JV Bison slip ‘n slide to a tie

“Oh NO you don’t... “ Bison defender Cain Hayes stops the Panthers’ two-point conversion attempt. Van’Go’photo There was doubt as to whether the JV Bison would get their scheduled game in on Thursday evening at Normangee High School. The Buffalo/Wortham junior high games scheduled at WHS had already been cancelled due to heavy rainstorms cruising through the area. The field at Normangee had received rain during their own junior high games earlier in the afternoon and the middle of the field, especially, was already pretty chewed up when the BHS/NSH JV game began under threatening skies.

The muddy conditions -- plus the fact that fully 1/4 of the stadium lights were out -- made for a very interesting game with many turnovers.

With Travis Cunningham sparking the offense Buffalo was driving early in the game, but Normangee defenders wrestled the ball from Ty Tollett and NHS took over.

Bison defenders take a stand late in the game during the “mud fest” at Normangee last Thursday night. Van’Go’photo The Bison defense held and Buffalo was on the move again. On this drive BHS survived a fumble, but the drive eventually bogged down in the mud. The two teams went into the halftime break without scoring.

NHS took the next kickoff near midfield, but suffered a busted play and BHS' Alejandro Montano jumped on the loose ball. Buffalo then gained two first downs before losing the handle on the slippery ball.

Keith Carter led the Bison defense in shutting down the next Panther drive and BHS got the ball back quickly in great field position, only to fumble inside Normangee's 10-yard line. NHS took over and attempted a long pass to get out of the end zone, but D.J. Jackson was able to get a hand on the ball and deflect it right into the arms of teammate Cain Hayes. Hayes raced twenty yards for the first score of the game. The PAT failed.

LEFT: A tired and frustrated Travis Cunningham ponders the results of the game, but the Bison had no reason to hang their heads after battling to a 6-6 tie with the Normangee Panthers. Van’Go’photo Normangee responded quickly. They broke a man into the Bison secondary and he was heading for the end zone, but Hayes was able to run him down 20 yards from the goal line. The Bison defense put up a fight and had the Panthers stopped, but on 4th-and-7 NHS' backfield executed a beautiful reverse for the tying touchdown. Their PAT attempt for the lead failed as Hayes rode the ball carrier out of bounds at the 2-yardline, and the score was knotted 6-6 with 6:09 left to play.

On the Bison's possession BHS survived several bobbles, and Cunningham broke tackles for a big run and first down. Three plays later the Bison were going for it on 4th-and-10 and Cunningham again got the ball and got.... so close. After a measurement, the ball went over on downs at the Normangee 33-yd-line.

The ball squirted free from the Normangee offense and David Rodriguez jumped on it for BHS, giving the Bison a final shot at the end zone. They failed to advance the ball on first, second and third down, but on 4th-and-7 Cunningham took the handoff and would not be stopped, breaking tackles to the 15. BHS was threatening to score with 0:39 left on the clock when the Bison suffered yet another turnover.

Normangee got the ball but newcomer Charlie Harringer and Calvin Young made big stops. Jackson again got a hand on the Panther's final pass attempt, crushing NHS' last ditch drive.

The game ended in a tie, but both teams could hold their heads high after the valiant effort. The players looked like they had been through a war -- but the only loser was the poor football field.