The skies were a beautiful blue Saturday when Bedford High School took on Padua Franciscan in the first football game of the season in Parma. Some soggy patches of grass by the bleachers were the only remnants of the heavy thunderstorms that had postponed the game from the night before.
Some in Bedford may have never though this day would come, since at one point the season had been postponed indefinitely due to the coronavirus. Still, as the whistle sounded, and Bearcats kicked the ball off to the Bruins, the sights and sounds of the football season were finally a reality.
Bedford had its hands full right away as Alec Buehner, a 6-foot, 200-pound Padua senior, ate up yards on consecutive plays to start the game. The running game was followed by a 20-yard pass play that placed the Bruins on the door-step of the end zone. They had a first-and-goal on the Bearcats’ 9-yard line.
The Bearcats stopped the Bruins cold on the next two run plays setting up a third-and-goal. Senior quarterback Drew Butler rolled to his right and sent his pass into the front of the end zone, only to be intercepted on a great read by senior De’sean Courts. Bedford had survived a close call and took over at their own 20-yard line.
Unfortunately for the Bearcats, they could not capitalize on the potential momentum shift, and they went three-and-out on their possession. After a punt, the Bruins had the ball at their own 45-yard line. They marched down the field again, and again they fed the ball to Buehner. This time the quarterback Butler was able to stick a pass into the end zone just past the outstretched arms of a Bedford defender for a touchdown. The score at this point was 7-0 at the 7:04 mark in the first quarter.
Bedford was more successful on their next drive, mixing up runs by Courts, a catch by senior Malik Simmons, and a long run on a broken play by junior quarterback Raymell Hester. They were able to get the ball down to Padua’s 13-yard line but were not able to convert it to any points.
Padua took over at their own 12-yard line. Buehner broke a big run upfield, only to have it called back because of a Padua penalty. They gave him the ball again the next play, and he was bottled up near the line of scrimmage. As Buehner kept his legs churning, the Bearcat defenders were finally able to take him to the ground, but in the process Buehner hit is helmet/shoulder. He had to be taken off the field on a cart after a lengthy injury delay. He was sitting up and alert as he left the field and was taken to the hospital. His condition was not known.
After Padua gained a few more first downs on the drive, Bedford was able to stifle a third-and-12 pass play and get the ball back after a punt. On the next play, from their own 35-yard line, Bedford tried a deep pass that was broken up at the last minute. The receiver was open but had to wait for the ball. Again, the Bearcats went three-and-out and had to punt. After a very nice punt, the Bruins found themselves on their own 27-yard line with a few minutes left in the half.
Bedford made some impressive defensive plays on the drive including a pass knocked down by 6-foot-3 Simmons, and another stop for no gain on a sweep play. Unfortunately, the Bearcats had a vital defensive breakdown on a Padua third-and-5 from from Bedford’s 47. With about 1:38 left in the second quarter, the Bruins hit on a long pass for a touchdown, bringing the score to 14-0. The score remained that way as the teams went into halftime.
Bedford received the ball to start the second half, and went three-and-out again on a series that included a one-yard carry and a dropped pass. After a punt, the Bruins gained the ball back and began marching down the field again.
On a second-and-8 from their own 42, the Bruins set up for a pass play when Bedford’s Chazz Hunter darted in from the secondary and blew up the play. The next play, however, was a pass that went for a Bruins’ first down.
Bedford’s defense stepped up again on the next down. The Bruins had a first-and-10 on Bedford’s 39-yard line. With nowhere to go with the ball because of the coverage, the Bruins quarterback was hit and sacked for an 8-yard loss by Simmons to the 47-yard line. With 18 yards to gain for a first down, the Bruins put the ball in the air again, and for the second drive in a row, they made it to the end zone from 40-plus yards out. The score was now 21-0 with 6:35 left in the third quarter.
To the Bearcats credit, they showed no signs of giving up three scores down. In fact, on the ensuing kick-off, Jaylon Clark eluded tacklers and willed his way all the way to the Bruins 20-yard line. The spark that the Bearcats seemed to be looking for had presented itself. The offense converted a third-and-3 pass from Hester to Simmons to give themselves the ball with first-and goal from the 3-yard line.
They first tried a running play, but that netted -1 yards. On the second play, Hester rolled out to his left and looked like he was going to try to run it into the end zone on a keeper play. As he made his way to the sidelines, his pathway to the end zone became clogged by the Padua defense. At the last moment, as Hester looked like he would be tackled, he tossed the ball to Simmons in the end zone, who just got his feet in bounds for the Bearcats first score. Bedford was back within 14 points with 4:26 left in the third quarter.
When the Bruins got the ball back on their own 27-yard line, Bedford’s spark was dowsed a bit by a personal foul on a Bearcat player following a nice defensive stop by the team. A scuffle ensued between both teams as tempers flared. Padua gained the ball at midfield because of the penalty, and began to drive again. A pass interference call on the Bearcats gave the ball to the Bruins first-and-goal at the 8-yard line. The Bearcats rose up and stopped three straight runs, and Padua had to settle for a field goal, and added to their lead, 24-7 as the fourth quarter began.
With time running down on Bedford, they were forced to go for a fourth-and-3 from inside their own territory that resulted in a sack. Padua took over on downs, and with a short field, kept pounding the ball. With a first-and-10 on the 8-yard line, the Bruins ran the ball in for the final score of the game.
Bedford’s next game will be Friday against Alliance at home. Despite some restrictions of fans, their was quite a large, socially-distanced Bedford contingent rooting for the team in Parma.
