Bucks win overtime thriller on senior night

On a predictably chilly October night in Monticello, the Monticello High School football team bid farewell to their senior class and kicked off against the Layton Christian Eagles with third place in the 2A North region on the line.

Before the game, Buckaroo seniors Tyler Beshoner, Dylan Bird, Zach Cecil, Carson King, Hyrum Johnson, Eldean Lammert, Atticus Sheeran, Dillon Slack, and their parents were honored for their contribution to MHS football over the years. 

Once the game got underway, the action was fast and furious, with both teams scoring in the first quarter. Monticello opened the scoring midway through the quarter when Devin Hatch sneaked it in from one yard out to give the Bucks a 6-0 lead.

The Eagles responded four minutes later on a 12-yard pass. Both teams failed on their first PATs, and after one quarter, the score was tied at six.

The Buckaroos scored the only touchdown of the second quarter when Cedar English caught a 10-yard Devin Hatch pass with 8:27 remaining in the first half. Cedar English added the extra point, and Monticello owned a 13-6 lead at the half.

The game appeared to be going Monticello’s way until three minutes into the second half when Layton Christian took their first lead on a solid drive that culminated in a one-yard TD scamper and a two-point conversion. It was the only score in the third quarter, and the Eagles took a 14-13 lead into the final period.

But it didn’t take the Bucks long to retake the lead. Zach Cecil hit pay dirt on a one-yard run in his final home game, just 1:39 into the fourth quarter, to put Monticello up 20-14 after an English PAT.

However, Monticello’s confidence was shaken late in the game when Layton Christian’s quarterback, Ulric Sutton, ripped off a 42-yard run to tie the game at 20. Fortunately for the Bucks, a missed PAT preserved the tie and both teams readied for overtime.

In OT, Monticello converted on their first opportunity when Hatch lobbed a nice pass to English on third down in the back corner of the end zone for a TD. The English PAT was good, and the Bucks led 27-20.

During Layton Christian’s possession, the Bucks’ defense stood strong and the Eagles went backwards. LCA’s fate was sealed when an errant snap on fourth down caused Sutton to fumble.

Although he had picked up several loose balls and turned them into positive yardage earlier in the game, this time he was swarmed by Buckaroo defenders and was down by contact, unable to run the intended play.

Monticello improves to 5-3 overall and 2-2 in the 2A North with the exciting win. They take sole possession of third place in the region and currently sit in ninth in the latest UHSAA RPI. The Bucks must finish eighth or better in the RPI to earn a home game in the first round of the state tournament.

One final region contest remains for MHS. They’ll close out the regular season against the Rich Rebels this Thursday, October 17 in Randolph, UT. It’s an early kickoff at 4 p.m., and you can hear all the action live on 103.9 KAAJ-LP starting at 3:45.

Volleyball

Last week, the Lady Bucks volleyball team had their busiest week of the season as they traveled to Duchesne on Tuesday, October 8, hosted the Altamont Longhorns on Thursday, October 10, and jumped on a bus the next day to travel to Richfield for a tournament Friday and Saturday, October 11 and 12.

Monticello took care of business against a Duchesne team that has struggled to win in Region 16 play, thrashing the home Eagles in straight sets 25-23, 25-11, and 25-18.

Two nights later at home, the Lady Bucks pounded the Altamont Lady Longhorns 25-18, 25-13, and 25-11 to take a 3-0 win.

In Richfield, the girls got in a lot of volleyball action and very little rest. On Friday, Monticello dropped a match against 3A South Summit 25-15 and 25-17. 

Later in the day, the Lady Bucks won the first set 25-18 against 3A Richfield but lost the match after falling 25-17 and 15-8 in the final two sets. In their last match on Friday, MHS prevailed over 3A Delta 25-15, 18-25, 15-6. 

On Saturday, Monticello beat fellow Region 16 opponent North Sevier in straight sets, 25-22 and 25-16. Next, the Lady Bucks lost a tough match with Milford 25-21, 19-25, 12-15.

In their third Saturday match, the Lady Bucks fell to 3A Carbon in three sets, 25-19, 13-25, and 11-15. But the girls came back to once again beat the Delta Lady Rabbits, and they beat Emery in straight sets in the final match of the tournament to win the Bronze Championship.

The Lady Buckaroos went 5-4 on the weekend in Richfield and gained valuable game experience they can tap into as they head towards the state tournament.

On Wednesday, October 16 MHS hosts Region 16-leading North Summit. It’s Monticello’s last home game of the season and senior night. Come out to support the team and bid farewell to the seniors. The varsity match will start at 6:30 p.m.

Cross country

The Monticello High School cross country teams spent an off-week preparing for the Region 16 Cross Country Championship to be held in Redmond, UT on Wednesday, October 16. Both the girls and boys teams have an excellent chance to bring home a region title in their first season as members of 2A Region 16.

Then, on Wednesday, October 23, the teams will head to the 2A Cross Country State Championships at Sugarhouse Park in Salt Lake City for what should be another exciting state championship run for both teams.

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