BUFORD — Any other team may have panicked -- but this is Buford football.
The Wolves faced their first halftime deficit since early September on Friday, trailing Woodward Academy 18-14 at Tom Riden Stadium.
Buford’s response was nothing short of what you would expect from champions, however, as the Wolves stonewalled the War Eagles in the second half, using three touchdown runs from Martin Mangram to storm back into the Georgia Dome for the ninth straight season in a 35-18 victory.
“We knew we were still in it, even when we were down 18-7 (in the second quarter),” Mangram said. “We just had to stick with the plan, and keep fighting.”
Mangram did just that, finishing the game with 119 of the Wolves 189 yards rushing.
Meanwhile, the Buford defense held Woodward to 62 yards in the second half -- helping pave the way for yet another title shot. The Wolves (13-1) will gun for their fourth straight state championship and eighth in nine seasons on Dec. 12 in Atlanta.
“This is very exciting,” Mangram said. “To grab that fourth title and leave a legacy would be incredible.”
The Wolves will look to do so against a Cartersville team that Buford knocked off in last year’s semifinal round.
“I haven’t even thought about Cartersville yet; I’m just proud of how my guys responded tonight,” Buford coach Jess Simpson said. “I knew we’d have to play for 48 minutes tonight, and our guys did just that.”
It was Buford’s last 24 that proved most impressive.
“We knew we had to stay composed,” said Mangram, who said that he and his teammates harkened back to their only defeat of the campaign -- a 37-14 setback at McEachern on Sept. 4 -- during Woodward’s early push. “I was like, not again -- we’re not going to let this happen again. We’ve come too far as a team.”
And the Wolves showed it, dominating much of the second half by taking control of both lines of scrimmage -- allowing Buford to put up 121 yards rushing on offense. Meanwhile, the Wolves defense made life miserable for War Eagles quarterback Ryan Glover, sacking the quarterback four times, while allowing just 64 yards passing -- after Glover put up 118 in the first half.
Buford also kept Woodward star running back Elijah Holyfield bottled up, allowing just 57 total yards rushing -- 21 of that in the second half after the senior ripped off two first half scoring runs.
“The defense rushed the passer better, and our offensive line and tight ends and backs played their tails off,” Simpson said.
Woodward (13-1) took the opening kickoff and marched 70 yards in just five plays, scoring for a 6-0 lead on a 22-yard from Holyfield, who broke a tackle at the line and sprinted into the end zone. Yet it was the War Eagles’ passing game that proved the difference, providing three first down plays on the drive (on throws of 17, 16 and 12 yards).
The Wolves did not trail for long however, answering with their first possession. Sparked by a 52-yard kickoff return from Anthony Grant, Buford needed just six plays to take a 7-6 advantage on a 21-yard touchdown pass from Mic Roof to Brandon Marsh.
Buford rode a roller coaster through the rest of the first half, however.
The Wolves forced a turnover on downs at their own 13 but then fumbled a handoff to give Woodward the ball at the Buford 3.
The War Eagles made the most of the turnover, Holyfield picking up his second touchdown run of the night, a 1-yard plunge putting Woodward back in front 12-7 on the final play of the first quarter.
The Buford defense came up big early in the second quarter, holding fast after a bad snap yielded a 1-yard punt for the Wolves near midfield. Forced into a punt of its own, Woodward then watched as Jacob Martin blocked the War Eagle kick attempt to give the Wolves possession at the Woodward 46.
Yet the play only yielded another turnover on downs -- this time Woodward’s defense coming up big to stuff the Wolves at its own 37.
The War Eagles did make the most of this defensive stand -- though in a rather unorthodox manner. Facing fourth and 2 at the Buford 42, Woodward quarterback Ryan Glover faked a run up the middle before pulling up to find fullback Stephen Elliott wide open down the middle for the touchdown. The War Eagles missed yet another point after attempt but led 18-7 with 3:37 left in the half.
Buford refused to panic, however, and ripped off its biggest drive of the half, marching 80 yards in 13 plays -- including a fourth and 2 conversion along the way -- for a 1-yard touchdown plunge from T.D. Roof to pull within 18-14 with 12 seconds left in the half.
The Wolves only continued that push into the second half -- Mangram pushing the Wolves back in front on a gritty 4-yard touchdown run. He followed that up with a 38-yard run in the fourth quarter before sealing the victory with another four-yard spring with 2:36 to play.
“I didn’t need that third touchdown, but the line was just blocking so well for me that they made it easy,” Mangram said.
And while nothing will come easy in the Dome, Buford players and coaches will enter next week’s contest with plenty of confidence after Friday’s comeback.
SCORING SUMMARY
WOODWARD....12....6....0.....0 -- 18
BUFORD.............7....7....7...14 -- 35
First Quarter
WA -- Holyfield 22 run (kick failed) 10:19, 6-0
BHS -- Marsh 21 pass from Mic Roof (Chmielowicz kick) 7:26, 6-7
WA -- Holyfield 1 run (kick failed) :00, 12-7
Second Quarter
WA -- Elliott 42 pass from Glover (kick failed) 3:37, 18-7
BHS -- TD Roof 1 run (Chmielowicz kick) :12, 18-14
Third Quarter
BHS -- Mangram 4 run (Chmielowicz kick) 4:13, 18-21
Fourth Quarter
BHS -- Mangram 38 run (Chmielowicz kick) 2:36, 18-28
BHS -- Mangram 4 run (Chmielowicz kick) 2:36, 18-35
