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Ansonia senior Nick Buckingham looks to shake at Twin Valley South
defender during second quarter
action at Ansonia. Buckingham rushed for
over 100 yards against the Panthers but the Tigers fell in
conference
action, 34-14. CNO Photos by Dylan Knoop
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South Panthers
tame Ansonia in conference battle
Tigers roar silenced early
By George Starks
ANSONIA- It was a very humbled Eugene Hoening Friday after his Ansonia
Tigers fell to Twin Valley South Friday, 34-14, in Cross County
Conference action.
“First of all I want to congratulate Twin Valley South,” said the long
time Tigers coach. “They have some athletes and they were able to
feature their athletes. I thought they controlled the line of scrimmage
most of the game. They executed their offense well and they executed
their defense well also. When we drove deep into their territory, three
times, and they turned us away each time. They played great defense
tonight and like I said, they executed their offense real well.”
After the Tigers stuffed the Panthers in three plays on the opening
drive of the game, it was Ansonia that was handed the first big
opportunity of the night.
On a first and ten from their own 40, senior Nick Buckingham rumbled up
the field for a 50 yard gain, putting the Tigers at the Panthers 10
yard line.
That was as far as the Tigers would get as they would eventually turn
the ball over on downs.
That was all the incentive the Panthers would need as South would start
at its own 11 and go 89 yards on six plays with the score being put up
on a 48 yard pass from senior Jacob Bassler to junior Mike Meyers with
5:35 remaining in the opening quarter.
South would score two more times in the second frame, as Bassler would
hit junior Jarrod Cottingim on a seven yard slant at the 10:54 mark of
the half.
South would tack on six more with 19.6 seconds left in the half as
Meyers would scamper in from two yards out.
“I was really afraid of their speed coming in to this game,” said
Hoening. “Number one (JJ Utz) is a really fast guy.”
While the Panthers rolled out to a 27-0 lead by the end of the third
quarter, Hoening talked about one of the few positives in his team’s
game.
“We got the trap working a little bit,” said Honeing. “If we were just
a little more consistent at executing our offense, it would’ve been a
closer game but teenagers are teenagers and they will do the
unexpected. We’ll get better. We just got to work on executing the
offense and being fundamentally sound.”
South gave the Tigers every chance to stay in the game, committing
multiple penalties and constantly shooting themselves in the foot.
“Like I say, they (South) have athletes,” Hoening said again. “They’ve
got some pretty good linemen out there to make some holes for them.
We’re a young team. We’re sending freshman and sophomores up against
juniors and seniors. It’s not really a fair fight but when that’s the
hand you’re dealt the bye golly, you do the best you can. Once you’re
on the field, age and size doesn’t matter. You’re going to play as hard
as you can every play.”
Now 1-3 on the season, Ansonia will travel to National Trail next
Friday.
Twin Valley South (3-1) under head coach Ty Cates, will host Arcanum
for its homecoming. Cates is an Arcanum graduate.
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It was one of the few bright spots on the night on defense for the
Tigers as senior Cody Burnfield
breaks through the Panthers offensive
line to sack quarterback Jacob Bassler.
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