Buffs’ season ends with playoff loss at Pine Bluffs

The East was the beast of Class 1A nine-man football this season, as three of the four teams from that side of the state prevailed in the opening round of the playoffs, including Pine Bluffs which ended Greybull’s season with a 75-22 victory Friday afternoon.

The Buffs finished 5-3, making it their first winning season since 2018.

“It was a tough way to go out,” said Coach Jeremy Pouska. “We competed pretty well until Pine Bluffs found its rhythm.  We knew going in that would be a task we had to try our best to prevent from happening.”

Pine Bluffs entered as the No. 2 seed from the East — its only loss was to top-ranked Lingle-Fort Laramie — and with the best offense and defense, statistically, in the classification.  In eight regular season games, they averaged 387 yards gained and only 158 surrender.

The Buffs were competitive early.  Pine Bluffs opened the scoring with the only points of the first quarter, but the Buffs answered early in the second with a 9-yard Caiden Sorenson run and took the lead on two-point conversion pass from Caden Hunt to Yandel Hernandez.

“Pine Bluffs wanted to stop everything we were throwing at them and that was evident in the aggressiveness of their play calling,” said Pouska. “Even on that first drive, they were sending almost everyone on every play.

“But credit to our offensive line, which stepped up, and to our running backs who ran the ball hard, we were able to score and ultimately add the two-point conversion. At that point, the guys came off the field and were excited.  We were going to keep leaning on what got us there.”

While the Buffs did that with some success, finishing with 274 rushing yards and 19 first downs, they couldn’t match Pine Bluffs’ firepower, which produced 310 yards on the ground and another 254 through the air, or overcome four turnovers, including three fumbles and an interception.

The Hornets hung 20 on the Buffs in the third quarter and 35 more in the fourth to win 75-22.

Quarterback Carsten Freeburg did most of the damage, accounting for five touchdowns. 

“He’s the fastest guy we’ve seen all year,” he said Pouska. “We were trying to keep him out of rhythm and from getting comfortable, but ultimately, he got very comfortable in the pocket.  Coach Ship was changing from a four-man front to a three-man front ... and when we went to the four to stop the run and pressure the quarterback, they’d pop a pass over our heads for a large gain, and when we’d switch over to a three to protect against the pass, they’d hurt us with the run. We had no answer for them.”

The Hornets will play Saratoga, upset winners over Shoshoni, later this week in one semifinal game.  In the other, Lingle-Fort Laramie hosts Big Piney.  The Punchers were the only team from the West to make it out of the first weekend.

Pouska said he told his team afterward they had a lot to be proud of, having earned a share of the conference title and won five games.

“We talk Xs and Os all the time, prepare as much as we can and try to find tendencies in our opponent and exploit them, and all that’s great,” he said. “But sometimes it comes down to Jimmies and Joes. Pine Bluffs just came to play and were the better team that day.  Sometimes in life and in sports, that’s how it goes.”

With the loss came the end of the playing careers of Lucas Bolzer, Wyatt Didrickson, Steele Davis, Gabe VanderPloeg and Payton Hoffman.  “A lot of the guys are going to miss them and I know we as coaches are really going to miss them,” said Pouska.

Pouska credited the seniors for providing strong leadership by encouraging their teammates to prepare in the offseason and be accountable at practice and in the classroom.

Greybull 0    8   8   6 — 22

Pine Bluffs 7  13 20 35 — 75

G — Caiden Sorenson 9 yd run (Yandel Hernandez pass from Caden Hunt).

G — Lucas Bolzer 3 yd pass from Hunt (Bolzer pass from Hunt)

G — Caiden Sorenson 6 yd run 

RUSHING — Greybull 58-274 (Caiden Sorenson 15-104, Wyatt Didrickson 14-78, Lucas Bolzer 15-50, Caiden Hunt 11-42, Gabe VanderPloeg  1-2, Mason Richardson 1-(-2); Pine Bluffs 33-310.

PASSING — Greybull 3-of-11 for 14 yards; Pine Bluffs 12-of-21 for 234 yards.

RECEIVING — Yandel Hernandez 1-15, Bennett Sanford 2 (-1).

DEFENSIVE STANDOUTS — Bolzer led with 6  tackles, followed by Sorenson, Anthony Chacon and Hernandez with 3 1/2 tackles.