Bison back in Region B finals

CUMBERLAND — A foggy drizzle settled on the field at kick off between the Cumberland Dukes and the Buffalo Gap Bison. Unfortunately, for the Dukes, the Bison downpour was only moments a way.

Scoring four times in the first half before Cumberland could answer, the Bison defeated the Dukes 46-12 to advance to next Friday’s Region B, Division 1 championship game against William Campbell.

It took most first quarters for the Bison to get on the scoreboard. Pickle Nuckols broke through the line for a 13-yard score with 50 seconds remaining in the quarter.

Then, on the first of several big special teams plays, senior Michael Johnson returned a punt all the way back to the Cumberland four-yard line.

Gap quarterback Ryan Sheridan plunged in from the two with 10:11 left in the half, making it 13-0. Sheridan’s 35-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Wise increased the Bison lead to 19-0 with 4:34 left in the half. Then, just before intermission, Wise returned another Cumberland punt 82 yards for another touchdown.

“The hole just opened up, and I got a lot of good downfield blocks,” Wise said.

Cumberland scored in the third quarter to make it 26-6.  But the Bison answered immediately. Johnson took the kickoff all the way back to the Dukes’ five yard line and Nuckols finished the job form the five with 1:35 left in the third quarter.

Cumberland scored on first play of the fourth period to make the score 33-12. But two plays after the next kickoff, Sheridan called his own number, broke a tackle and raced 41 yards for another Gap score. Nuckols scored again with 5:04 remaining in the game.

“They made some big plays in the second half, but we answered with some big plays ourselves,” said Bison coach Rob Maxwell. “These guys don’t want to stop playing yet.”

The Group A, Division I state champions have now won 26 games in a row.