Buford coach Jess Simpson, a former defensive coordinator, would prefer a low-scoring defensive battle, when his Wolves take on top-ranked and undefeated Cartersville in the Class AAAA state championship game Saturday. Simpson just insight sure that’s possible, though, not with the kind of dynamic offensive weapons the Purple Hurricanes will bring to the Georgia Dome.
Cartersville is averaging 42.2 points per game. It starts with promising quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who Simpson believes is the best quarterback in the state and possibly the nation.
“This kid is unreal,” Simpson said of Lawrence. “I compare him to Jacob Eason, the kid who’s committed to Georgia. If you turn on both of their tapes right now, he might be as good as [Eason], and he’s a sophomore. His height, his arm talent, his release, his ball-handling, his knowledge of what’s going on, and he’s certainly not the only good player.”
Lawrence, the top-rated sophomore quarterback by multiple recruiting services, has completed 65.1 percent of his attempts for 3,522 yards with 42 touchdowns and only three interceptions. He has talented weapons at his disposal, including senior running back Tiamon Pennymon, tight end Miller Forristall and receiver Terrius Callahan.
But Buford faced and defeated those same players last season in a dominating 27-3 win at Cartersville in a state semifinal. Only a handful of Buford starters from that game will be on the field Saturday, though. In contrast, more than a dozen Purple Hurricanes, who started against Buford last season, will be on the field again at the dome.
“Early in (last year’s) game, we got in the hole and couldn’t get out,” Cartersville coach Joey King said.
Buford is making its ninth consecutive appearance in the state championship game. The Wolves have won three straight state titles and are 7-1 in state championship games under Simpson.
“It doesn’t get old,” Simpson said. “And we definitely feel blessed to be back in it.”
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