The Stratford Bulldogs and their fans haven’t been to Buc Stadium in a long time.
So why not show them what it’s like when you roll into Buc Country.
This first round Class A playoff game is pivotal to both teams.
Tonkawa is 7-2 and with a win Friday night could host the second round game vs. Watonga or Dibble.
This is a game where the atmosphere and crowd noise might make a difference.
It has to be intimidating to roll into Buc Country for the first time and experience.......
-- The midfield Buc skull and crossbones painted to perfection by Steve Randall and David Fruits.
-- The seven state championships (1952, 1953, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2009, 2018) recorded at the entrance to the stadium on the east side wall above the visitor’s locker room at the armory.
-- The flags waving atop Buc Stadium, the armory, schools, porches and businesses around town.
-- The booster signs pasted all over town and on every fence row leading to the stadium.
-- Mr. Buc (Brian Campos) and his Bucmobile leading the Bucs onto the field in pre-game warm-ups with the team’s favorite tunes.
-- The Buc flag bearers speeding in front to lead the Tonkawa team onto the field.
-- The electricity of the cheerleaders.
-- The excitement of the band.
-- The announcer saying, “Here come the Buccaneerzzzzz.”
Let me tell you folks, that’s an imposing mystique for any high school football team, especially one coming to Tonkawa for the first time.
But we can do better.
As a crowd, we need to be as rowdy and mouthy as we were vs. Newkirk, Blackwell and Crescent this year. We need to root for our Bucs, but we also need to be loud when Stratford has the ball.
We need those foot-stomping, riproaring crowds like we had when we upset defending State Champion Washington 12-10 in 1997 or won another district championship in overtime over Woodland in 1996 by 28-25 or held on for a 14-7 state championship over Turpin in 1999, or upset Vian in the semi-finals in 2005, and held on for a 7-0 win over Stroud in the 2009 state championship.
Let’s all put on our favorite black and orange and go to Buc Stadium ready to help Tonkawa pick up its 8th win and continue the march to a ninth Class A title!
Our grandson Max’s pup Tito sez: “GO BUCS! BEAT Stratford!!”
Lyle Becker is Editor of The Tonkawa News,
E-mail him: News@tonkawanews.com
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