Eleven-time state champion Buford stages a must-see matchup with Class AAAAAAA powerhouse and defending state runner-up Roswell in the opener of Friday’s double-header.
Buford once again advanced to the GHSA state championship game last season, marking the ninth-straight season the Wolves clinched a state title berth. The Wolves finished the season 13-2 after falling to Cartersville in the Class AAAA State Championship game in the Georgia Dome, 10-0.
Buford graduates 22 seniors from last year’s roster but return a host of impact players. Key offensive returners include Mic Roof, T.D. Roof, Christian Turner, Joshua Blackwell, Anthony Grant and Jake Simpson. Mic Roof threw for 1,507 yards and 15 touchdowns to go along with 46 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown in the Wolves’ star-studded offense. Mic’s brother T.D., also a senior, ran for 168 yards and five touchdowns to go along with 76 receiving yards and one touchdown, while recording 55 tackles and six sacks on defense. Turner compiled 788 yards with an astonishing 9.4 yards per carry and 10 touchdowns to go along with 13 tackles and one sack.
Blackwell ran for 261 yards and five touchdowns to go along with 44 receiving yards and one touchdown, while recording 32 tackles and one interception. Grant added 743 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground to go along with 74 receiving yards and two touchdowns, while recording 20 tackles and four sacks. Simpson had 261 receiving yards, averaging 18.6 yards per catch and three touchdowns, while recording 48 tackles, two sacks, and two interceptions.
As a team, the Wolves averaged 42.1 points per game and allowed just 7.3 behind a dominating defense. This will be the first time Buford and Roswell face off since 1983, a game in which Buford won 34-10.
Hornets Habit
Roswell’s return to prominence has been piloted by Head Coach John Ford. Ford has been the head coach for three seasons and has compiled an overall record of 26-11. Last season, Roswell finished 14-1 after falling to Colquitt County in the state championship. Remarkably, this was just five years after the Hornets went 0-10. Prior to Ford taking over the program, the team had not had a winning season since 2010. Roswell is developing a new dynasty evidenced by its jump into the national rankings last season.
Roswell had a historic dominance over the All-Region 5-AAAAAA team in 2015, earning 12 first-teamers to pair with three second-teamers and three Honorable Mention selections. Coach Ford won Region Coach of the Year and standout linebacker Tre Lamar won Defensive Player of the Year.
The team loses 16 seniors from 2015. The key contributors lost from last season include Tre Lamar (four-star, Clemson), linebacker/defensive end Tyrone Hopper (three-star, UNC), safety Marcelino Ball (three-star, Indiana), quarterback Quintarius Neely (Tuskegee), offensive tackle Jared Lyons (University of the South), offensive guard Cam Whiteman (three-star, Harvard), slot/returner Myles Blouin (Pikeville), running back/slot Kendrick Jackson (VMI) and center Will Stapelfeldt (West Alabama).
Ford has a plethora of proven and emerging talent returning this season on ball sides of the ball. Offensively, tight end Tyneil Hopper, three-star running back Sheldon Evans, three-star wide receiver Jayden Comma, offensive tackle Jordan Tucker(three-star, Tennessee), three-star athlete Corey Reed and athlete Malik Willis (three-star, Virginia Tech) lead the way.
The Hornet defense that allowed 12.2 points per game last season returns linebacker Sam Diroberto, two-star defensive end Koby Cumberlander, three-star cornerback Justus Harris, cornerback LeAnthony Williams, Jr. (four-star, Clemson) and four-star safety Xavier McKinney. Roswell’s secondary will be one of the most feared in the state of Georgia. Between the three returning defensive backs, they combined for over 15 interceptions in 2015, McKinney had a team-leading nine, while Harris shut down offenses with 20 pass defenses. McKinney ranked second on the team in tackles with 111, shy of Lamar’s 139 mark.
The front-seven is once again dominant with Cumberlander returning for his senior season. Cumberlander recorded a team-high 15 sacks, while rising senior Max Boyd placed third with eight sacks. behind Lamar’s 10. Diroberto can rush from his linebacker position at times as well and tallied 69 stops last year.
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