BY JEFF CATE (TEAM FYN SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR)

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Boyd Buchanan Buccaneers began their region showdown with the Silverdale Seahawks looking like they were going to make it shutout number 3 in 5 games of the 2024 season. After getting out to a 28-0 lead in the second quarter, the flock from Bonny Oaks Drive didn’t quit as they rallied with 22 unanswered points to make it a game before the Bucs pulled away late for a 41-29 victory at David Boyd Field on Friday night.

The captains for Silverdale and Boyd Buchanan meet for the coin toss

Silverdale would go three and out to begin the game, and a 6-yard punt would give the boys in blue and gold excellent field position at the SBA 30-yard line. Hicks would complete a pass to Brodie Lowe, who then handed it off to Sabastian Jones, for a quick score on a classic hook and ladder and the Bucs were up 7-0 with 8:07 remaining in the opening quarter. Boyd Buchanan would get the ball back after they sacked Seahawks quarterback Connor Jenne on 3^rd and long. Hicks would hit Jayden Moore for a 51-yard completion to get within range for Ethan Lane, but he would miss a 40-yard field goal attempt with less than a minute left in the quarter and the Bucs would take a 7-0 lead into the second quarter.

Boyd Buchanan’s Hudson Wamack against the Silverdale defense

Boyd Buchanan would score on three 30 plus yard plays to begin the second quarter. Hicks would find Hudson Wamack, who would hit the circle button on a spin move to get free, on a 30-yard touchdown pass and extending the Buccaneer lead to 14-0. Darin Shannon’s 59-yard score on an end around pitch and Moore’s 37-yard score would double the BBS lead to 28-0 with 5:49 to go in the first half. Silverdale would put together a nice drive on the following possession. After a big pickup from Jenne to Cannon Rogers, the Seahawks were in the red zone and looked to have scored on a pass to Tanner Bayne, but his toe was on the backline of the end zone. SBA would go for it on 4^th down but Jenne’s pass into the end zone fell incomplete. Silverdale would get their first points soon after when they tackled Bucs back David Green in the end zone for a safety with 3:12 left until halftime to get their first points of the night. After the free kick, the Seahawks would get a huge touchdown with 21 second remaining in the half when Jenne connected with Boone Perry for a 30-yard touchdown, cutting the Boyd Buchanan lead to 28-8 at the half (the 2 point conversion was no good).

Silverdale would keep the momentum going into the second half. The Seahawks would give Jenne and the offense great field position at the BBS 47 when the Bucs went for it on 4^th and 1, but would not gain the 1 yard. Jenne would score on a quarterback keeper to cut the Buccaneer lead down to 28-15 with 7:35 left in the third quarter. On the kickoff, Boyd Buchanan was unable to get control of the kick but the Seahawks did as they raced in for the score. And just like that, it was 28-22 Bucs with 7:26 left in the quarter.

David Green and Wamack would end the SBA 22-point streak when Green lined up in the wildcat and found Wamack for a 76-yard touchdown with 9:32 left in the game to give the Bucs a 34-22 lead.

“This is something that we practiced all week”, Green said. “In the past 3 years of running the wildcat, I have never thrown the ball so we knew they would not be expecting it.”

“I just knew David was going to make a good throw and I had to make a play”, said Wamack. The senior would have a breakout game with 141 yards on 6 catches and 2 touchdowns.

Silverdale would answer on the following possession on a Jenne 2-yard run to cut the Buccaneer lead to 34-29 with 6:20 remaining. Jenne would find Perry on a 33-yard pass to get down to the BBS 2-yard line. Green would hammer the final nail in the coffin in this Division II-AA East Region battle with a 19-yard touchdown run with 1:29 left. After Lowe intercepted Jenne soon after, Hicks and the offense were able to run out the clock and go back-to-back against their rival.

Boyd Buchanan moves to 5-0 overall (2-0 region) and will hit the road to take on Chattanooga Christian on 9/27. Silverdale falls to 3-2 overall (2-1 region) and will host Notre Dame on 9/27.

Follow Jeff Cate on “X” at @TheJeffCate