Medomak Valley football collected a 14-13 win over the veteran Golden Bucs of Bucksport on Saturday to win their first game in their maiden season. “It was really surreal. Our first varsity game, to go in and play a team like Bucksport and come out with a win,” coach Ryan Snell said of the game.
The two teams battled to a scoreless first half. Bucksport had good field position in the first half when Medomak mishandled a punt deep in their defensive end and the Bucs recovered the ball. The Panthers buckled down on defense and held their line, getting the ball back after a failed fourth-down conversion.
Both teams scored a touchdown in the third quarter. Zach Rollins scored the first touchdown in Medomak Valley’s history when he ran the ball 2 yards for a touchdown. Owen Gilbert kicked the extra point. Bucksport scored on a TD pass from Chase Carmichael with 10 seconds remaining in the third quarter to tie the game 7-7.
Bucksport scored in the fourth to take a six-point lead on another TD pass from Carmichael. The Bucs had a bad snap on their failed extra-point attempt.
With 54 seconds remaining in the game, Panther quarterback Riley McCollett found Cole Ashmore open on the sideline for an 80-yard touchdown reception. McCollett threw the ball 30 yards and Ashmore ran the ball 50 yards to tie the game with Medomak’s second career TD. The touchdown reception was the only Panther completion of the game.
Gilbert nailed his second extra point of the game for the game-winner.
McCollett intercepted the ball on Bucksport’s next possession to seal the win with 45 seconds remaining. “We took two knees and that was it,” Snell said.
Ashmore had 20 carries for 108 yards. Rollins had 23 yards rushing and led the defense with two sacks and 10 tackles. Richie Sproul had five tackles. “He had a really good game for us defensively,” Snell said of Sproul. McCollett had four tackles and 43 yards rushing.
“The kids were ecstatic. We talked about singing the school song after a victory. We got to do that today,” Snell said.
“I was pleased with our crowd. It was more than I expected on a hot Saturday,” Snell said.