Blue Earth Area running back Caleb Langager (22) finds an opening on his way to a 45 yard touchdown run in the first quarter of the Bucs’ contest with the Le Sueur-Henderson Giants in the opening round of the Section 2AA playoffs on Tuesday night, Oct. 25, in Blue Earth. The Bucs were victorious by a 62-35 score.

The No. 2-seeded Blue Earth Area Buccaneers powered their way to a 62-35 triumph over the No. 7-seeded Giants of Le Sueur-Henderson in Section 2AA football action on Tuesday night, Oct. 25, in Blue Earth.

“We did what we needed to do to move on,” BEA head coach Randy Kuechenmeister said after the game. “It was nice to be able to play all the kids in the game.”

After receiving the opening kickoff, the Bucs turned the ball over on a fumble on their first play from scrimmage.

However, the BEA defense forced LSH to turn the ball over on downs and the Bucs took over on their own 44 yard line.

After a gain of seven yards by quarterback Ashton Lloyd, running back Noah Johnson took the handoff on the next play and burst through the line and ran away from the defenders for a 49-yard touchdown. Parker Meyers ran the ball in for a 2-point conversion and the Bucs had an 8-0 lead with 9:21 left in the first quarter.

The Buc defense forced the Giants to punt on their next possession and Meyers returned the kick to the LSH 31 yard line.

BEA needed only one play to reach the end zone with Lloyd tossing the ball to Jack Norman who slipped a couple of tackles to cross the goal line with 6:53 remaining in the opening quarter. Lloyd’s kick sailed through the uprights to put the Bucs on top 15-0.

BEA pinned LSH deep in Giant territory on the ensuing kickoff. Unable to make a first down, a short punt by the Giants had the Bucs sitting 36 yards away from another touchdown.

Meyers’ run of 24 yards moved the ball to the 12-yard line. Meyers finished the drive off with a 12-yard sprint up the middle for the Bucs’ third touchdown of the first quarter. Lloyd’s kick was good and BEA held a 22-0 lead with 3:38 still remaining in the initial quarter.

Less than two minutes later the Maroon and Gold would cross the goal line again.

After taking over on the LSH 45-yard line following another Giants’ punt, it took just one play for Caleb Langer to scamper into the end zone. Langer’s cut to the outside enabled him to race down the sideline for the score and a 28-0 lead with 1:44 left to go in the first.

The Bucs rested their starters on defense beginning with the second quarter and the Giants were able to score two touchdowns before the end of the first half.

BEA matched the Giants’ touchdowns with two of their own in the second quarter.

A 10-yard touchdown pass to Abe Kokos and an eight-yard pass to Meyers accounted for BEA’s second quarter scores. Lloyd was successful on one of the two extra-point kicks and the half time score had the Bucs on top over the Giants 41-14.

BEA scored three more times in the second half. Langager had touchdown runs of two and 55 yards and reserve quarterback Max Loge carried the ball into the end zone for a 16-yard score.

LSH added three touchdowns in the second half for a final score of 62-35 in the Bucs’ favor.

BEA had 478 yards of total offense. They gained 390 yards on the ground and averaged 13.9 yards per carry.

The Bucs averaged 14.7 yards per pass completion with six receptions for 88 yards.

Lloyd had all six completions. He attempted eight passes and threw for three touchdowns.

Langager rushed for 190 yards and three touchdowns on nine carries.

Johnson made the most of his three carries by rushing for 81 yards and one touchdown.

Meyers rushed five times for 77 yards and a touchdown. Lloyd gained 28 yards on two carries.

The Giants had 316 yards of total offense including 229 yards rushing and 87 passing.

Kade Gaydon led the Bucs with six tackles including five unassisted.

BEA now moves on to host the No.-3 seeded Maple River Eagles in a Section 2AA semifinal contest on Saturday, at 2 p.m., at Wilson Field.

The Eagles advanced to the semifinals with a 55-8 victory over New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva.

Look for the results of that game in next week’s edition of the Faribault County Register.