Mother Nature may have had her way, but not before Buchholz, by a technicality, took home a big win on Friday at Citizens Field.
The Bobcats, holding onto a 21-0 lead at halftime over Richmond Hill (Ga.), came on the winning end after a lightning delay ended the contest. Per FHSAA rules, a game can be ruled official as long as the ball has been kicked off.
It marked Buchholz’s first win over an out-of-state opponent in program history and its first win despite not playing a full game since 2014. The victory also avenged a 35-28 road loss to the Wildcats last season.
“I felt like we were able to exploit what they didn’t do,” head coach Mark Whittemore said. “They did not play us the way we anticipated them playing us defensively.”
Sophomore quarterback Andrew Whittemore, having thrown for only two touchdowns through four games, threw for two on Friday, doubling his season total.
One went to Marquel Brooks from 46 yards in the second quarter, with the other going to senior Justin Williams from 38 seconds left in the first half to give the Bobcats a 21-0 lead.
The score marked the first receiving touchdown of the season for either receiver.
“Huge confidence builder for us, for (Andrew), to play clean football,” Mark Whittemore said. “It was a big deal to me, and he was able to do that. That is a step in the right direction.”
Williams, meanwhile, scored his second rushing touchdown of the season with a 37-yard rush on the game’s third play. Whittemore hit Williams, a Florida commit, for a 39-yard pass on the game’s first play to set up the score.
“The first couple of games, we struggled to get the ball to him a little bit. He’s getting double-teamed and stuff like that, but this game, we really opened up the field for him,” Andrew Whittemore said.
Buchholz’s defense pitched a shutout against a run-heavy Richmond Hill team that had two scoring opportunities.
Twice in the second quarter, the Wildcats drove inside Buchholz’s 20-yard line before a fumble and a turnover on downs ended the drives.
The two stops led to Whittemore’s two touchdown passes.
“Cannot talk enough about how the defense has played in these five games,” Mark Whittemore said. “Incredible, incredible defense.”
Buchholz (4-1) has now won three straight with two victories against opponents they lost to last season. The Bobcats begin district play next week at home against Nease with the kickoff set for 7 p.m.
Football scores
Friday, Sept. 19
Bell 21, Old Plank Christian Academy (Jacksonville) 12
Bradenton 20, Countryside Christian 6
Bradford (Starke) 28, Eastside 7
Branford 35, Lake Weir (Ocala) 6
Buchholz 21, Richmond Hill (GA) 0
Central Florida Christian Academy (Ocoee) 42, Bronson 12
Chiefland 42, Trinity Catholic (Ocala) 14
Columbia (Lake City) 27, Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) 20
Dixie County (Cross City) 39, Keystone Heights 24
First Baptist Academy (Naples) 21, P.K. Yonge 14
Forest (Ocala) 24, GHS 13
Fort White 47, Union County (Lake Butler) 0
Saint Francis Catholic Academy 35, Gainesville Christian Community 0
Santa Fe (Alachua) 37, Fernandina Beach 27
Suwannee (Live Oak) 34, Hamilton County (Jasper) 6
Williston 24, North Marion (Citra) 14
OFF – Hawthorne, Newberry, Oak Hall, Trenton
