UTICA — The Utica Redskins honored their seniors before Friday’s game on Senior Night.
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Rushing record highlights Danville win
By the end of the game, it was the Danville Blue Devils who had earned all the honors.
The Blue Devils used their swarming defense and solid ground attack to defeat Utica, 33-7, in Mid-Buckeye Conference action.
One Blue Devil in particular, Heath Buckingham, made history on Utica’s field by becoming the all-time rushing yardage leader in Danville High School history.
With a 9-yard carry early in the fourth quarter, Buckingham reached 3,112 career yards, beating Ryan Colopy’s Danville record of 3,110 from ’99 to ’02, making Buckingham the all-time leader at a school with a long history of ground-gainers.
“It feels good to get the record. That’s a good thing,” said Buckingham. “But, I’m more about the team. That’s the big thing. Winning the game, going to the playoffs, you know. It’s all about the team.”
Buckingham didn’t really get going until the second half. Utica’s defense had held him to just 37 yards in the first half on 12 carries. His next two rushes doubled his total yards.
Buckingham ended the night with 124 yards on 23 carries, scoring four touchdowns.
“We weren’t blocking the right people at first,” said Buckingham. “But we came out in the second half and got it done.”
