Homecoming game ends in defeat for Buffs
While they remain very much in the hunt for a playoff spot, the Greybull Buffs saw their hopes of winning the Class 1A West Conference title diminish with a 33-23 homecoming loss to Big Piney on Saturday afternoon.
The Punchers, the reigning state champions, still have work to do to secure the top seed from the West, with league games remaining against Shoshoni and Wind River. But with the head-to-head edge, their lead over the Buffs is effectively two games.
Greybull started fast in Saturday’s game, scoring on their first possession. On an option play to the right, quarterback Caden Hunt pitched it to Wyatt Didrickson who took it 40 yards for the score. Steele Davis added the PAT, extending the lead to 7-0.
Big Piney was turned away on its first two possessions — the first time on downs, the second on a fumble — but scored on its third. Taking over on Greybull’s side of the field after the Buffs were stuffed on a fourth-down play, the Punchers reached the end zone with 7:30 left in the second on a 3-yard run by Caden Clifford.
It was a harbinger of things to come. Greybull’s next drive ended in a fumble — and Big Piney quickly capitalized, using another short touchdown run by Clifford and the PAT to move in front 14-7 at the 2:45 mark.
The Punchers pushed their lead to 20-7 with 8:58 left the third on a passing play that covered 23 yards.
The Buffs spent the rest of the afternoon in catch-up mode, trimming the Punchers’ lead to single digits on two different occasions — thanks to a 15-yard touchdown run by Lucas Bolzer in the third and an 18-yard pass from Hunt to Bolzer in the fourth — but could never get over the hump.
Leading by three, the Punchers ran out the final six minutes on the clock before eventually scoring with less than a minute to play account for the 33-23 final.
Coach Jeremy Pouska pointed out that his team outgained Big Piney, 363-333. “Our offense did its job,” he said. “But unfortunately for us, two big penalties, 15 yards apiece, really hurt us. When it’s first and 25, no matter what level of football, it’s a huge hole to climb out of.
“Big Piney just didn’t make as many mistakes as we did. We had two turnovers, they had none. We blocked a field a goal, but on that play, an inadvertent whistle blew it dead. Had the officials let it play out as a live ball, we might have been looking at six points in our favor and going into halftime in a tighter game.”
Pouska credited the Punchers, saying, “They’re the defending state champs for a reason. They graduated a lot of guys, but they still have that atmosphere around their program, to be the best. I think we, as a program, are developing that. We competed well and it was a good game for us. Unfortunately, we just fell a little short.”
He added, “The guys know there’s a lot of season left and realize a lot can happen. We just have to focus on each week, take care of what we can take care of, and get ready for playoff contention.”
This week
While the loss hurt the Buffs’ chances of winning the conference — Big Piney, after all, is now 3-0 in league play — the Greybull boys can still qualify for the playoffs and potentially even host an opening round game if they win their remaining games.
The Buffs face Rocky Mountain this week, Wind River next week and Wyoming Indian in week eight.
The Buffs and the Grizzlies have already played one classic this season, with Greybull pulling out a gritty 18-14 win. Neither team was at full strength. The Buffs didn’t have Didrickson, who was out with a shoulder injury. Bolzer provided the decisive points that night, scoring on a short touchdown run with about a minute to play, and the Greybull defense stood tall. But that was a nonconference game.
This one, when it kicks off Friday at 7 p.m. in Cowley, will mean more.
“It’s going to be a battle for sure,” said Pouska. “We’re going to their house and the last thing they want to do is lose to us in a game that counts in the conference standings. I expect they’ll play full effort football and our job is to respond by playing the same way and minimizing our mistakes.”
Big Piney 0 14 12 7 — 33
Greybull 7 0 8 8 — 23
G — Wyatt Didrickson 40-yard run (Steele Davis kick)
BP — Caden Clifford 3-yard run (Negrete kick)
BP — Clifford 1-yard run (Negrete kick).
BP — Gerardo Galvin 23-yard pass from Finley Strong.
G — Lucas Bolzer 15-yard run (Yandel Hernandez pass from Hunt)
BP — Zavier Clifford 51-yard run.
G — Bolzer 18-yard pass from Hunt (Sorenson pass from Hunt).
BP — Caden Clifford 3-yard run (Negrete kick).
RUSHING — Big Piney 52-253; Greybull 37-247 (Wyatt Didrickson 10-114, Lucas Bolzer 12-88, Caden Hunt 6-24, Caiden Sorenson 6-19, Jesse Brown 1-5, Samuel Campos 1-(-1), Aaron Corral 1-(-2)).
PASSING — Big Piney 6-of-7 for 80 yards; Greybull 4-of-12 for 64 yards.
RECEIVING — Greybull: Hernandez 1-27, Bolzer 1-18, Bennett Sanford 1-16, Sorenson 1-3.
DEFENSIVE STANDOUTS — Greybull: Sorenson led with 21 defensive points (10 assisted tackles, 5 solo tackles, 1 tackle for loss) followed by Bolzer with 20 (9 assisted, 5 solo, 1 TFL), Hernandez with 18 (9 assisted, 4 solo, 1 TFL), Larry Longshore with 16 (1 assisted, 4 solo, 1 blocked kick), Garrett Wiggins with 16 (3 assisted, 5 solo, 2 TFL) and Didrickson with 15 (3 assisted, 5 solo, 2 TFL).