The ending of Friday night’s football game between visiting Buchholz and host Vanguard at Booster Stadium in Ocala was eerily similar to last year’s finish in Gainesville.
Last August, the host Bobcats stopped the Knights on a 2-point try in regulation to hold on for a 15-13 win at Citizens Field.
This time, Buchholz stopped Vanguard on a fourth-and-goal at the 2-yard line for a 34-28 win in overtime.
“Big win for the Bobcats,” said Buchholz coach Mark Whittemore. “Beating Vanguard at Booster Stadium is always a feather in your cap because (Edwin) Farmer’s club is always good, extremely athletic, well-coached, and they play their scheme. So, to come out of here with a win, I couldn’t be happier.”
Vanguard (0-1), which advanced to the second round of the Class 4A state playoffs last year, tied the game on a late score by its sensational quarterback.
Georgia Southern University commit Terrance “TJ” Lewis threw a jump pass across the middle to senior Kemohn Pinkney on fourth-and-goal at the 5-yard line to bring the Knights within one. Michael Topping’s extra point tied it at 28-all.
“I take full responsibility for the call on fourth and five,” Whittemore said. “We tried something that we’ve used before, and it was the wrong call at the wrong time, especially against the way they play.”
That was short-lived, though, because Whittemore’s son, junior quarterback Andrew Whittemore, scored on the first play of the Kansas tiebreaker. The 10-yard run gave Buchholz a 34-28 lead in overtime.
“It was a great play,” said Andrew Whittemore, who accounted for four of their five touchdowns. “Just power right, and we got the block perfectly, and all I had to do was just go right down the middle.”
However, senior kicker Radley Ruland’s extra point was wide right, leaving the door open for Vanguard.
Despite a holding call that backed Vanguard up to the 20-yard line, Lewis had a 13-yard run to get them inside the 10-yard line. A few plays later, Lewis was stopped at least a yard shy by Buchholz junior Raymond Sanchez to preserve the victory.
“Our starting will linebacker (Hawthorne transfer Messiah Gent) went down with an ankle; he’s out for three weeks, so Ray did a great job,” Mark Whittemore said. “Ray coming in and just playing like a starter is phenomenal. He’s a terrific ball player, and for him to come up and make that play there at the end is just, I mean, it’s what you want. You want a deep football club, and that’s what we’ve got.”
Four years ago, it took a 37-yard field goal by Reed Rousseau for Buchholz to get out of Booster Stadium with a win (24-21).
It took more than regulation, but Buchholz defeated Vanguard for the fifth consecutive time.
“Booster Stadium is always a tough place to play,” said Andrew Whittemore. “We knew it was going to be a close game, no matter what happened. We went up early. They came back. We were kind of pressed into a corner, but you know, in overtime we were more tough, I guess.”
And they were the aggressors early.
On the Bobcats’ first possession of the game, Buchholz marched 60 yards on six plays, capping the drive with a 39-yard touchdown pass from Whittemore to Hawthorne transfer wide receiver Dominick “Dom” Harvey with 8:17 remaining in the opening quarter.
Two plays later, Lewis fumbled and Buchholz recovered at the Knights’ 32-yard line.
Whittemore, who holds an offer from the University of Florida, hooked up with Dom again. The FAU commit hauled in a 28-yard touchdown pass on the second play of the drive for a 13-0 lead.
“Yeah, that was huge,” Andrew Whitemore said. “He’s a new Buchholz Bobcat this year, and we’ve been looking for that connection. I think we found something in that tonight for sure.”
A botched snap led to a missed extra point try, although they would get that point back.
With 57 seconds to play in the first half, Buchholz junior Joshua Menefee raced to the house for a 30-yard scoring run. Whittemore connected with Suwannee (Live Oak) transfer wide receiver Koy Frier on the 2-point pass play for a 21-7 halftime lead.
That drive started at the Buchholz 27-yard line thanks to the first of two interceptions by junior Cam Burse.
Vanguard got a long kickoff return from junior Dominic Burgess, returning the ball from around its own 10-yard line to the Buchholz 16-yard line on the first play of the second half.
Lewis had a 16-yard touchdown run to make it a one-score game, 21-14, with 10:27 left in the third quarter.
“We gave up that first kickoff, and they had some momentum,” Mark Whittemore said. “I mean, they’re a really good football team. They are 4A, deep in the playoffs, if not a state championship caliber team. And with No. 1 (Lewis) back there, shoot, I mean, they’re in every ball game. So bottom line is that’s kind of the tail of the tape.”
Buchholz went 3-and-out on its first possession of the second half, and Vanguard marched 50 yards on eight plays to tie the game.
However, Lewis cramped up and senior Jamri Thomas came in on third-and-6 at the 24-yard line and exploded for a 21-yard run down to the 3-yard line. Thomas finished the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run.
With 1:01 to play in the third quarter, Whittemore found a wide-open Avery Norris down the right sidelines for a 43-yard touchdown pass and a 28-21 lead.
An interception by Buchholz senior Cameron Awuma ended a potential scoring drive and allowed the Bobcats, who were backed up to their own 6-yard line, a chance to eat some clock.
Their massive offensive line, which is led by UAB commit Bryce Daniels and Middle Tennessee State commit Ibrahem Shaer, allowed the ‘Cats to burn almost seven minutes off the clock.
But on fourth-and-6 at the Vanguard 39-yard line, Whittemore was pressured and fumbled, which was recovered by the Knights at the Buchholz 34-yard line with 3:55 to play.
“It was dominant football,” Mark Whittemore said. “At times, their quarterback was their answer, and ours played pretty well too. We had some good individual performances, but I think for both teams, it was a week one game. It was a slugfest, but some of the little things that you would expect in a game one happened.”
Buchholz will host rival Gainesville next Friday at Citizens Field.
Football scores
Friday, Aug. 21
Bell 28, Hamilton County (Jasper) 26
Belleview 28, Gainesville 26 (OT)
Bradford (Starke) 65, West Port (Ocala) 0
Branford 50, Eagle’s View (Jacksonville) 0
Buchholz 34, Vanguard (Ocala) 28 (OT)
Columbia (Lake City) 20, Bolles (Jacksonville) 19
Countryside Christian 28, Ocala Christian Academy 26
Dixie County (Cross City) 41, Vernon 6
Fort White 28, Eastside 13
Hawthorne 28, Bishop Moore (Orlando) 25 (OT)
Interlachen 63, Keystone Heights 0
Lake Weir (Ocala) 44, P.K. Yonge 0
Merritt Island Christian 1, Saint Francis Catholic Academy 0 (forfeit)
Oak Hall School 42, Bronson 14
Santa Fe (Alachua) 30, Newberry 16
Suwannee (Live Oak) 35, Crystal River 0
Trenton 22, South Marion (Ocala) 0
Union County (Lake Butler) 35, Rutherford (Panama City) 34
Williston 30, Chiefland 12
OFF – Cornerstone Academy