By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
GOWER - The first half was pretty typical Mid-Buchanan vs. East Buchanan football. Big plays on both sides, both teams counter punching, close game.
The third quarter of Friday's game, however, was a break from the usual, recent fare this rivalry has offered.
East Buchanan (7-1) scored 34 points in the third quarter, benefitting from a number of short fields and a couple of Mid-Buchanan turnovers, and the Bulldogs pulled away for a 48-12 win over the Dragons in Gower.
"Our offense really took off and that was fun to watch," East Buchanan coach Dan Ritter said. "Any time you score five touchdowns on a really good team like Mid-Buchanan in a quarter, you have to feel good about that. I don't know what else to say. It was a lot of fun to watch."
It's Mid-Buchanan's first regular season loss since September 2019, breaking a 31-game regular season win streak.
The Bulldogs, leading 14-12 at halftime, got the ball to start the second half and were sprung to life by a roughly 55-yard kickoff return by junior Trevor Klein to set East Buchanan up at their opponents' 40-yard line to open the third quarter.
That was just the start.
Four plays later, Klein found the endzone for the first time from one yard away, putting East Buchanan up 21-12 with 10:42 to play in the third.
And again, that was really just the start.
Mid-Buchanan (7-1) punted on its first drive of the second half, but the punt traveled maybe nine yards on a shank. On the next play, from the Dragons' 12-yard line, Klein found the endzone again. 28-12.
Two plays into Mid-Buchanan's ensuing drive, quarterback Xavier Arambula's pass was intercepted by Adam Stephen-Enges. Three plays later, Klein scored again. Another one-yarder. 35-12.
A bit later, Mid-Buchanan at last caught a break, as Klein fumbled and Spencer Cunningham recovered - only for Arambula to fumble it right back on the very next play.
Klein recovered that fumble, forced by Ethan Bailey, and on the very next play, Klein took off down the middle of the field on a 41-yard touchdown run. 41-12. Still 3:43 left in the third.
After a three-and-out by Mid-Buchanan and a solid punt from Jackson Sauvage, the Bulldogs finally started on their own side of the field at the 39.
It mattered not. On a 3rd and 3, Klein took off again and scored - this time from 54 yards away. When the dust settled, it was 48-12 at the end of a wild third quarter.
Klein, limited to 43 yards on nine carries in the first half, scored all five of his touchdowns in the third quarter and piled up 206 yards on 18 total carries.
"We definitely made some changes," Klein said. "Figured out what the defense was doing and the holes kept getting bigger and bigger. Line did a great job and the receivers blocking downfield."
"Mid-Buch has had a great run. Everyone knew they were the top dog. Just feels good to be back in first place in the KCI Conference after all."
Before Klein had his scoring explosion, East Buchanan got the scoring started in the first quarter, as junior quarterback Gage Busby found a wide open Carson White for a 71-yard touchdown pass, giving the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead with 7:19 left in the first.
Mid-Buchanan answered the call, putting together back-to-back scoring drives in the second quarter. Arambula had passing touchdowns of 26 and 51 yards, both to senior Zach Kelly, to give the Dragons a 12-7 lead with 4:16 to play in the second.
As impressive as the third quarter was for East Buchanan, the Bulldogs pieced together a 12-play, 80-yard drive just before halftime. That drive ended with a two-yard touchdown run by Aidan Hensley, putting the Bulldogs up 14-12 at the break.
Busby was 7-of-11 through the air for East Buchanan for 152 yards. Arambula was 6-of-10 for 111 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Arambula also rushed for 63 yards on 27 carries.
East Buchanan looks to finish strong at Lawson next Friday. Mid-Buchanan is home to Plattsburg next week.
It hasn't all been settled just yet, but Friday's win was a big step for East Buchanan if they hope to get the No. 1 seed in Class 1 District 8. They've already clinched at least a share of the KCI Crown.
"If we lose to them, that's a three-way tie in the conference," Ritter said. "We have to get ourselves ready to go and ready for a really good Lawson team that can run and pass."
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