Buckaroos cruise to win to close regular season, look to start state tournament strong

by David Boyle
News Director
The Monticello High School football team earned a 53-6 win in their final regular season game of the year on October 17 to end the year with a 4-5 regular season record.
Monticello received the opening kick of the game which went out of bounds giving the Bucks the ball at their own 42 yard line.
Monticello took just three plays to score with quarterback Jackson Keyes throwing to Cash Mack running up the seam for a 37-yard touchdown making the score 6-0 with 11:07 left in the first quarter.
Water Canyon’s first drive started at their own 43 with the Wildcats adding their own score, also three plays later on a 62-yard touchdown pass. The score remained 6-6 with 10:17 left in the first quarter.
The Buckaroos’ next drive started at the Buckaroo 24 yard line. Monticello’s offense put together an 11-play drive capped off by a ten-yard touchdown pass from Keyes to Tommy Morrison to make the score 12-6 with 7:17 left in the first quarter.
Another kick out of bounds gave Water Canyon the ball at the Wildcat 37. Just two plays in Water Canyon had a big gain through the year with a penalty added on top of it the Wildcats were at the 16-yard line.
Monticello’s defense stiffened up forcing a loss on first down, an incomplete pass on second down, and a spectacular play on third down.
Landon Shumway ripped the ball away from the runner and took it 75-yards the other way for a defensive touchdown. Keyes threw a two-point conversion to Morrison to make the score 20-6 with 5:14 left in the first quarter.
Monticello’s defense once again stood strong forcing a turnover on downs after six plays by the Wildcats giving Monticello the ball back at the Water Canyon 45 yard line.
Monticello once again scored in just three plays capped by a 43-yard touchdown pass once again from Keyes to Morrison. John Leber added the point after kick to make the score 27-6 with 2:09 remaining in the first quarter.
Water Canyon next went on a nine-play drive but the Monticello defense once again forced a turnover on downs giving Monticello the ball at their own 27.
The Bucks once again drove in just three plays with Keyes finding Seth Taylor for 32 yards, Landon Shumway for an 11 yard run, and a drive-capping touchdown throw from Keyes to Cache Young for a 24-yard touchdown. That made the score 33-6 with 8:20 left in the first half.
Monticello’s defense pushed Water Canyon back 15 yards on three plays to force a punt, giving the Bucks the ball across midfield at the 46-yard line.
A penalty against Monticello pushed them back one play but the Bucks made up for it with a 56-yard pass from Keyes to Shumway to make the score 39-6 with 6:13 left in the first half.
Neither team scored for the remainder of the first half. The Wildcats received the opening kick in the third quarter but Monticello’s defense forced a turnover on downs giving them the ball at the Water Canyon 38.
The Bucks needed just two plays before Keyes once again found Young for a 25-yard touchdown with William “Bean” Rogers adding the two-point conversion run and a 47-6 score with 9:24 remaining in the third quarter triggering a running clock for the remainder of the game.
Monticello’s defense once again forced a turnover on downs and the offense took over at midfield. They capped a ten-play drive with a two-yard touchdown run by Logan Bowles, increasing their lead to the eventual final score at 53-6 with 1:20 remaining in the game.
Speaking after the game, Bowles said the play felt good. “It’s a good memory to end off for my senior year. It’s a good time.”
Monticello’s Tanner Ruiz recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff but the Buckaroo drive led by underclassmen stalled out and was forced to punt.
The Monticello offense gained 307 yards through the air and 103 yards on the ground in the game.
Jackson Keyes completed 18 of 26 passes for 306 yards and six touchdowns.
Cache Young was the lead receiver with six catches for 80 yards and two touchdowns. Mack also caught six passes for 80 yards and one touchdown.
Morrison had four catches for 61 yards and two touchdowns. Shumway had one catch for a 56-yard touchdown, Taylor had one catch for 29 yards, Rogers had a catch for 15 yards, and Zadyn Tibbets had one catch for a loss.
Shumway led the Buckaroo running attack with six carries for 52 yards. Keyes had two carries for 34 yards and Bowles had three carries for 11 yards and one touchdown.
Leber led the defense with 16 tackles, Morrison recorded 13 tackles, and Shumway and Bowles each had seven tackles. Ruiz, Adams, and Shumway all forced a fumble.
Peyton Hatathley recorded two sacks while Morrison and Taylor also recorded a sack. After the game Morrison gave credit to his defensive coach.
“It was my coach Krieg (Adair). He kept on calling great defensive plays for me and I just kept capitalizing. Shout out Krieg.”
Hatathley registered back-to-back sacks in the game at one point, saying he puts forth effort every play for opportunities like that.
“I just channel all negative and positive energy on dominating the line and getting through and that time I got the better of my opponent.”
Reflecting on his senior year Bowles said it was a great way to end. “I got big things ahead of me, a big future. I’m just glad to have a good senior night and end it off good.”
Hatathley was surprised to be at the end of the season. “This season went by really fast. It’s just incredible. I love my guys and I just can’t believe that it’s here at the end.”
Morrison said Senior Night meant everything for him. “I’ve loved this team. I’ve been here for four years. I’ve given it my all and it’s really exciting.
“It’s potentially our last home game, so I’m really excited to play on the field and play for the fans.”
Monticello was set to play Monument Valley, but the Cougars forfeited the game due to concerns about player health. Monticello next plays in the quarter-finals of the Utah 8-Player State Tournament in Altamont on October 31.