Bearcats’ late surge falls short against Buchanan

‘We figured it out a little too late’ says head coach

– The Paso Robles High School football team put up a fight against Buchanan High School of Clovis in a game that was supposed to end in a complete blowout. The Bearcats ultimately fell short of their goal in a 33-13 loss, but they didn’t make it easy for the Division 1 Bears. The Bears set the tone early in the opening quarter with a 40-yard rushing touchdown to take the lead 6-0.

The Bearcats struggled to gain momentum as their quarterback, Marcus Garcia, faced constant pressure and got sacked multiple times throughout the game. Despite the offense struggling, the Bearcats’ defense was not daunted by Buchanan’s early touchdown as they continued to generate multiple stops on the Bears’ rushing attempts. The Bearcats’ offense struggled immensely in the first half, unable to establish a rhythm or gain consistent ground.

The Bears recovered a fumble, capitalizing on it to set up a nine-yard rushing touchdown to extend their lead to 13-0. With a lot of play left in the first half, the Bearcats made some important defensive stops while defending deep in their territory. On the Bearcats’ two-yard line, junior defensive back Kyler Weyrich had a much-needed fumble recovery to set up their offense and prevent the Bears from further extending their lead. However, much wasn’t done on the offensive side, only leading to a 40-yard interception. Buchanan executed well on this offensive possession and punched in a 38-yard rushing touchdown, widening the gap to 20-0. Just before halftime, the Bears found themselves in Bearcat territory, setting themselves up for a 35-yard field goal and ending the half 23-0.

At halftime, it seemed as if the game would be a total blowout. The Bearcats just weren’t able to get anything done offensively, struggling to move the ball and facing great pressure from the Bears’ defense. What got the Bearcats rolling was a blocked punt at the start of the third quarter that was swooped up by junior defensive lineman Rudy Contreras and taken all the way to the end zone. Unfortunately, the call was overturned due to a penalty, wiping out the touchdown and dampening the Bearcats’ momentum. Despite the setback, the special teams play sparked some life into the Bearcats, who would later capitalize on a 35-yard passing touchdown to sophomore wide receiver Emmett Dobroth, putting the Bearcats on the board 23-7.

The third quarter saw little action as both teams engaged in a defensive standoff, limiting each other to minimal yardage and preventing any significant offensive drives. Neither side could gain much ground, with defenses dominating the play throughout the quarter. The Bearcats’ defense tightened up in the quarter, as they did not allow any rushing attacks to enter the end zone like they did most of the first half.

With signs of life still remaining inside the Bearcats, Garcia opened the fourth quarter with a 23-yard touchdown pass to senior Jonathan Druding to close the gap to 23-13. The two-point attempt was no good. Undoubtedly, the Bearcats successfully set themselves up for a potential comeback. Much more energy was evident in the second half after struggling tremendously in the first half to gain any sort of offensive momentum.

With a 42-yard punt return, Buchanan quickly responded, able to gain ground on the Bearcats territory, and ran the ball into the end zone with a nine-yard rushing attack, pulling ahead further 30-13. A late field goal by Buchanan in the fourth quarter sealed the deal, and the Bears won 33-13.

The Bearcats’ second-half push kept them in the game, allowing them to move the ball more effectively and capitalize on opportunities created by their defense. “Our offense just had to figure out a rhythm, but we figured it out a little too late,” said head coach Matt Carroll. “We were supposed to lose this game 50-0. That’s what the projections were, but we agreed that we wouldn’t care what the score said as long as we played our best all four quarters.”

The Bearcats’ preseason is now over, and they’re gearing up for the start of the Mountain League. The Bearcats’ first league game is on Friday, Oct. 4, against Arroyo Grande at Doug Hitchen Stadium. They aim to earn a much-needed victory for a solid start to their league season opener.

-By Joslen Jimenez