BUFORD — On April 26, three years of hard work, belief, and frustration finally spilled out on to the field -- and ended in one giant celebration for the Buford boys soccer team.
The Wolves had plenty to celebrate following a 1-0 defeat of nationally-ranked Whitewater in the first round of the Class AAAA playoffs that cleared a path for a deep postseason run -- but their joy was about far more than one big win.
"We feel like the last two years we had a similar team, and we were so disappointed to be knocked out of the playoffs in the first round. Then we drew Whitewater in the first round and it was like, 'here we go again,' " Wolves coach Victor Lane said. "So when we got that win it was like three years of celebration all on one night.
"We had a lot of guys there that were seniors on the two previous teams, and they were in tears celebrating with us because they knew all the hard work and time they had put in the last two years had led to that moment. It was very meaningful."
Tonight, Buford will look to continue making statements as it travels to face sixth-ranked Grady in the Class AAAA quarterfinals in Atlanta. And, after knocking off Whitewater and Walnut Grove in successive weeks, the Wolves believe they can continue rolling.
"This bunch can play with anyone," Lane said. "We're excited about facing a very good Grady team in downtown Atlanta in that kind of big-time situation, and we're real excited about where this is taking us."
Even before the playoffs started Buford knew it had been prepped for the rigors of the postseason simply by surviving Region 8-AAAA, which included No. 1-ranked Johnson (the 8-AAAA champ) and No. 9 North Oconee, as well as White County, which finished as the No. 2 seed in 8-AAAA. And even though the Wolves entered the playoffs on the back of a two-game losing skid, Lane knew his team was close to finding its feet.
"We knew we had some tough games under our belt, and the fact that we had lost to Johnson and North Oconee by just one goal told us we had the potential to play with anybody," said Lane, whose team finished as the No. 4 seed. "And that was proven in the playoffs, because all four teams from 8-AAAA won in the first round."
Featuring a rock-solid defense and midfield spine, Buford (10-5-2) was anything but a just-happy-to-be-there playoff victim.
Senior Joe Guiney anchors the Wolves midfield, making the most of his 6-foot-4 frame to deal with opposing attackers and shield a defense led by junior centerback Brian Sullivan. Goalkeeper Will Davis also provides a more than reliable foundation, as the future actor (Davis is headed to the University of Cincinnati on an acting scholarship) controls his penalty area and imbues defenders with confidence.
"We have so many leaders; every player holds himself and each other accountable," Lane said. "Coaches can do that too, but when players take that initiative it makes for a special environment."
The Wolves also have a number of attackers capable of providing the killer touch, including leading scorer senior Colin Tarala (11 goals) and freshman Mario Ventura (nine goals). Make no mistake, however, it is the solidity of midfield and defense on which Buford has built its campaign. Basing in a 4-5-1 (four defenders, five midfielders, one striker), the Wolves can choke out most attacks before they have the chance to get going and then stream forward en masse. And if Buford finds itself in need of offensive punch, it can easily shift into a 3-5-2 -- which it did in a wild, 6-5 win over Jefferson earlier this season. Though that result has proven the exception for a team allowing 1.11 goals per game.
And it was on this rock that Whitewater's much-fancied playoff hopes broke.
"I told them before the game that this was an opportunity -- and that if we do go up 1-0 don't be surprised," Lane said. "And sure enough we went out and took the lead with 30 minutes to go."
The Wolves hope for similar results tonight against a Grady team that presents some familiar challenges.
"Grady's very similar to us. They base in a 4-5-1 that shifts to a 4-3-3. They've got a very good centerback -- he may be the best player on the team. And they've got three good center midfielders and twins that play up top and like to get wide and create problems," Lane said. "They're very balanced. They're what you expect of an 'Elite Eight' team."
It is a position Buford hopes to make more familiar in coming campaigns.
"This year's seniors are opening doors for the next group -- just like the last group did for this one," Lane said. "This is my third year in charge of the program, and every year the talent gets better and better. The challenge for us is to coach them better. But I'm very pleased with the direction of the program, and I'm so happy this team put everything together this season."
