By Ethan Miller ’23
This season is different for the CV Buckskins football team. There are games to play, and hopefully win, just like any other fall. This year, they play without 2 of their teammates, Tyler Zook and Tyreese Smith, who died in a car crash this summer. On Friday night, the Buckskins honored their fallen teammates in a powerful moment pregame.
Instead of the typical “rah-rah” nature that usually accompanies the team taking the field, charging onto the turf to a cheering crowd, the Buckskins soberly walked side by side in rows of 4 to the bench. In the lead quartet, team members held their fallen teammates’ jerseys, numbers 68 and 34, and laid them on the bench. Each player individually tributed the jerseys before huddling up with the coaches. A moment of silence was held for the deceased students, and emotions were high for the players, coaches, and spectators on both sides of the ball.
The Buckskins defense set the tone to start the game, forcing a fumble on Penn Manor’s opening possession (recovered by Soren Stoltzfus) that gave the CV offense a chance at points early in the first quarter. The ensuing drive sputtered out, however, and the Bucks failed to capitalize on the Comets error. On the following Comets drive, the defense once again forced a quick stop, but a crushing roughing the punter penalty on the Buckskins gave the Comets new life. Penn Manor QB Eli Warfel led his team to a touchdown, scoring the first points of the game and giving the Comets a first quarter 7-0 lead.
On the kickoff moments after, the CV returner fumbled on the return, giving the ball back to Penn Manor in a matter of seconds on the game clock. The Comets wasted no time and made the score 13-0 before the Buckskins had a chance to blink. At that point, the hole was already dug for CV.
The Buckskins finally got on the board in the second quarter thanks to a strong 15 yard touchdown pass from CV senior quarterback Macoy Kneisley, reeled in by Jeff Fisher for 7 points. After a strong stop by the defense on the Comets, who had first-and-goal but were unable to score before halftime, the Buckskins went into the half trailing 13-7.
CV received the second half kickoff and had a chance to take the lead early in the third quarter, but Kneisley fumbled on a sack that was returned for a touchdown by the Comets, giving them a 20-7. They added another touchdown before the quarter ended, and had all but locked the game up 27-7 entering the fourth.
Kneisley and the offense strung together a touchdown drive late in the final quarter, culminating in a 4 yard touchdown run from Collin Martin, but it was too little, too late for the Buckskins. The Comets won 27-13 and CV never was truly competitive during the game. Up next, the Buckskins play at home next Friday night against Daniel Boone at 7 PM.
Box Score
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL | |
| CV | 0 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 13 |
| PM | 13 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 27 |
Player of the Week
The first POTW award of the 2022 season goes to senior wide receiver Jeff Fisher. Fisher caught 2 passes for 38 yards and a touchdown, and was instrumental in both scoring drives. He caught a 15 yard touchdown pass in the second quarter, and hauled in a 23 yard pass that set up the Buckskin in a first-and-goal situation in the fourth.