Buckeye Rally Falls Short After Keystone's Late Answer in 40-29 Loss
| Quarter 1 | Quarter 2 | Quarter 3 | Quarter 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BUC | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 29 |
| KEY | 6 | 12 | 14 | 8 | 40 |
Wyatt McKee answered Buckeye's fourth-quarter rally with a 59-yard touchdown run, helping Keystone pull away for a 40-29 victory over the Bucks on Friday night at Keystone Stadium in La Grange, Ohio. Buckeye had closed within three points with 9:47 remaining, but Keystone restored its double-digit advantage just 59 seconds later.
Buckeye struck immediately when Tony Kobasuk returned the opening kickoff 79 yards for a touchdown. Keystone tied the game on a 34-yard touchdown pass from Colt Cowling to Brendan Hagerman, then moved ahead 12-6 on Wyatt McKee's 8-yard run in the second quarter. The Bucks regained the lead with 15 seconds left in the half when Liam Phillips scored from 3 yards and Gavin Waltos made the extra point. Keystone responded as time expired, with Wyatt McKee breaking a 66-yard touchdown run for an 18-13 halftime lead.
Keystone extended the margin to 24-13 on Wyatt McKee's 9-yard run early in the third quarter, but the Bucks answered. Denis Shevchenko scored on a 3-yard run, and Liam Phillips' added the conversion to cut the deficit to 24-21. Keystone pushed the lead back to 11 when Bobby Gurich caught a 33-yard touchdown pass from Colt Cowling and Wyatt McKee ran in the conversion.
Buckeye made another charge in the fourth quarter. Denis Shevchenko broke a 37-yard touchdown run and added the two-point conversion, pulling the Bucks within 32-29. Keystone again answered on the next scoring play, as Wyatt McKee's 59-yard run and Bobby Gurich's conversion catch produced the final margin.
The Bucks rushed for 271 yards on 53 carries and finished with 290 yards of total offense. Denis Shevchenko gained 131 yards on 14 carries with two touchdowns, while Liam Phillips also rushed for 131 yards and scored once on 36 attempts. Tony Kobasuk totaled 99 yards on two kickoff returns, and Nick Prouza added 46 yards on four punt returns. Buckeye converted 6 of 12 third downs and recorded 17 first downs, but three turnovers limited the offense.
Defensively, Liam Phillips made nine tackles and forced a fumble, while Denis Shevchenko recorded seven tackles. Luke Whitehead contributed Buckeye's lone sack, and Nick Prouza had five tackles, a tackle for loss and a pass breakup. The Bucks return home to face Bay on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, at 7 p.m. EDT.
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