ATHENS — Christian Turner and Anthony Grant combined for 243 yards rushing and three touchdowns to lead Class AAAAA No. 1 Buford to a 44-13 over Clarke Central Friday night in the Wolves' Region 8-AAAAA opener at Billy Henderson Stadium.
Turner finished with 128 yards on 19 carries in his first action back after suffereing an ankle injury on the opening play of the season last month. Grant added 11y yards and two scores on 18 carries. The Wolves finished with 329 yards rushing for the game.
Buford (4-1, 1-0 Region 8-AAAAA) trailed early on as the Gladiators (3-3, 1-1) took a 6-0 lead after the first quarter on a 73-yard touchdown pass. Buford exploded in the second quarter getting a pair of Bernardo Burgos field goals of 22- and 32-yards, a 5-yard Grant touchdown run, and a 68-yard touchdown run from T.D. Roof to take a 20-6 lead into halftime.
Clarke Central trimmed the lead to 2013 in the third quarter on another touchdown pass but the Wolves answered with a 31-yard scoring run by Turner to push the lead to 27-13. In the fourth quarter Burgos added a 34-yard field goal, Gant scored on another 5-yard run, and Darrian Smith had a 4-yard touchdown run for Buford.
The Buford defense held Clarke Central to just 2-yards rushing and had 182 yards passing for the game.
