Looking back at the 2023 Buckaroos football season

Looking back at the 2023 Buckaroos football season News Staff Wed, 06/19/2024 - 10:09 am X The Bucks earned a 41-35 homecoming win Sept. 15 2023 over Eastland. The victory marked the team’s second win of the season. File photo The Bucks earned a 41-35 homecoming win Sept. 15 2023 over Eastland. The victory marked the team’s second win of the season. File photo X Buckaroos quarterback Camden Escalon scrambles for yards during Breckenridge’s 41-6 win Sept. 8, 2023 over Cisco. File photo Buckaroos quarterback Camden Escalon scrambles for yards during Breckenridge’s 41-6 win Sept. 8, 2023 over Cisco. File photo By Mike Williams news@breckenridgeamerican.com While practice does not officially start until later this summer, several athletes are participating in summer conditioning programs.  Before looking ahead to the upcoming seasons, the Breckenridge American will look back at how Breckenridge High School teams fared in the 2023-2024 school year. Confidence was high going into the 2023 Buckaroo football season. The Bucks were coming off an eight-win season in 2022 and had 15 seniors return to lead a reloaded roster. Head coach Casey Pearce said before the season started he did not anticipate a drop off in the running game, which was to be the offensive focus for the season. Tigers 57, Bucks 35The Bucks opened the season on Aug. 25, 2023 at Jacksboro. For the first quarter and a half, the Bucks looked like they had not missed a step since 2022. After falling behind early, the Bucks responded with four-straight touchdowns to take a 26-7 lead. However, things went south from there. The Tigers scored 50 points over the next two and a half quarters to claim the victory. Buckaroos quarterback Camden Escalon finished the game with 279 passing yards and four touchdowns. Bucks running back Sawyer Wimberley finished with 29 carries for 235 yards. Bobcats 24, Bucks 21The Buckaroos overcame a slow start to the second week of the season but could not hold on to find a victory in their Sept. 1, 2023 home opener. Offensively, the Bucks did not earn a first down until late in the first quarter. Defensively, the Bucks gave up touchdowns on the Bobcats’ first two possessions. Those early scores were the Bobcats’ only touchdowns until late in the fourth quarter. An interception late in the second quarter by Jaxon Escalon led to the first score of the game for the Buckaroos. Three plays later the Bucks were in the red zone for the first time following a 21-yard run by Wimberley. Jaime Cruz capped the drive with the first of his two touchdowns in the game. After giving up a field goal, the Bucks trailed 17-7 at halftime. Alexis Franco set up the Bucks with good field position to open the second half and the team was rewarded with a goal-line touchdown by Cruz. Late in the third quarter, the Bucks took the lead with a defensive touchdown by Jaxson Escalon. The Bobcats recovered to retake the lead late in the fourth quarter. Turnovers on downs ended the final two drives of the game for the Bucks. Bucks 41, Loboes 6The Bucks earned their first win of the season in a big way Sept. 8, 2023 over Cisco. Scoring 27 points in the first quarter, the Buckaroos dominated throughout the entire game.  Camden Escalon threw for 218 yards and two touchdowns, with only one incomplete pass thrown in the game. Wimberley ran for 75 of the Bucks’ combined 137 rushing yards and scored both of the team’s rushing touchdowns. Wimberley and Cruz added a pair of scores through the air. Defensively, the Buckaroos forced six turnovers with Franco picking off two passes. Camden Escalon and Braye Cantrell each had one interception. As a team the Bucks forced five fumbles with Cruz and Hunter Eaton recovering a fumble each. Bucks 41, Mavericks 35With 21 points in the first quarter, the Bucks jumped ahead quickly and held on for their second win of the season Sept. 15, 2023 over Eastland. Camden Escalon had a big game offensively with 354 passing yards and five touchdowns. Wimberley led the ground attack with 116 of the Bucks’ 146 rushing yards. The Bucks did struggle after the first quarter. Although they added a pair of touchdowns in the second quarter, the Bucks gave up 35 points over the second and third quarters. Franco scored the homecoming game-clinching touchdown with 7:22 remaining in the third quarter with an 11-yard reception from Camden Escalon. Bucks 36, Bobcats 28Breckenridge fended off a fourth-quarter comeback attempt Sept. 22, 2023 in Fort Worth over the Bobcats. The win gave the Bucks a 3-2 record as the team closed the non-district portion of the schedule. It was a difficult 24 hours for the Bucks going into this game with disciplinary issues. Joseph Juneau started the game at quarterback with Camden Escalon taking over in the second quarter.Juneau completed four passes for 20 yards and one touchdown. The Bobcats scored on a pair of field goals to tie the game at 6-6 with a missed extra-point attempt on Juneau’s score. Camden Escalon broke the tie with a 6-yard run and Wimberley made the extra-point kick for a 13-6 lead. A pair of touchdowns in the third quarter was enough for the Bucks to hold on for the win. District playHawks 31, Bucks 28Against the Iowa Park Hawks, the Buckaroos could not overcome a 19-0 deficit. Alexis and Alejandro Franco each caught second half touchdowns from Camden Escalon. Alexis Franco scored a second touchdown in the game on the ground, joining Wimberley to combine for 33 yards and two touchdowns as the ground game struggled. Lions 42, Bucks 20Things did not fare any better for Breckenridge the following week at home against Vernon.The Lions scored a pair of touchdowns in the first half and never looked back.  Alexis Franco scored on a 20-yard screen pass with 41.2 seconds left in the second quarter for their lone touchdown until the fourth quarter. Cruz and Brilee Bernal scored on a pair of fourth quarter touchdown throws from Camden Escalon.  Indians 42, Bucks 14The Bucks traveled to Jim Ned and suffered a big loss after scoring a pair of touchdowns in the first quarter.  Camden Escalon found Cantrell in the end zone for a touchdown pass for the game’s first score. Cruz caught Camden Escalon’s second touchdown pass for the team’s final touchdown of the game. Bucks 28, Jackrabbits 21The Buckaroos faithful went home happy with a senior night win over Bowie. Camden Escalon, Alexis Franco, Cruz and Alejandro Franco combined for 43 carries for 222 yards and four touchdowns with Alexis Franco and Cruz each scoring twice. Alejandro Franco gave the Buckaroos the lead for good with a touchdown run with 53.3 seconds remaining in the game. Cantrell sealed the win with an interception in the Bucks’ end zone. Bulldogs 34, Bucks 14In the season finale at Clyde, the Buckaroos overcame a 14-point deficit in the first quarter to tie the game before halftime. Alexis Franco and Bernal caught a pair of touchdown passes from Camden Escalon. The Bucks struggled with the absence of Wimberley, who was out with an injury as the team combined for 45 yards on 25 carries.  All-DistrictThe Bucks’ season ended with a 4-6 (1-4 district) record. However, the team did have several players earn all-district honors. Cruz was recognized as the District 3-3A Division I Newcomer of the Year. Camden Escalon, Alexis Franco, Caiden Marin and Antley Rodgers earned First-Team Offense. Marin, Wimberley, Marcas Morin, Jaxon Escalon and Alexis Franco earned Second-Team Offense. Wimberley, Bernal and Cole Morton were recognized for Second-Team Offense. Bryson Herring, Camden Escalon and Joseph Juneau were named Second-Team Defense.  Cantrell, Herring, Douglas White, Josh Powers and Benny Escobedo earned Honorable Mention.Alexis Franco, Camden Escalon, Jaxon Escalon, Jack McKay, Alex Saucedo, Tim Newell, Marin, Herring, Morton, Morin, Rodgers and Wimberley were each named Academic All-District. Sports Log in to post comments