Buford’s remarkable run of dominance continues. The top-ranked Wolves advanced to the state championship game for eighth consecutive season with a 27-3 win over Cartersville on Friday.
Buford held the Purple Hurricanes to just 66 yards in the first half and put the game away by converting two Cartersville turnovers into touchdowns in the second half. The Purple Hurricanes entered the game averaging 41.5 points.
It was Buford's 39th straight win, a streak that dates back to 2012.
The Wolves will face St. Pius on Saturday in the Class AAAA state championship game at the Georgia Dome.
St. Pius took a much different route to the state finals. The Golden Lions dropped their first two games of the season by 20-plus points. But coach Paul Standard shifted some personnel and ran off 12 straight wins, including a come-from-behind 28-21 victory over Woodward Academy in Friday’s semifinal.
St. Pius scored 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to beat Woodward Academy 28-21 and advance to the state championship game for the second time in three years. Tailback Joey Connors, who began the season at quarterback, scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 30-yard run with 47 seconds to play.
Buford and St. Pius met in the 2012 Class AAA state championship game, with the Wolves pulling out a 10-3 win. Both teams moved up to Class AAAA this season.
