BUFORD — It was as dominant as the 44-11 final score suggests.
Buford’s 6th-ranked defense tossed around Kell’s top 10 offense for 8 sacks, almost a dozen tackles for loss as a whole, forced four turnovers, and held the Longhorns to just 166 yards of offense Friday night in a Class 5A second round playoff matchup at a chilly Tom Riden Stadium.
The win pushed the Wolves (10-2) into the quarterfinal round for the 19th consecutive season where they will play host to Bainbridge, a 26-19 winner over Region 2-5A champion Wayne County, next week.
It was an effort comparable to some of Buford’s past great defenses that were the driving force behind 10 state titles in a 14-year span from 2001 to 2014. Kell (9-3) came in averaging just under 38 points a game and had scored 30 or more points in eight straight games.
“We knew how good of an offense they had but our coaches and the kids had a great week of practice and really focused on what they needed to do to be successful,” Buford coach John Ford said. “The defensive line really set the tone early and that was the key.”
Senior nose guard Jalar Holley was in the Kell backfield almost as much as the Longhorn players registering a pair of sacks to go with three other tackles for loss and providing a constant state of harassment.
“That was one of our best games all year,” Holley said. “We were really locked in for what they do and many times it seemed like we knew exactly what play they were running. Our goal was to try and be dominant and I think we were.”
Holley and the defensive unit turned the tide early after the Longhorns looked poised to seize a quick lead.
Kell recovered a pooch kick at the Buford 20 to open the game after the Wolves failed to pounce on a bouncing ball. But Holley and the Buford defense snuffed out the drive with a tipped pass and then a Jamarius Isaac interception of Kell quarterback Evan Conley in the end zone.
“I thought that kind of changed the momentum for the entire game,” Ford said. “That was a big play.”
Three plays later, Buford quarterback Aaron McLaughlin raced 62-yards for a touchdown on a keeper after a tremendous ball fake to Derrian Brown for a 7-0 lead less than three minutes in.
Kell looked to have tied the game moments later, however, with a 71-yard slant pass from Conley to Jamal Hill. But the Longhorns were called for holding on the play and eventually had to punt.
Buford then drove to the Kell 25 but stalled and Hayden Olsen booted a 42-yard field goal for a 10-0 lead.
The Longhorns mounted another drive to the Wolves 41 but Conley was picked off again, this time by Daniel Benitez, who returned it to the Buford 25.
On the next Buford possession the Wolves converted three third downs and Brown capped the 75-yard drive with a 26-yard sprint after a nifty spin move to open up a clear field to the end zone for a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter.
Buford held the Longhorns on a quick 3-and-out, including an 11-yard sack of Conley, and then Brown struck again. The senior Texas-commit serpentined 81 yards on the ensuing punt return to push the lead to 24-0 with 2:27 left in the half.
Kell never recovered.
“Derrian is just a dynamic player,” Ford said. “I thought he really played a great game.”
On the next Kell possession Xyrie Wilson picked off Conley but Buford fumbled on its next play on a bobbled snap and the Longhorns recovered at the Buford 26. However, the Wolves defense again yielded nothing sacking Conley for the third time and setting up a 37-yard field goal by Logan Flesher with just 22 seconds left in the half to trim the lead to 24-3.
Buford left little doubt in the opening moments of the third quarter forcing a Kell fumble and returning it to the Longhorns 27 on the opening possession of the second half. Two plays later Brown scored on a 10-yard run to quickly push the lead to 31-3.
Buford added a 14-yard scoring run by Elijah Turner and McLaughlin connected on a 19-yd TD pass to Dom Maggio early in the fourth quarter for a 44-3 lead.
Brown finished with 86 yards on 15 carries to go with the long punt return. McLaughlin had 76 yards on 3 carries and was 7 of 12 for 129 yards passing.
Kell’s lone touchdown came with just over four minutes left when Conley scored on an 8-yard run and converted a 2-point conversion on a pass to Colby Kerns.
Junior Kell running back Eboni Jackson came in averaging well over 100 yards a game but was held to just 31 yards on 14 carries.
Now, the Wolves will turn their attention to the Bearcats (7-5) who are making their third quarterfinals appearance in the last four seasons.
“We really didn’t care who we played,” Ford said. “We like where we are as a team right now and our goal is just to focus on us and try and get better this week.”
SCORING SUMMARY
KELL............0......3......0....8 -- 11
BUFORD....10....14....13....7 -- 44
First Quarter
BHS -- McLaughlin 62 run (Olsen kick) 7-0, 9:13
BHS -- Olsen 42 FG 10-0, 4:36
Second Quarter
BHS -- Brown 26 run (Olsen kick) 17-0, 10:09
BHS -- Brown 81 punt return (Olsen kick) 24-0, 2:27
KHS -- Flesher 37 FG 24-3, 0:22
Third Quarter
BHS -- Brown 10 run (Olsen kick) 31-3, 9:03
BHS -- Turner 14 run (kick failed) 37-3, 3:51
Fourth Quarter
BHS -- Maggio 19 pass from McLaughlin (Olsen kick) 44-3, 9:34
KHS -- Conley 8 run (Kerns pass) 44-11, 4:37
