By S. Thomas Coleman
Nov 28, 2014When it comes to Buford football there are not many “firsts” left for the Wolves to accomplish. But they are steamrolling toward one of the few that is left – a championship in Class AAAA.
The Wolves have won 10 state titles – two in Class A (1978 and 2001), six in Class AA (2002, 2003 and 2007-2010), and two in Class AAA (2012 and 2013). Now they are two wins away from state title No. 11 and their first in Class AAAA after a 30-6 drubbing of Marist in the quarterfinals at Tom Riden Stadium in Buford.
Buford (13-0), the top-ranked team and No. 1 seed from Region 8, will take on the Sandy Creek-Cartersville winner in next week's semi finals. The Wolves held Marist’s vaunted rushing attack to just 81 yards and the War Eagles were able to muster just 12 yards passing. Meanwhile, Buford’s rush-by-committee ground game picked up 139 yards, and senior quarterback Luke Humphrey was efficient through the air, completing 6-of-11 passes for 172 yards.
The win was the 38th consecutive for the Wolves. Buford's last loss on the field occurred Sept. 7, 2012 – a 19-15 defeat at the hands of Gainesville. The Wolves were forced to forfeit two games later that season – both 60-point blowout wins – due to using an ineligible player. While Friday night's win over fourth-ranked Marist (11-2), the No. 2 seed from Region 6, was not a 60-point blowout, the game was never really in doubt after the first quarter.
Marist broke on top midway through the first quarter on a 25-yard field goal by senior kicker Joey Gogol. The War Eagle’s run-based offense, featuring lots of wing-T and wishbone looks, was able to keep the ball away from Buford’s punishing pro-style attack, while Marist’s defense held its own.
But in the second quarter Buford took over for good. On the second play of the period senior running back/fullback Joshua Thomas bulled in from a yard out to give the Wolves a 7-3 lead after Matt Bonadies’ successful extra point kick.
On the Wolves’ next offensive possession, Thomas struck again, this time from long distance. On fourth-and-two, he muscled his way to the second level against a stacked Marist defensive front, and rumbled 48-yards for his second touchdown of the night and a 14-3 lead for Buford.
The Wolves recovered an onside kick and cashed in six plays later as Thomas scored his third touchdown of the quarter, another 1-yard run, to push the lead to 21-3.
Gogol nailed a 30-yard field goal on Marist’s next possession to narrow the gap to 21-6 at halftime.
In the third quarter Buford added a safety when a snap sailed through the hands of Marist’s punter and out of the back of the War Eagle end zone. Then on the second play of the fourth quarter, junior tight end Isaac Nauta caught a 22-yard touchdown pass down the middle from Humphrey for the game’s final points of the night.
