Mike Ridaught
Last week the Buchholz football team survived a scare, rallying from a fourth quarter deficit to defeat Fleming Island (Orange Park), 35-21, in the 4S-District 3 finale to stay unbeaten.
On Friday night in Ocala, there would be no letdown as the Bobcats scored twice in the opening quarter and rode a second half running clock to a 42-20 win at Trinity Catholic.
The win preserved the Bobcats’ first unbeaten regular season since 2001.
“I never really envisioned myself being a head coach,” said first-year Buchholz head coach Chuck Bell. “To have the opportunity given to me and to have things work out so well, man it’s so darn humbling. I just feel very, very humbled.”
Both teams punted on their first offensive possession, but Buchholz (10-0) took advantage of good field position on its second possession, which began at its own 43-yard line.
A third down completion from sophomore quarterback Trace Johnson to sophomore D.J. Hicks kept the drive alive at the Celtics’ 39-yard line.
On the next play, senior running back Quinton Cutler gained 13 yards down to the 26-yard line.
A personal foul against Trinity Catholic gave the Bobcats a first-and-goal at the 8-yard line.
A couple of plays later Johnson completed an 8-yard touchdown pass to sophomore Justin Williams on an inside pitch for a 7-0 lead with 5:14 to play in the half.
The Celtics (3-7) tried to answer, moving the ball to the Bobcats’ 47-yard line, but the drive stalled.
Although Buchholz was pinned deep, Cutler found a seam and raced 85 yards for the score, his longest run of the season, to give the Bobcats a 14-0 lead with two minutes remaining in the quarter.
Buchholz then created two big turnovers to put the game out of reach.
On Trinity Catholic’s next possession, senior Amari Sheppard blocked a punt and the Bobcats took over at the Celtics’ 25-yard line.
“That’s our fourth blocked punt in the last two games, and that’s our seventh blocked punt this year,” Bell said. “I pride myself on having a pretty good idea about some special teams things. We saw an opportunity, they’re a pro-style punt team, and we had a feeling we could attack them at a certain area. We gave them a safe look the first two times and got that big block.”
A few plays later, Johnson’s screen pass to Cutler gained 21 yards down to the one-yard line.
University of Florida commit Myles Graham lined up in the wildcat and ran it in from a yard out for a 21-0 lead just 30 seconds into the second quarter.
On the first play of the next possession, the Celtics fumbled and junior R.J. Livingstone recovered for Buchholz at the 13-yard line.
Following Johnson’s 12-yard pass completion to junior Michael Peterson down to the one-yard line, Cutler scored on a 1-yard touchdown run and the rout was on.
The lead was 28-0 with still 10:42 to play in the half.
A 21-yard touchdown pass from Johnson to Williams made it 35-0, but the Celtics answered.
Quarterback Preston Wright completed a 31-yard scoring pass to Cedric McFadden, who made an over-the-shoulder grab to make it 35-7 with 2:22 to play in the half.
Buchholz wasn’t done though.
On the final offensive play of the half from the Trinity Catholic 26-yard line, Johnson completed a pass to Williams at the 5-yard line. Williams broke a tackle and ran it in for the score with 0.3 seconds left for a 42-7 lead to ensure a running clock in the second half.
Buchholz will now turn its attention to the Class 4S playoffs next week as the No. 1 seed in 4S-Region 1. The FHSAA pairings will be announced on Sunday.
Thursday, Nov. 2
Keystone Heights 27, P.K. Yonge 22
Friday, Nov. 3
Buchholz 42, Trinity Catholic (Ocala) 20
Vero Beach 31, Columbia (Lake City) 10
Fort White 77, Santa Fe (Alachua) 13
Keswick Christian (St. Petersburg) 35, St. Francis Catholic Academy 12
Union County (Lake Butler) 42, Ambassadors Christian Academy (Winter Haven) 0
Branford 25, Hamilton County (Jasper) 6
Frostproof 23, Chiefland 12
Williston 65, Citrus (Inverness) 7Eastside 42, GHS 0
Newberry 45, Belleview 0
Dixie County (Cross City) 12, North Florida Educational Institute (Jacksonville) 0
Bradford (Starke) 35, Suwannee (Live Oak) 3
Trenton 49, Tenoroc (Lakeland) 22
SSAA State Tournament
No. 9 Space Coast (Cocoa) 21, No. 10 Bell 14 – Atlantic 1A championship