East Buchanan outscores No. 7 Alburnett in unexpected offensive showcase

ALBURNETT — East Buchanan and Alburnett delivered the hard-fought battle everyone expected.

They also provided a high-scoring affair that neither team could have, or probably would have, predicted.

Hunter Bowers powered in from the 5 on fourth-and-goal in the final two minutes to help East Buchanan seal a 34-27 victory over Class A seventh-ranked Alburnett Friday night at Jim Carver Field of Martin Sports Complex.

Both teams had notched two shutouts in the first three weeks and ranked among the state’s best defenses in Class A, allowing less than five points per game.

“I would have said probably not,” Buccaneers Coach Jerry Alden said about expecting 61 total points, “but (Alburnett) is such an explosive offense. They have receivers that can go up and catch anything. They proved that tonight.”

East Buchanan scored 28 points in the second half, including three touchdowns from Bowers. He scored on runs of 43 and 5 yards for the Buccaneers’ final two scores. The first helped East Buchanan take a 28-21 lead with 6:20 remaining. The last provided some breathing room, taking a pitch to the left and rolling through a couple defenders to get across the goal line.

“Cody Fox blocked two guys at once and just followed him,” Bowers said. “Get on his back and follow him to the goal line. He’ll take you where you want to go.”

East Buchanan rushed for 359 yards with Bowers, Thurn and Ryan Cornell surpassing 100 yards. Cornell and Bowers each had 121 yards, while Thurn had 116.

“I run behind the best line in the state of Iowa. I’ll say that because I’m confident that they are,” Bowers said. “They make it easy.”

The last touchdown was bracketed by two Alburnett turnovers, preventing possible go-ahead drives. With East Buchanan up by one with more than three minutes left, the Pirates misplayed a punt that was recovered at midfield by long-snapper Owen Reck, according to Alden, leading to the last points.

The ensuing kickoff was fumbled and recovered by the Buccaneers, who ran out the clock.

“Special teams were huge tonight,” Alden said. “We tell our guys every week that those plays are so important. The recovered fumbles are hustle plays and those are things we talk to the guys about all the time.”

The Buccaneer defense struggled a bit in the first half, but returned to form after the break. It allowed just one scoring drive that resulted in a Carson Klostermann 2-yard TD plunge and 21-20 lead with 8:55 left. Klostermann also scored on an 85-yard kickoff return that kept the Pirates within 28-27 late.

East Buchanan (3-1) stuffed Alburnett on its first two drives, resulting in lost yardage.

“We learned against North Linn it’s all mental,” said Thurn, a linebacker and running back who rushed for two TDs. “You’re down. You can’t give up. We fought in the second half.”

Bowers was the recipient of the only East Buchanan pass attempt of the game, turning that into points as the Buccaneers scored on their first three series after halftime.

On third-and-10 from the Alburnett 28, Trystin Russell lofted a pass downfield. Bowers out-jumped a defender and came down with the TD reception, pulling the Buccaneers within 14-12.

“He put somewhere only I could get to,” Bowers said. “The guy had his back turned, playing me. I had to go up and over him and catch it on his helmet.”

The game was a tale of two halves with Alburnett up 14-6 at the break. The Pirates made the most of their only two first-half possessions, producing drastically different scoring drives.

After East Buchanan snapped Alburnett’s eight-quarter scoreless streak with a long scoring drive to open the game, the Pirates answered with a quick-strike 77-yard drive that resulted in a 65-yard swing pass to Klostermann, who started left, cut across field and was sprung by spinning out of a tackle and a downfield block.

A goal-line stand protected their 7-6 lead and set up a 90-yard drive that lasted 16 plays. Mason Neighbor threw his second TD pass to cap the drive, hitting Braydon Osborn in the back of the end zone with 27 seconds left before halftime.

Neighbor passed for 215 yards and two TDs. Grayson Carolan led the Pirates with 73 yards on six catches.

The Pirates (3-1) have plenty of positive to build on entering district play.

“In years past, we don’t battle with them like this,” Alburnett Coach Rich Velazquez said. “This year we have changed. To see them fight back continuously was really good to see.”

Comments: kj.pilcher@thegazette.com