The Buccaneers Ended The Season On A Winning Note

Week 10 of The 2013 Ohio High School Football Season has finally arrived. For The Xenia High School (XHS) Buccaneers, this is the end. After tonight, there will be no more football left to play. The Buccaneers will not be going to the playoffs. Therefore, tonight is their unofficial playoff game. In fact, you could look at the situation this way. Tonight’s final game is the Buccaneers’ Unofficial Ohio Division 2 State High School Football Championship Game. Whatever the Buccaneers want to showcase must be displayed tonight. As the famous, old phrase goes, “Everything must be left out on the field.” This is the last time which the Buccaneers have the opportunity to make a final impression on the season. Ending any season on a positive note is always a top priority for any sports team. Therefore, the Buccaneers have one, final opportunity to correct all of the various issues which have plagued their 2013 Season. Regardless of whether or not they win or lose, after the final seconds of tonight’s game rundown on the game clock, the Buccaneers will be expected to move on. Before you know it, the 2014 Season will be upon us. A new season will bring about a completely different & new atmosphere, consisting of such aspects as new players, new schemes, new situations, new problems, etc. The players & coaches will all be a year older. However, if you really think about it, can a season-ending loss be quickly erased from the Buccaneers’ mindsets? For the Graduating Seniors, that may very well be the case. However, for the returning players, that might be a very difficult & impossible feat to accomplish.

            This is my very first time being here inside of Fairborn High School’s Fairborn Memorial Stadium. Originally, I was not set to attend this season-ending Xenia High School (XHS) Buccaneers vs. Fairborn High School (FHS) Skyhawks Game. However, I figured that since this is the final week of the season, I would check out the Buccaneers one last time. Being that I had never traveled to this particular stadium before, I did not know how to get here. Just like many people out there, I had to utilize MapQuest to find the location. When I told some of my friends about having to do that, I received some friendly ribbing. Yes, I do live in nearby Xenia. However, that does not mean I know how to get to every location within the immediate vicinity. I easily found my way to the stadium. Once I parked my car and got out, I did not expect what I would see next. As I got through the gates of the stadium, I quickly noticed a muddy (with gravel or some other material) track that surrounds the football field. In order to get to the visitor’s side of the field, spectators have to walk across this track. I was not happy about that whatsoever. When I finally got to the bleachers, I was even more shocked. The visitor’s side bleachers (at Fairborn Memorial Stadium) are wooden!!!!! In this day and age, what school still uses wooden bleachers? Although some still do, it is not right. No institution should be using them!

            The Buccaneers were the first team to start on offense. Their offensive set immediately paid off quick dividends. One issue that I truly liked about how the Buccaneers started the game dealt with “Player Involvement.” On their game-opening drive, Xenia did something which I had not witnessed much of all season long. They started out a game by getting multiple players involved on a drive. As a result, the drive presented very positive results. Its ending outcome is exactly what all of the Buccaneers’ fans wanted to see. Xenia started out the game by being on their own 40-Yard Line. Xenia’s Quarterback Danny Naylor got things started by completing a 9-Yard pass to Buccaneers’ Running Back Khalil Capers. After that play, the Buccaneers continued to further push the ball down the field. The very next play was a 16-Yard run by Buccaneers’ Running Back Bobo Jones. Then, Naylor got into the rushing act with a 9-Yard run of his own. After a short-yardage run by Capers, Buccaneers’ Running Back Avondre Jackson took over. First, he caught a 6-Yard pass from Naylor. Then, he had an 8-Yard run to the Skyhawks’ 6-Yard Line. Finally, at 8:56, he ended the drive by running the ball into the end zone for a 6-Yard Touchdown. Buccaneers’ Kicker Kole Patterson kicked the extra point. Xenia took a quick 7-0 lead.

            After a long kickoff return, Fairborn’s Offense started the game on Xenia’s 40-Yard Line. However, the drive did not last long whatsoever. On the very first play from scrimmage, Skyhawks’ Quarterback Aron Childers threw a pass deep into the Buccaneers’ territory. That was a huge mistake. At 8:38, Capers intercepted that pass on his team’s own 10-Yard Line. The Buccaneers opened up its second, offensive drive with a 15-Yard completed pass from Naylor to Wide Receiver Rocky James. For the next three plays, the Buccaneers went back to the running game. However, a Holding Penalty against the Buccaneers negated one of those three rushing plays. At 6:22 of the 1^ST Quarter, Xenia avoided what very well could have been a costly mistake. Naylor completed a pass to Wide Receiver Khiyani Harris. On the play, Harris fumbled the ball. Luckily for the Buccaneers, they recovered the fumble. At 4:57, Jackson made a spectacular-looking rushing play. On the play, multiple Skyhawks’ Defenders could not bring him down. Jackson even lost his helmet, but he kept right on running. The Buccaneers’ next, big-play took place at 3:54. On 3^RD Down and 11 from the Skyhawks’ 38-Yard Line, Naylor completed a 28-Yard pass to Harris. The play put Xenia on Fairborn’s 10-Yard Line. At 2:31, Naylor through a pass to Harris in the end zone. Unfortunately, Harris was unable to hold onto the ball. Much like all season long, the Buccaneers’ “Red Zone Deficiencies” once again were an issue. They had to end up settling for a Field Goal Attempt by Patterson. After the kick was completed, Xenia took a 10-0 lead.

            Fairborn closed out the 1^ST Quarter with an offensive drive that was not successful. As the 2^ND Quarter began, the Skyhawks were faced with a 4^TH Down and 7 on the Buccaneers’ 42-Yard Line. Instead of punting the ball, Fairborn’s Offense stayed on the field. Childers took the snap from center, and he kept the ball. Unfortunately, his rushing play did not obtain a 1^ST Down. As a result, the Skyhawks turned the ball over on downs. Xenia’s first three offensive plays were a rushing play, a pass completion, and another rushing play. Due to another Holding Penalty committed by the Buccaneers’ Offense, the third play was negated. However, that penalty did not prevent the Buccaneers from obtaining any success. On the very next play, Naylor completed a 16-Yard pass to Jones. After a rush by Capers, the Buccaneers were faced with a 3^RD Down and 10 on the Skyhawks’ 36-Yard Line. At 9:55, Naylor and Harris made a huge play. Naylor completed a 36-Yard Touchdown Pass to Harris. Fairborn’s Tony Morris blocked Sabrina Gregory’s Extra Point Kick Attempt. However, Xenia still led the game 16-0.

            At 7:44, the Skyhawks’ Offense made another gigantic mistake. On the snap from center, the Skyhawks fumbled the ball. The ball was recovered by the Buccaneers’ Defense. On the very next play, the Buccaneers almost gave the ball right back. Naylor attempted a pass to Capers. The pass attempt was incomplete. However, the pass was almost intercepted by the Skyhawks’ Defense. Xenia’s Offense was unable to get anything positive going. At 6:38, Xenia was faced with a 4^TH Down and 2 on Fairborn’s 37-Yard Line. Instead of punting the ball away, the Buccaneers’ Offense stayed on the field. Unfortunately, Naylor’s pass attempt to Harris was incomplete. Therefore, the Buccaneers turned the ball over on downs. Once again, the Skyhawks were unable to gain any offensive momentum. They ended up having to punt the ball. Just like the Skyhawks had done, the Buccaneers were unable to garner any offensive momentum. At 2:37, the Buccaneers were faced with a 4^TH Down and 16 on their own 37-Yard Line. Patterson had the snapped ball go high over his head. Fortunately, the Buccaneers did not allow the Skyhawks to recover the botched snap. While that was some good news for Xenia, the Buccaneers had to deal with a very harsh reality. Before the drive ended, Naylor was injured. Jason Wisecup took over the Buccaneers’ starting quarterback role. Naylor ended up coming back into the game.

            For Fairborn, the mistakes continued to pile up. At 1:46, the Skyhawks were faced with a 3^RD Down and Goal on Xenia’s 10-Yard Line. Childers kept the ball, and he proceeded to make a rush. Unfortunately, on the play, he fumbled the ball. The Buccaneers’ Defense recovered Childers’ fumble. The Buccaneers’ Offensive Play Selection is what truly puzzled me next. Instead of having Naylor take knees to end the first half, the Buccaneers decided to continue playing.  That ended up being a major mistake. Naylor was passing the ball. He completed two passes, and he had one incompletion. With 41.0 Seconds left to go in the first half, the Buccaneers were faced with a 4^TH Down and 6 on their own 16-Yard Line. Patterson’s punt was blocked. The end result was a 1^ST Down and Goal on the Buccaneers’ 3-Yard Line (for the Skyhawks). With 36.0 Seconds left to go, Fairborn’s Quarterback Brent Grody took the ball into the end zone for a 3-Yard Touchdown Run. The Extra Point Kick Attempt was good. Fairborn now trailed Xenia 16-7.

            Fairborn started the 3^RD Quarter (and the 2^ND Half) on offense first. However, they were unable to make any positive, halftime adjustments. They came out of the locker room flat. On 4^TH Down, the Skyhawks were forced to punt the ball. Once Xenia’s Offense received the ball back, they made Fairborn pay. Naylor did not return to the game. The Buccaneers’ Offense set up shop on their own 35-Yard Line. They proceeded to rush the ball all the way down the field into the Skyhawks’ Red Zone. Until 4^TH Down, the Buccaneers never once passed the ball (on the drive). On 4^TH Down, the Buccaneers were positioned on the Skyhawks’ 9-Yard Line. At 7:15, Wisecup completed a touchdown pass to Jones. After Patterson’s Extra Point Kick was completed, Xenia took a 23-7 lead. On the ensuing drive, Fairborn’s Offense was unable to get anything going. Once again, the Skyhawks were forced to punt the ball. Xenia’s Offense did no better than what Fairborn’s Offense had just done. Although their passing and rushing picked up multiple first downs, the Buccaneers’ Offensive Drive was littered with two key mistakes. One of those mistakes was very detrimental. At 1:59, Wisecup threw an interception to Fairborn’s Defensive Back Aron Childers. Once again, offensively, the Skyhawks failed to get anything going. On 4^TH Down, Grody’s pass attempt was incomplete. The Skyhawks turned the ball over on downs.

            A rush by the Buccaneers’ Jackson ended the game’s 3^RD Quarter of play. After the 4^TH Quarter began, the Buccaneers’ Offense continued to sputter. First, Xenia committed another Holding Penalty. Then, the Buccaneers faced a 3^RD Down and 12 on their own 38-Yard Line. At 9:17, Wisecup threw a second interception. For the rest of the game, he would not attempt another pass. Fairborn quickly capitalized off of Wisecup’s mistake. At 8:50, the Skyhawks faced a 1^ST Down and Goal on the Buccaneers’ 8-Yard Line. Childers rushed the ball into the end zone for the 8-Yard Score. The Extra Point Kick Attempt was good. Now, Fairborn only trailed Xenia 23-14. With a score of their own, the Buccaneers answered the Skyhawks’ score. The Buccaneers faced a 2^ND Down and 11 on the Skyhawks’ 44-Yard Line. At 5:24, Jones rushed all the way to the end zone for a touchdown. Gregory’s Extra Point Kick put Xenia up 30-14. That score was the final dagger into the hearts of the Skyhawks. Neither team would score again. Xenia would go on to win the game 30-14.