck 11 to keep the drive alive.Kendel got the six points, busting over from the one yard line.What proved to be the biggest play of the game followed. Konyha took a pitch around left end, but Buck safety Steve Union dropped him a foot short of theBACKING HIM I P — Mike Culp (22 rushes over to give Ken teams’ attack units throttled throughout the evening asBurns a hand in bringing down Highland’s Randy Chimento. Buckeye battled the Hornets at a 6-6 tie. (Gazette photo.)Wet, muddy field conditions and rugged defense kept bothIgoal line to make the extra points run unsuccessful.Highland controlled the ball for all but 10 plays in the second quarter, but theHornets couldn’t capitalize on it.The Hornets took over at their 36 with 7:02 left in the half and fashioned the night’s longest march. Highland marched 20 plays, 19 on the ground, to move to the Buck nine. They converted on three fourth down plays en route there.Chimento was caught twice, a pass failed, and quarterback Bill Hange was dumped trying to throw as Buckeye repelled the effort with nine seconds leftin the half.Highland played ball control in the half. The Hornets rushed 35 times for 107 yards as Konyha, Chimento and Kendel were alternating carries. Highland had the ball 37 plays to the Bucks' 18.Buckeye made the lone third quarter penetration. The Bucks took over at midfield and moved to the Hornet 34. Thedrive fell apart there on an unsuccessful tailback pass and a fake punt pass play.The Hornets stuck to what they were successful with—the run-in the final minutes. They buzzed to the Buckeye 29 before the first break of the game, a lost fumble, ended the drive there.Highland got the break back later in the game when Dave Cavanaugh fell on a fumble punt at the B-45. The Buck defense held there.After Jones’ punt, Union tried another tailback pass, letting go of the ball under pressure from a Highland lineman. Hornet Mark Hange camped under the pass at the B-40 and scrambled to the 28 with 47 seconds left to give Highland a last chance.Buckeye’s Bob Casper intercepted the following Highland pass to save the tie for his team.The two key players in the tie were Jones and Kruse, not for their running talents, but for their punting. Jones was called on to boot the Hornets out of trouble eight times. Kruse made five punts. Both did fine jobs of handling the wet ball.Buckeye’s 135-pound speedster Mike Culp gave the game most of its excitement with his returns on kicks and punts. He almost broke several for longgainers.The wet conditions made the passing games worthless. The Hornets were two of seven for eight yards through the air. The Bucks completed only one of nine passes, a scream which lost five yards.Highland rushed 58 times for 169 yards, while Buckeye carried 35 times for 162.Kruse, aided by his 55-yarder, was the game’s top yardage-producer. Herushed for 93 yards in 12 carries, while Union had 61 in 12 tried. Konyha gained 81 yards in 24 rushes and Kendel had 48 in17 calls.The game was the usual hard-hitting affair between the two county rivals. It tfas also the cleanest game in the series. The two teams were charged with only 20 yards in penalties. Buckeye didn’t have a flag thrown on it all night.Both teams are 6-2-1 overall. Usually the battle ends the season for both teams, but each school has added a 10th game this year. The Bucks will host neighboring Cloverleaf Friday while Highlandentertains North Ridgeville.STATISTICS*IH4First Downs117Rushes-Yardage58-16935-162Rushing Average2.94.1Passes-Completions7-29-1Passing YardageS•5Interceptions1lPunts-Average8-16.65.35.4Penalties-Yardage4-20o-qFumbles-Lost4-111SCORINGHIGHLAND6 00 0-6BUCKEYE6 00 0-6B—Kruse, 55 run, run failed. B—Kendel, 1 run, run failed.Firelands Wi 1C Title*Thanks to that 6-6 Buckeye -Highland tie last night, sixth-ranked Firelands ended l1^ games ahead of its nearest Inland Conference foe.The undefeated Falcons smashed South Amherst 70-6 for their second straight IC crown. Buckeye and Highlandtied for runnerup honors with 5-1-Jmarks. 1Lutheran West grabbed fourth placewith an 11-9 win over last place AvoikColumbia ripped Keystone 36-0 *cfifth. South Amherst dropped tlt;while Keystone finished one winthe basement-dwelling Avon.finishsixthabove■ nmm #HSSiPf 3SNI■■I■mlt; wjpglmm/■‘jQf.yy ‘KllL.V.V.VmmmNOT QUITE—Highland defender Mike Schodowski battles Buckeye’s Bob Casper for the reception at last night’s annual showdown between the two county schools. The pass eluded both players while both schools went on to tie 6-6. (Gazette photo.)
Newspaper Details
The Gazette
Medina, Ohio, US
Sat, Nov 03, 1973
Page 8
Full Page
Clipped by
Akron S.
OH, USA 08 Oct 2020
Other Publications Near Medina, Ohio
Medina Sentinel
Medina County Gazette
The Gazette
