Bucs beat Boylan amid mysteries

By Bob Kopp

BDR Bucs Sports

Correspondent

BELVIDERE – When I was studying for pastoral ministry in Germany, Heidelberg’s Dr. Wolfgang Lowe often said, “Unfortunately, Herr Kopp, we are not all omniscient.”

Not missing the personal put-down, it was also his way of saying there are divine mysteries that the human mind can never comprehend.

I felt like I was in that cloud of unknowing after watching the Bucs come back for a season opening close-but-convincing win over perennial powerhouse Boylan, 21-20.

Several questions remain unanswered as the highly touted and ranked Bucs knocked off the Titans in a close win on the road after humiliating them 55-41 at home to end conference play last year.

Are this year’s Titans better than most pre-season predictions?

Are the Bucs as good as pre-season predictions?

Will the Bucs overcome the loss of pre-season consensus all-conference senior captain and linebacker Tyler Bruneau in their expected challenge for the conference crown and deep run in the playoffs?

How many records on both sides of the ball will D1 prospect Eric Munoz shatter?

Can junior quarterback Austin Revolinski fill the shoes of last year’s top NIC-10 all-state quarterback Colton Bahling?

Can the Bucs match cross-town rival North’s sparkling 2014 championship season?

The game was frustrating at times for the team and fans as the Bucs scored on only two offensive possessions in the first half.  Yes, the Bucs did get the ball with 46 seconds to go in the half; but a mini-drive ended with an interception with the game tied 14-14 for a nervous intermission for the pre-game favorites.

Revolinski began answering questions about making his own mark in Bucs lore with two touchdown runs of 7 and 3 yards on way to a declarative 146 yards on the ground and 83 more through the air in going 10-17.

The Titans were led by a familiar name to the Bucs: junior Dominic Dal Santo who is the son of legendary Buc Rob Dal Santo.

Leading all rushers with 160 yards and sending shivers through the visitors’ stands whenever he touched the ball, one can only imagine how Guilford as well as Belvidere felt while watching Dominic following in his father’s footsteps to emerge as one of the conference’s most feared offensive threats.

If it weren’t for Boylan’s appeal, one can only imagine how he would look in purple.  He scored once in the first half on a 4-yarder and put the Titans ahead with a one yard dive in the third.

It was after the third Titan score that another mystery of the evening emerged.  Why did the Titans go for two at such an early point in the game with one of the best placekickers in the state?

It brought the Seahawks’ Super Bowl mindless miscue to mind.  Lots of green-eyed fans were shaking their heads about that one after the game.

Not to be denied despite some mysterious calls and no-calls late in the game along with a defense that rose to the occasion, the Bucs took the lead in the opening seconds of the fourth quarter with a dazzling, powerful, and hurdling 11 yard scoring scamper by Eric Munoz behind the right side of an offensive line that more than made up for the Titans’ weight and height advantage with technique and toughness.

A plethora of big plays were made on both sides of the ball by the Bucs who looked more determined than celebratory as time ran out on the Titans.

The next mystery will be resolved in week two as the Bucs host cross-town rival North on Senior Night.

North pounded Jefferson 40-7 behind senior Jared Cantu’s three TDs to beg another question: “Is Jefferson that bad or is North that unpredictably good?”

Come out Friday night at 7:15 p.m. for another answer in a season that should be special for the Bucs.

Be sure to check out the North Boone games this season as well with North Boone starting out strong taking their first win over Clinton, Wis., 28-14.