Buckeye Rushing Attack Produces 334 Yards in 38-21 Loss to Amherst
| Quarter 1 | Quarter 2 | Quarter 3 | Quarter 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BUC | 7 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 21 |
| AMH | 14 | 14 | 10 | 0 | 38 |
AMHERST, Ohio - Buckeye rushed for 334 yards and twice cut into an early deficit, but a 79-yard interception return helped Amherst build a two-touchdown first-quarter lead on the way to a 38-21 win Friday at Spitzer Stadium at Steele High School. Anthony Litz's return was the decisive blow in a game in which Amherst intercepted four passes and turned an early 7-0 advantage into a 14-0 lead.
The Bucks answered with their productive ground game. Denis Shevchenko scored on a 15-yard run in the first quarter, and Gavin Waltos added the extra point to make it 14-7. After Amherst opened the second quarter with a 3-yard touchdown run by Jack Coleman, Liam Phillips powered across the goal line from 1 yard out. The missed extra point left Buckeye within 21-13.
Amherst responded before halftime when Anthony Passarrello connected with Jack Coleman for a 27-yard touchdown, sending the hosts into the break with a 28-13 lead. Jack Coleman added a 25-yard field goal in the third quarter, and Ethan Layne's 10-yard touchdown run extended Amherst's largest lead to 38-13.
Buckeye continued to move the ball behind Liam Phillips and Denis Shevchenko. Liam Phillips carried 32 times for 151 yards and a touchdown, while Denis Shevchenko gained 115 yards on 14 attempts and scored twice. Brayden Sopko added 33 rushing yards, and Brenden Murphy contributed 26 yards, including a 24-yard run. The Bucks finished with 21 first downs, 19 on the ground, while averaging 5.2 yards across 64 rushing attempts.
The Bucks also sustained drives by converting 6 of 11 third downs, but the four interceptions limited their ability to turn yardage into points. Buckeye ran 69 offensive plays and gained 336 total yards, compared with 295 yards on 38 plays for Amherst. Defensively, Brayden Sopko recorded eight tackles, Liam Phillips made seven, and Rees Perkins had five tackles with the team's lone tackle for loss.
Buckeye closed the scoring in the fourth quarter when Denis Shevchenko reached the end zone on a 2-yard run and Liam Phillips added the two-point conversion. The Bucks will remain on the road to face Keystone at 7 p.m. EDT Friday, Sept. 4, 2026.
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