Bucks defeat Longhorns 50-0, secure third seed in inaugural 8-person state football tourney

by David Boyle
News Director
The Monticello football team defeated the Altamont Longhorns 50-0 in the final regular season game of the year on October 12. 
The win improved Monticello’s record to 6-3 and set up the Buckaroos with the #3 seed in the Utah 8-player postseason bracket. Monticello will play Altamont for the third time this season in the first round of the 8-player playoffs.
Altamont received the opening kick and on their second offensive play fumbled the ball which was recovered by Monticello’s Easton Young and returned to the 25-yard line. The Buckaroos picked up one first down before the drive stalled. On 4th down Monticello’s JD McDonald successfully kicked a 32-yard field goal to give the Bucks the early 3-0 lead.
On their next offensive possession, the Longhorns drove 20 yards in five plays but the Bucks stuffed the 4th down attempt with one yard to go. Following the turnover on downs, Monticello quarterback JD McDonald ran for 41 yards from the 44-yard line down to the 15-yard line. The four play-drive was capped off with a one-yard touchdown run from Thomas Fullmer. A successful kick after the touchdown made the score 10-0.
Altamont’s following offensive series ended in a punt but the Bucks turned the ball right back over when a pass was batted in the air and caught by Altamont. The Longhorns returned the favor two plays later when Javelin Robison recovered a fumble.
The Buck’s next offensive series was a five-play 41-yard touchdown drive capped off by a McDonald six-yard run to make the score 16-0.
Altamont’s following five-play 20-yard drive ended in a punt to the Buckaroos to end the first quarter.
In the second quarter, the Bucks got to work going 55 yards in three plays capped off with a 25-yard touchdown run by Fullmer, a successful two-point conversion made the score 24-0.
The Longhorn’s following 8-play drive took them forty yards down to the Buckaroo 40-yard line but another fourth-down and one-yard-to-go attempt was stuffed by Monticello.
The Buckaroo’s following drive went 40-yards in four plays capped with a 27-yard rushing touchdown for Javelin Robison to extend Monticello’s lead to 30-0.
Altamont’s offense was once again forced to punt on their following drive but defensive lineman Mason Atwood was able to get into the backfield to block and recover the punt at the 26-yard line.
On their second play following the blocked punt, McDonald threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Young to make the score 36-0.
The Buckaroo special teams unit continued to give the Longhorns fits when the kickoff team pinned Altamont on the five-yard line. Facing a 4th and 9 a deep snap was scooped up by the Altamont punter who attempted to get the kick away but stepped out of bounds to give the Bucks the two-point safety. 
The following kick-off by the Longhorns was returned 63-yards by Fullmer for a touchdown to give Monticello a 44-0 lead at the end of the first half.
Monticello’s varsity offense took the field for one series at the start of the second half, driving 50-yards in five plays wrapped up by a 24-yard pass from McDonald to Landon Ewart to give the Bucks the final score of the night and Monticello the 50-0 win.
Monticello ended the night with 343 yards of offense. The Buckaroos had 264 yards rushing on 27 attempts with four touchdowns.
Robison led all rushers with 101 yards, McDonald had 53 yards rushing on five carries, Fullmer also had 45 yards rushing on three carries, all three scored one rushing touchdown each. Robert Morrison also had three carries for 28 yards.
In the air McDonald completed four passes for 79 yards. Ewart had two catches for 51 yards and a touchdown. Young’s lone catch was for a 24-yard touchdown. Robison also had one completion for four yards.
Monticello’s special teams also scored 11 points on the game. McDonald kicked a 32-yard field goal, the punt return team had one blocked punt and one safety, Fullmer also added a kick-return for a touchdown.
Monticello plays the opening round of the 8-player playoffs on Friday, October 28. The Bucks will host Altamont High with the winner advancing to the semi-finals on November 3 at Southern Utah University.

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