After two games it appears the No. 3-ranked Buford Wolves are successfully going back to the future. With an emphasis on the running game and hard-nosed defense – two hallmarks of the program – they scored an impressive 26-23 road win against defending Class AAAAAAA champion Milton on Friday.
The running game flourished behind Elijah Turner (98 yards, two touchdowns) and Gabe Ervin (85 yards, one touchdown), with quarterback Jarvis Evans providing a steady effort at the controls. The lefty was 5-for-6 for 90 yards, including a touchdown pass to Justice Johnson.
The defense was led by Amari Wansley (4.5 tackles), Matthew Alexander (3.5 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss) and Malik Spencer and Johnson with one sack apiece. Boyd Farmer produced the big fumble recovery on a punt return with 2:10 remaining to preserve the win.
Buford faces Live Christian Academy of Virginia next week.
Top-ranked Bainbridge rolls: The No. 1 Bearcats sent North Miami Beach, Fla., home with a 37-0 loss. Bainbridge (3-0) has won ten straight games.
No. 8 Jones hammers Northside: Jones County took another big step forward with a 56-23 win over Northside-Warner Robins. Quarterback Hunter Costlow threw two touchdowns to Maleek Wooten – one of them that turned into a 95-yard score – and another on Jontavis Robertson. Jones County has now won three of the last four meetings with Northside.
Dutchtown posts nice road win: The No. 6-ranked Bulldogs (3-0) traveled to Cordele and came away with a 19-17 win. Dutchtown took advantage of a safety and turned the ensuing possession into a touchdown when Arendez Fedd scored on a 5-yard run. Fedd and NC State commit Nate McCollum had hooked up for a big pass play to set up the score. Fedd scored again in the second half and the Bulldogs added a field goal. Crisp scored with two minutes left, but Dutchdown fell on the onsides kick and ran out the clock.
No. 9 Clarke Central knocked off: The injury riddled Gladiators never got anything going in the 38-0 loss to Flowery Branch and couldn't find a way to slow Flowery's Chandler White, who rushed for 225 yards and four touchdowns.
Burkes scored three times for No. 2 Rome: The Wolves evened their record at 1-1 with a 63-6 win over North Clayton. E.J. Burkes scored three touchdowns, as Rome poured it on for three quarters before easing up.
Kell blanks rival Lassiter: The Longhorns (2-0) made a case to be included in the state rankings with a 27-0 win over Lassiter. Quarterback Corbin LaFrance connected with Jamal Hill for a pair of touchdown passes and Miykayah Vinson returned a punt for a touchdown.
Riverdale gives No. 4 Carrollton all it wants: No. 4 Carrollton got all it could handle from previously unbeaten Riverdale. The Trojans used a big third quarter and went on to win 48-35, but it wasn't easy.
Carrollton (2-0) effectively moved the ball on the ground behind Mecose Todd, who carried 10 times for 60 yards and three touchdowns, and through the air with Myles Morris, who threw for 133 yards. Riverdale (2-1) rallied behind quarterback Avaun Rucker, who threw for 140 yards and two touchdowns, but was sacked twice.
The Carrollton special teams came up with a big play late in the third quarter when they recovered a bad punt snap at the 6, which set up one of Todd’s touchdown runs and restored a two-score advantage. The defense cashed in another fumble early in the fourth quarter that Chaz Chambliss recovered for a touchdown.
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