ATLANTA There’s clutch, then there’s the unbelievable.
Whatever you want to call it, the Buford Wolves are making the comeback in the state championship game seem like a routine day in the park.
For the second consecutive season, Buford needed an extra frame to pull out an improbable win in the state title game.
In 2019, Hayden Olsen kicked a field goal to beat Warner Robins in the Class 5A title game. This time, the defense forced a Caleb McDowell fumble inside the 5-yard line to preserve a 34-31 victory over Lee County in overtime to win the Georgia High School Association Class 6A crown at Georgia State Stadium.
BUFORD Out with the old, in with the new as they say.
Buford’s Friday night Class 6A semifinal showdown with Valdosta pitted the state’s two winningest programs during the 20th (Valdosta) and 21st (Buford) centuries.
But the Wolves old-style power run game and bruising defense were way too much for the Wildcats’ new-fangled spread.
Buford used a 21-point blitz in the opening five minutes to grab the lead and then cruised to a 45-26 win at Tom Riden Stadium. The victory moved the Wolves into their first Class 6A championship game and second straight finals after winning the Class 5A crown in 2019.
BUFORD – From the opening kickoff, this one was over.
Buford (11-1) used a relentless defensive attack, a grinding rushing game and a few on-target passes to roar past Langston Hughes (11-2) 44-15 in the quarterfinals of the Class 6A playoffs at Tom Riden Stadium on Friday.
It s the Wolves second straight semifinal appearance, first-ever in Class 6A, and 12th time in the past 14 seasons going back to 2007.
Buford coach Bryant Appling was relieved after the game but was also all smiles as he leads the Wolves into another historic accomplishment this season. I m just proud of these kids, all the stuff they ve gone through, proud of these coaches and proud of this community, he said. We ve jumped up [classifications] four times since I ve been here and each time we re like, oh man, I don t know. But each year we find a way to keep winning . keep playing. The kids are grinding and are not scared of anything right now.