BUFORD, Ga. — Second-ranked Buford beat No. 8 Lowndes the same way the Wolves have beaten teams for the last two decades – with their tough running game and physical defense.
The Wolves (11-1) beat the Vikings (10-2) into submission 42-7 in the second round of the Class 6-A state playoffs at Tom Riden Stadium.
“We are starting to come together,” Buford Coach Bryant Appling said. “We’ve been playing up and down for four or five weeks, but we have been playing pretty good of late, and we found a way to get a little bit better tonight. Hopefully, we can continue that trend.”
Buford will host its neighbor No. 3 North Gwinnett (11-0) in the state quarterfinals next Friday. The schools are separated by just seven miles but have not played since the late 1990s.
“It’s a family gathering,” Appling said. “Tom Riden will be electric next week.”
The Wolves enter the game on an 11-game winning streak. Their only loss was the season-opener to Milton, ranked No. 1 in Class 5-A.
Friday’s second-round matchup pitted two of the biggest brands in Georgia high school football meeting for the first time. There has not been much opportunity for the two traditional powers to meet. Buford, a 14-time state champion, is playing its third season in the state’s largest classification, where Lowndes, a five-time state champion, has played for decades.
The Wolves rushed for 250 yards against Lowndes, with three backs rushing for 40 or more yards. Justin Baker led them with 96 rushing yards and touchdown runs of 26, 29, and 20 yards. Tyriq Green ran for 51 yards and one touchdown, and Dylan McCoy added 41 yards rushing and one touchdown.
Buford’s defense held 182 yards in total offense, only 55 on the ground. The Vikings’ longest run was 9 yards, and their longest pass play was 38.
“I was glad how our kids ran around and tackled, all except for that one drive, and I liked how we ran the ball,” Appling said.
The Wolves took advantage of a 2-yard Lowndes punt that gave them the ball at the Vikings’ 35. Baker scored his first touchdown of the night on a 26-yard run. Quarterback Dayton Raiola passed for 162 yards, including a 92-yard touchdown to Jordan Allen for the Wolves' second touchdown.
After Lowndes cut Buford’s lead to 14-7 with 2:36 left in the half, the Wolves scored touchdowns on their next four possessions to seize control.
