Buckaroos suffer first loss of season in tough battle in Norwood

by David Boyle
News Director
The Monticello Buckaroo football team suffered their first loss of the year in Norwood on September 11.
The Bucks fell 52-34 in a back and forth battle with the Mavericks pulling away in the fourth quarter.
The opening drive of the game for Norwood ended on the third play with a 52 yard touchdown run to put Norwood up 6-0 with 10:15 left in the first quarter.
Monticello’s first offensive series started at the 50-yard line a big run from Cash Mack got the Bucks down to the 25 yard line but Monticello was unable to convert on a 4th and 5 to turn the ball over to Norwood.
The Mavericks again drove the ball down to midfield but Cash Mack was able to force a fumble recovered by Grant Wiggington to give Monticello another possession at the Monticello 45 yard line. Monticello’s seven play drive stalled again at midfield with an unsuccessful fourth down conversion giving Norwood the ball at midfield who would drive the field in 10 plays and add a two-point conversion to make the score 14-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Monticello’s offense drove sixty yards down to the Norwood 20 but were unable to convert on 4th down giving Norwood another possession, but the defense was able to force a punt giving Monticello its next possession starting at their own 37 yard line.
The Bucks drove the field in seven plays including four passes over 10 yards culminating in a 12 yard touchdown pass from Cache Young to Cash Mack. With the point after try no good the score was 14-6 with 3:42 left in the first half. The teams would trade short possessions before halftime with the score remaining 14-6.
To start the second half, penalties pushed the Bucks back on their first possession and a partially blocked punt gave Norwood the ball at the 35 yard line, which the Mavericks turned into a touchdown one play later and a two point conversion giving them a 22-6 lead with 10:45 left in the third quarter.
Monticello responded quickly with Mack returning the kickoff 35 yards and a personal foul penalty gave Monticello their opening snap of the drive at the Norwood 32 yard line. 
Monticello scored in just four plays with Young finding Brandt Mack for a 15 yard touchdown pass and catch. Young added a throw to Cash Mack for two points to make the score 22-14 with 9 minutes left in the third quarter. Monticello’s defense forced a three and out and a punt set the Bucks next drive at their own 43 yard line.
Monticello drove the field in just five plays capped by a 21 yard touchdown pass from Young to Arturo Gutierrez. The Bucks were unable to convert a two point conversion making the score 22-20 with 6:20 left in the 3rd quarter.
Norwood responded on their next drive with an added two-point conversion to make the score 30-20 with 4:10 left in the 3rd quarter.
Monticello’s offense was unable to move the ball on their next possession and with Norwood in the red zone the Bucks defense stepped up with Noah Dilts ripping the ball away from a Maverick to give Monticello another possession. The Bucks moved the ball to midfield but were unable to convert on fourth down to open up the 4th quarter. The defense did force a punt for Monticello but with the Mavericks sending multiple men back in pass coverage a pass tipped in the air was intercepted and gave Norwood a short field to add another score to make the count 36-20. Another tipped ball against Monticello resulted in another interception and led to another Norwood touchdown to make the score 44-20 with seven minutes left in the game. 
Monticello’s offense wouldn’t go away though with the Bucks driving 56 yards in six plays capped by a nine yard touchdown pass from Young to Gutierrez. Young added a pass to Damon Bunker for the two point conversion making the score 44-28 with 6:12 left in the game.
Norwood would score again to make the score 52-28 with four minutes left in the game.
A Monticello fumble would give Norwood the ball but the Bucks would return the favor with Miles Coleman recovering a fumble.
Monticello would move the ball 27 yards in four plays with both an 18 yard completion and the seven yard touchdown pass being thrown by Young to Bunker. That ended up being the final score 52-34. 
Cache Young had a great game throwing the ball with 24 completions on 43 attempts for 298 yards five touchdowns and two interceptions.
Gutierrez had seven catches for 83 yards and two touchdowns.
Brandt Mack had seven catches for 95 yards and one touchdown. Cash Mack had six catches for 78 yards and one touchdown. Bunker had three catches for 29 yards and a touchdown and Coleman had a catch for 13 yards.
Coleman led the team rushing with 35 yards on 12 attempts, Cash Mack had 24 yards on two carries and Young had 16 yards on five carries.
Defensively John Leber led the team with 13 tackles, while Cash Mack had 10 tackles, Noah Dilts had eight and Brandt Mack and Gutierrez each with seven tackles. Cash Mack and Dilts both forced a fumble.
Monticello is back in action on Friday September 18 in Montezuma Creek. The Buckaroos take on the Whitehorse Raiders in a cross-county matchup. Kickoff is at 7:00 and if you can’t make the game you can catch it on StreamUtah.Live.