The Buford High School football team is headed to the semifinals of the GHSA AAAAAA state playoffs following a shutout against Lee County on Friday, Nov. 26.
In a rematch of last year’s state championship final, the Wolves went to Lee County and brought home a 27-0 victory in the quarterfinals.
A slower start for Buford saw them finish out the first quarter with just one successful 30-yard field goal attempt by No. 99 Alejandro Mata, making the score 3-0 in their favor.
Finding their form in the second quarter, the Wolves saw two touchdowns run in by No. 12 Ashton Daniels and No. 3 Eli Parks. Mata kicked two solid points after, and Buford’s defense held Lee County to a scoreless first half, heading to the locker room with a comfortable 17-0 lead.
Buford head coach Bryant Appling said, “I am extremely proud of our team and the way they competed against Lee County. Our kids were locked in and focused as soon as we arrived on their campus which is always a concern after a long day of travel.”
Another successful 33-yard field goal attempt by Mata in the third quarter stretched Buford’s lead to 20-0 before Daniels threw a 41-yard pass received by No. 1 Isaiah Bond for a final touchdown in the fourth quarter that secured the 27-0 shutout.
The Wolves rushed an impressive 7.7 yards per play and had 0 turnovers throughout the game. Buford’s defense also achieved two sacks by No. 30 Eddrick Houston and No. 11 Dawson Andrew for a total of 18 yards.
Buford will continue to pursue their third consecutive state championship with an at-home semi-final faceoff against the Carrollton Trojans at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 3. Both teams are 12-1 overall this season.
Appling added, “We are so excited to be coming back to Tom Riden this week. Carrollton is another great program that always travels well, but I’m sure the Buford community will show up and show out.”
A simultaneous game between Langston Hughes High School and Dacula High School will determine who the winner of Buford vs. Carrollton plays in the championship final.
