Despite a record-setting performance, the Red Deer Buccaneers Football Club 2010 season has come to an end.  But what a way to go out! 

The Bucs - in the playoffs for the first time in 4 years - had to travel all the way to to Grande Prairie to take on the 3rd ranked Drillers.  With a very light 30-man roster - which was depleted by the loss of started middle linebacker Curtis Dreger to a dislocated elbow and starting Wide Receiver Alex Rinehart with a suspected broken ankle both in the first quarter - The Bucs went punch for punch with the talent-rich Drillers. 

The crowd was treated to a fantastic first half that saw the Bucs hold a slim lead 28-27 going into the break.

Red Deer extended the lead with the first TD of the 2nd half to make it 35-27.  Then the wheels fell off.  Missed tackles and blown assignments lead to FOUR unanswered Drillers touchdowns three in the 3rd quarter and one on the 4th.  The Bucs mounted a comeback with a TD pass mid 4th quarter and another with 30 seconds left in the game.  The ensuing on-side kick attempt failed and the Drillers ran off the remaining time on the clock.

Final Score Drillers 55 Buccaneers 49.

RB Kenton Poelzer exploded back onto the field after missing most of the year with a hamstring injury he sustained in the first quarter of the first game of the season.

Poelzer had 28 carries (Bucs record) for 302 yards (Bucs record) and 2 Touchdowns!  Poelzer added 4 catches for 88 yards.

Not to be outdone, QB Josh Achtemichuk was 14 of 22 for 285 yards, 4 TD's, 0 Int's and 1 Sack.

Achtemichuk also ran 4 times for 20 yards and 1 TD. 

Adam Donovan and Jamie Blinkhorn had 2 TD catches EACH!

Defensively, the Bucs could not contain Drillers QB Nathan Aldred, who shredded the secondary for the second time this season. 

The real story was the number of missed tackles the Bucs committed.  With Aldred, and several Drillers players apparently wrapped up for short gains or even losses,  Grande Prairie players wiggled, squirmed, or powered their way out of many tackles on the way to the end zone. 

DB Dave "Old Balls" Hanni had 5 solo, 4 assisted tackles along with 1 knockdown. 

LB Braden Doupe had 4 solo 6 assisted tackles including one for a loss.

DB Andrew Block was a force on special teams with 3 solo tackles and was all over the field making plays on starting defence.

That wraps up the 2010 Red Deer Buccaneers season.

Next up for the Bucs is their Annual Awards Banquet as well as their host duties for the 2010 Canadian Major Football League's National Championship on Saturday September 25th in Lacombe.