Buckeyes Build Winning Streak To Three Against Vinton County
By: Jack Demmler
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NELSONVILLE, Ohio- With two games left in the regular season, the push for the playoffs intensifies. The Nelsonville York Buckeyes (6-3, 4-1) welcomed the Vinton County Vikings (4-5, 3-2) to town. Both teams entered the game coming off of a win.
A strong ground game from star running back, Keegan Wilburn, pushed the Buckeyes past the Vikings 34-20.
The game started off slow with three straight three-and-outs. After five minutes, Jacob Wells opened things up with a 46-yard touchdown run. The Vikings kept the momentum going after Lance Montgomery intercepted Mikey Seel’s pass.
After two punt returns from Keegan Wilburn got called back, the Buckeyes were desperate for a score. Following two incomplete passes, Seel kept the ball and rushed 40 yards into the endzone, but a missed extra-point made the Buckeyes trail by one.
Defensively, Nelsonville York gave Vinton County a taste of their own medicine. Ethan Douglas fell on top of a fumbled run and gave the Buckeyes the ball in Vikings territory.
With time winding down in the first quarter, Seel connected with Ethan Gail up the middle for a 34-yard touchdown. This touchdown gave the Buckeyes the 14-7 lead heading into the second quarter.
Nelsonville-York continued to maintain momentum as they forced a three-and-out highlighted by a major stop on fourth and one. The Buckeyes offense started right where they left off. With seven and a half minutes left in the first half, Keegan Wilburn ran the ball to the right side as he broke tackles and strolled into the endzone.
After giving up 21 unanswered points, Vinton County regrouped and cut into the deficit with a 16 play, seven-minute drive. The drive was capped off with a nine-yard pass from Braylon Damron to Zack Radabaugh in the back of the endzone.
A dependable running back and Player of the Year candidate, Keegan Wilburn exploded in the second half. Wilburn ended with 139 rushing yards on 10 carries while making it into the end zone three times.
Nelsonville York extended their winning streak to three games as they travel to Athens next week to take on the Athens Bulldogs (5-4, 5-0). The Vikings will host Wellston (7-2, 4-1) next week as they look to get back to .500.