Buford began the season in a different classification but will finish it where it seemingly always does – in the state championship game.
The top-ranked Wolves (14-0) got three short touchdown runs from Joshua Thomas and beat Cartersville 27-3 Friday in the Class AAAA semifinals to earn a spot in the state final for the eighth consecutive season. Buford will seek its seventh title in eight years and 11th overall when it meets St. Pius in the Georgia Dome at 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 13.
Buford won the past two titles in Class AAA before moving up in this year’s reclassification. Buford and St. Pius met in the 2012 AAA final, with the Wolves winning 10-3.
The victory on Friday was Buford’s 39th straight, a streak that dates to a 61-0 victory over West Hall in 2012 that was overturned by forfeit.
Cartersville (12-2), which also moved up to Class AAAA this season, was still within 14-3 late in the third quarter but turned the ball over on consecutive possessions, and Buford converted both into touchdowns in a three-minute span to put the game away. Steven Reese’s 61-yard interception return to the Cartersville 3 led to Thomas’ third 1-yard touchdown run for a 20-7 lead with 39 seconds to play in the third quarter.
Buford’s Isaac Nauta recovered a fumble on Cartersville’s next possession, setting the Wolves up on the Cartersville 28. Jordan Perlotte scored seven plays later on a 2-yard run for a 27-3 lead with 9:51 to play.
Thomas finished with 69 yards rushing on 16 carries. Evyn Cooper led the Wolves with 96 yards on 15 carries.
Thomas’ first two touchdowns gave the Wolves a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter.
From the outset, Cartersville had trouble getting anything going offensively. The Purple Hurricanes had just 66 first-half yards, 36 of which came on a reverse pass from wide receiver Trase Fezzia to Terrius Callahan that produced one of their three first downs in the first two quarters.
Cartersville freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence, the Region 7-AAAA offensive player of the year, had several passes dropped and was just 6-for-19 passing for 11 yards and was sacked twice in the half.
Cartersville’s only points came with six seconds remaining in the second quarter on a 29-yard field goal by Jonathan Cruz. The Purple Hurricanes had taken possession at the Buford 20 with 52 seconds to play in the half when Rhodes Jones recovered a Buford fumble.
Buford – 7-7-6-7 – 27
Cartersville – 0-3-0-0 – 3
B – Joshua Thomas 1 run (Matthew Bonadies kick)
B – Thomas 1 run (Bonadies kick)
C – Jonathan Cruz 29 field goal
B – Thomas 1 run (kick failed)
B – Jordan Perlotte 2 run (Bonadies kick)
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