Buckeye kicked off their season on the road on Friday and hit a couple of potholes. They were beaten by the First Baptist Saints 48-13. The loss was a bit of a surprise, as the Hawks came into the contest with a sizable advantage in MaxPreps' football rankings in their respective home states (they are ranked 73rd in Arizona, while the Saints are ranked 225th in Texas).
Buckeye's defeat came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Salvador Castro, who picked up 38 receiving yards and a touchdown, and also punched in a touchdown on the ground. That's the most total yards Castro has posted since back in September of 2023.
Buckeye wouldn't let First Baptist keep a hold of the ball as they managed to force two fumbles. Buckeye can thank Rashad Martinez and Braiden Lamb for forcing both of them. Lamb also put in work on the defensive side of the ball, forcing a fumble and making three total tackles.
First Baptist's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Quincy Rheams, who rushed for 70 yards and three touchdowns, and also threw for 130 yards and a touchdown while completing 81.8% of his passes. First Baptist also got help from Kaleb Mitchell, who showed off his sure hands for 206 receiving yards.
Buckeye will be defending their home-field for the first time this season they go up against Youngker at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. As for First Baptist, they will host Grace Community at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. First Baptist will be looking to extend their current 14-game winning streak dating back to last season.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
