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Bucktail football falls to Cameron County, 35-6, in rematch at home

TIM WEIGHT/Special to the Sun-Gazette Bucktail's Corbin Pentz (8) stiff arms a Cameron County defender during a high school football game on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, at Bucktail. The Bucks fell 35-6.

FARWELL – After falling to Cameron County by a score of 54-6 in Week 1, it was expected that Bucktail (1-7) was going to have a tough time in the rematch. However, this young Bucks squad has gone into every underdog scenario this season believing they can come out on top.

And on Friday, that showed from beginning to end.

Freshman full back Levi Stevenson totaled over 100 yards on 19 attempts, consistently giving the Bucktail offense a spark and helping it pick up double-digit first downs for a second straight game. The defense composed itself after a rough start to the second quarter, and overall, the Bucks managed to knock three scores off the previous matchup’s deficit, falling to the Raiders by a score of 35-6.

Second-year head coach Kevin Ransom goes into every outing expecting a win, but improvements come second. On both sides of the field, Bucktail was better in the rematch, with the improvements being evident to its players, coaching staff and fans.

“Compared to Week One, we’re ten times better,” said Bucktail senior lineman Evan Ransom following the loss. “We have a young team, and they’re starting to pick up on the game of football, and I’m very proud of them.”

TIM WEIGHT/Special to the Sun-Gazette Bucktail's Corbin Pentz (8) hands the ball off to Levi Stevenson (22) during a high school football game on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, at Bucktail. The Bucks fell 35-6.

“If you want to measure improvement by the scoreboard, go ahead because we improved,” emphasized Coach Ransom after the loss.

“If you want to measure improvement by the film, go ahead because I’ll show you where we improved. If you just want to measure improvement by the approach, aggression and effort from start to finish, go ahead because we did that too.”

Like in games past, the Bucks had their ups and downs in the early goings.

The Raiders scored a touchdown on each of their first four drives, one aided by a blocked punt on Bucktail’s opening drive and two aided by fumbles. One of those fumbles derailed a 15-play, 60-yard drive that reached Cameron County’s 25-yard line and chewed seven minutes of game time. And though the offense got past midfield again late in the second, that drive ended in a turnover on downs.

But after going down 28-0 early in the second, Bucktail affirmed itself defensively. It’d force a turnover on downs in the redzone to close out the first half, with Teagan Stone breaking up a pass in the endzone. And it was able to carry that into back-to-back stops against Cameron County’s starters, keeping it off the scoreboard for 22 minutes of gametime.

TIM WEIGHT/Special to the Sun-Gazette Bucktail's Jaden Intallura (25) tackles Cameron County's Evan Ramsey (25) during a high school football game on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, at Bucktail. The Bucks fell 35-6.

Even on the Raiders’ final touchdown drive, the Bucks got them to fourth-and-short twice, with Cameron County converting one on a fake punt and another on an eight-yard touchdown run. Stevenson and Jaden Intallura combined for a sack on that drive to force third-and-long. And on Cameron County’s last drive, Aiden Ditty secured a one-handed interception.

“I’m blessed to have my brother (Bruce Ransom) on the headset with me. He helps me with those defensive adjustments that I don’t see,” said Ransom on the team’s later defensive success. “He’s seen a ton, and he can read those things.”

Offensively, early sparks were met with disappointment, but it’d all come together on Bucktail’s second to last drive.

On third and long, freshman quarterback Corbin Pentz found sophomore Teagan Stone open deep, with Stone making a great adjustment and diving to secure it. They connected on the next two plays as well, one on an 18-yarder and the next on a 25-yard touchdown pass, which saw Stone take a drag the distance after evading multiple defenders.

“Can’t do it without the lineman. That’s really all there is. Tegan’s a great athlete. He’s always open,” said Pentz when discussing that drive. “I’m really looking forward to (two more years with him). I think we’ll be much better in the next two years.”

TIM WEIGHT/Special to the Sun-Gazette Bucktail's Corbin Pentz (8) passes the ball during a high school football game on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, at Bucktail. The Bucks fell 35-6.

Stone finished with 66 yards and a touchdown, surpassing 600 offensive yards on the season through the outing. Pentz completed 63 percent of his throws while adding first-down runs of 10 and 14 yards on the ground.

And though he didn’t contribute to the touchdown drive, Levi Stevenson had a breakout game, showing promising consistency with five yards per attempt. He had just one rush over ten yards, but had 13 spanning five yards or more, including six in a row that contributed heavily to the team’s best drives in the first half.

“I just do what I can and try my best,” said Stevenson on the performance. “Really, it’s all thanks to my linemen. They balled out tonight. I had a gap every time I ran the ball.”

“We’ve got a football player in him,” said Ransom on Stevenson. “He just grinds in so many ways.”

There are still improvements to be made as the team heads into its final two games, with early turnovers putting the Bucks in a hole and big-play struggles on the defensive end widening it. But there was promise in the performance, promise which it’ll look to carry forward as it looks to finish the season strong.

TIM WEIGHT/Special to the Sun-Gazette Bucktail's Teagan Stone (4) makes a defender miss on an eventual touchdown during a high school football game on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, at Bucktail. The Bucks fell 35-6.

For now, their focus turns to a rematch on the road against Coudersport (1-7) next Friday. In their last matchup in Week 4, the Bucks fell by a score of 44-8, so the hope is to build on that and give themselves a shot to pick up a win.

“We improved, and that’s what we want to do. When you start so far behind the eight ball as we started, it’s going to take baby steps,” said Ransom. “I’m very happy with our performance tonight.”

Cameron County 35, Bucktail 6

CC 6 22 0 7 – 35

BCK 0 0 0 6 – 6

TIM WEIGHT/Special to the Sun-Gazette Bucktail's Levi Stevenson works for extra yardage during a high school football game on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, at Bucktail. The Bucks fell 35-6. Bucktail's Levi Stevenson works for extra yardage during a high school football game on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, at Bucktail. The Bucks fell 35-6.

First Quarter

CC – Malakai Zucal 4 run (2-PT no good), 8:52.

Second Quarter

CC – Kamden Fangale 4 run (2-PT no good), 11:56.

CC – Zucal to Sylus Pearson (2-PT good), 11:08.

CC – Zucal 41 run (Zucal run), 8:55.

Fourth Quarter

CC – Michael Snyder 8 run (Evan Ramsey kick), 10:14.

B – Corbin Pentz to Teagan Stone 25 pass (2-PT no good), 6:41.

TEAM STATISTICS CC B

First downs 10 11

Rushes-yards 32-205 35-128

Passing yards 72 70

Total yards 283 198

Comp.-att.-int.) 2-5-1 7-11-0

Fumbles-lost 3-0 2-2

Penalties-yards 5-30 1-10

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING–Cameron County, Malakai Zucal 8-93, 2 TDs; Kamden Fragale 9-83, TD; Michael Snyder 7-45, TD; Evan Snyder 3-11; Rogan Pearson 2-8; Kenneth Miller 2-8. Bucktail, Levi Stevenson 19-99; Corbin Pentz 9-18; Jaden Intallura 3-8; Teagan Stone 4-3.

PASSING–Cameron County, Malakai Zucal 2-4-0 72 yards, TD; Rogan Pearson 0-1-1 0 yards. Bucktail, Corbin Pentz 7-11-0 70 yards, TD.

RECEIVING–Cameron County, Sylus Pearson 1-47, TD; Boden Pearsall 1-25. Bucktail, Teagan Stone 4-66, TD; Levi Stevenson 1-4; Jaden Intallura 2-0.

INTERCEPTION–Cameron County, none. Bucktail, Aiden Ditty 1.

Records: Cameron County 6-2; Bucktail 1-7.

TIM WEIGHT/Special to the Sun-Gazette Multiple Bucks wrap up Cameron County running back Michael Snyder (40) during a high school football game on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, at Bucktail. The Bucks fell 35-6.

TIM WEIGHT/Special to the Sun-Gazette

TIM WEIGHT/Special to the Sun-Gazette The Bucktail offensive line lines up for a play during a high school football game on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, at Bucktail. The Bucks fell 35-6.

TIM WEIGHT/Special to the Sun-Gazette Bucktail head coach Kevin Ransom speaks with his players during a high school football game on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, at Bucktail. The Bucks fell 35-6.

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