Class AAAAA Buford vs. Warner Robins Friday, December 13 | 4:30 PM

By Seth Ellerbee Class AAAAA Buford vs. Warner Robins Friday, December 13 | 4:30 PM

Buford lost a stunner to Clarke Central 31-28 in the final game of the regular season and then carried the Region 8-AAAAA No. 2 seed to the state championship. From 2000-16, Buford won 10 state championships and lost in five championship games. Since 2000, its worst finishes were quarterfinal exits in 2005, 2006 and last year. From 2007-16 the Wolves were in the championship game in each of the 10 seasons with victories in 2007-10 and 2012-14. In his first season as head coach, Bryant Appling has continued the expected levels of success at Buford. The Wolves pride themselves on defense, and in their 29-0 semifinal victory over Jones County, Buford sacked Jones County quarterback Hunter Costlow six times and got a safety while holding the Greyhounds to just 33 rushing yards. Against Jones, Buford gained 287 yards on the ground and controlled the clock to perfection. Its offensive line allowed running back Victor Venn 14 carries, 108 yards and two touchdowns. JONESBORO.................................................41-0 W MILTON ......................................................26-23 W LIFE CHRISTIAN (VA) .................................33-32 W NEWTON.....................................................42-14 W ARCHER.....................................................29-28 W JOHNSON-GAINESVILLE .............................56-7 W CEDAR SHOALS..........................................31-13 W LOGANVILLE................................................30-7 W WALNUT GROVE...........................................49-0 W CLARKE CENTRAL.......................................31-28 L DECATUR......................................................43-6 W WARE COUNTY........................................... 34-6 W CARROLLTON .............................................24-21 W JONES COUNTY............................................29-0 W 2019 RESULTS BUFORD 13-1, REGION 8 NO. 2 SEED

Warner Robins lost to Rome at home in the championship game in 2017 after snowy conditions postponed the games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Then, after losing in a marathon triple-overtime thriller to Bainbridge 47-41 in the championship game last year at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the Demons enter this year’s championship with a title-sized chip on their shoulders. Warner Robins is in the hunt for its fifth state title and first since 2004 after winning in 1976, 1981 and 1988. In the semifinals, the Demons displayed why the offense has been lauded all season with a 55-3 victory over Starr’s Mill. Junior quarterback Jalen Addie is 144-of-278 passing for 2,297 yards and 23 touchdowns. Armon Porter, Ty Carr and Marcayll Jones are favorite targets. On the ground, Addie, Jalen Rutherford, Ahmad Walker and James Smith are threats. The Demons enter the title game scoring 35.7 points per game. WARNER ROBINS 13-1, REGION 1 NO. 1 SEED

TIFT COUNTY..............................................24-10 W LOCUST GROVE............................................43-7 W BALDWIN...................................................37-14 W COLQUITT COUNTY......................................31-14 L NORTHSIDE-WARNER ROBINS....................39-0 W HOUSTON COUNTY.....................................29-14 W HARRIS COUNTY........................................37-22 W THOMAS COUNTY CENTRAL.......................45-10 W BAINBRIDGE ..............................................28-21 W VETERANS..................................................47-17 W JONESBORO.................................................28-7 W ROME.........................................................25-17 W CLARKE CENTRAL......................................49-14 W STARR’S MILL..............................................55-3 W 2019 RESULTS

B U F O R D V S . WA R N E R R O B I N S CLASS AAAAA SKINNY

A total of 15 football championships are in the trophy cases between Buford and Warner Robins and, although both teams enter the championship game with firstyear head coaches, the traditions of success have continued in 2019. Bryant Appling took the reins of a Buford program that saw the departure of John Ford after 11-2 and 10-3 records in 2017 and 2018. Appling was a Buford assistant for 15 years prior to the promotion. Marquis Westbrook took the head coaching job at Warner Robins after Mike Chastain’s departure to Jones County, which Buford beat in the semifinals on the road 29-0. Warner Robins wants to punch through after losing to Bainbridge in last year’s title game and Rome two years ago. Buford’s last finals appearances were losses in back-to-back championship games in 2015 and 2016.

BUFORD WOLVES (Buford, GA) • Green, Gold & White Head Coach: Bryant Appling Assistant Coaches: JJ Chatmon, Stuart Chester, Gus Condon, Drew Dasher, Fyrone Davis, Sean Gilbert, Andre Johnson, Justin Johnson, Ronald King, Devonte Mack, Kyle Manley, Dicky May, Michael May, Bryan Rogers, David Snel, Barry Walton, Matt Winslette, Chris Demaline # Name Gr. Pos. 1 T Lee 12 WR, DB 3 Elijah Turner 12 RB, DB 4 Jamarius Isaac 12 WR, DB 5 Xalan Taylor 12 RB, LB 5 Jacob Galbraith 10 WR, DB 6 Javen Sadler 12 RB, DB 8 Amari Wansley 11 WR, DB 9 Brandon Castro 11 RB, DB 10 Justice Johnson 12 WR, DB 11 Jackson Powell 12 TE, DE 12 Ashton Daniels 10 QB 13 Malik Williams 11 WR, DB 13 Nathan Galbraith 10 WR, DB 14 Jarvis Evans 11 QB 15 Julien Lewis 12 WR, DB 15 William Harkness 10 QB 16 Dylan Lesko 10 QB 17 Dylan Wittke 9 QB 18 Ace Edwards 12 WR, DB 18 Wyatt Getz 9 WR, DB 19 Ryan Rettenmeyer 12 WR, DB 20 Jason Roche 12 WR, LB 21 Jalen Huff 12 WR, DB 22 Gabe Ervin 11 RB, LB 23 Daniel Benitez 12 WR, DB 24 Zac Jenkins 12 WR, DB 24 Isaiah Bond 10 WR, DB 25 Victor Venn 10 RB, DB 26 Elijah Olofintuyi 12 WR, LB 27 Nate Castleman 12 WR, DB 27 EJ Adams 9 RB, DB 28 Dylan Akins 12 WR, DB 29 Nick Perry 11 TE, LB 30 Boyd Farmer 11 WR, DB 30 Victor Payne 10 WR, DB 31 Jake Pope 10 WR, DB 32 Mason McCranie 11 TE, LB 32 Adrian Osorio 11 FB, DE 33 Nate Norys 10 FB, LB 34 Carlton Holley 12 FB, DE 35 Brevin Striewe 11 TE, LB 35 Machkye Sheffield 10 WR, DB 36 Carson Garrison 11 TE, LB 36 Jake Hill 11 WR, DB 37 Jake Brittle 11 WR, DB 38 Craig Clinkscales 10 RB, DB 38 Timi Olawole 11 WR, LB 39 Tobi Olawole 10 WR, DB 40 Evan DiMaggio 12 TE, LB 40 Jake Royals 9 RB, LB 41 Ryland Gandy 10 WR, DB 42 Carter Hamby 11 FB, LB 42 Oscar Benitez 10 WR, DB 43 Malik Spencer 10 WR, LB 44 Aubrey Smith 10 FB, LB 45 Caden Williams 11 TE, DE 46 Eli Parks 10 RB, LB 47 Brett Rogers 11 TE, DE 48 Tommy Beuglas 11 TE, DE 49 Ben Martin 10 WR, LB 51 River Wilson 10 OL, DE 52 Caleb Archer 11 OL, DT 53 Luis Saenz 10 TE, DE 54 Devon Birdwell 11 OL, DT 55 Kevin Vindel 12 OL, DL 56 Matthew Alexandar 11 OL, DT 56 Jack Damron 9 WR, LB 57 Nickolas King 11 OL, DE 58 Seth McLaughlin 12 OL, DT 59 Malik Cunningham 11 OL, DT 60 Will Coffey 11 TE, DE 60 Ian Chandler 9 OL, DL 61 Jackson Favors 10 OL, DT 62 Malone VanGorder 12 OL, DT 63 Zachary Combs 10 OL, DT 64 Mack Green 11 OL, DE 65 Jaqwon Brown 10 OL, DT 66 Joseph Miller 10 OL, DE 67 Chad Maiseroulle 11 OL, DT 68 Trevor Gutierrez 9 OL, DL 70 Griffin Scroggs 10 OL, DT 72 Jacob Smith 11 OL, DT 73 Sho Mitchell 10 OL, DT 77 TJ Lowe 11 OL, DT 78 Zach Pacheco 10 RB, LB 79 James Gonzalez 10 OL, DE 80 Cole Wright 11 WR, DB 80 Dawson Andrew 10 WR, DB 81 Treyton Rank 11 TE, LB 82 Ben Thompson 11 WR, DB 83 Jaquez Sims 9 WR, DB 84 Emmanuel Malala 11 WR, DB 85 Hayden Olsen 12 P, K 86 Jayvion Sims 10 WR, DB 87 Christhoper Rinker 10 TE, DE 88 Avery Siebrasse 12 WR, DB 89 Zachary Salo 10 WR, DB 90 Davis Peek 10 TE, DE 90 Cole Taylor 9 WR, DB 91 Carson Perry 10 TE, DE 92 Jackson Perry 10 TE, DE 93 Jordan Castro 9 WR, DB 94 Josiah Wyatt 10 TE, DE 95 Cristian Butler 9 RB, LB 96 Elijah Williams 9 FB, DE 97 Eli McElwaney 9 TE, DE 98 Jacob Price-Williams 12 P, K 99 Alejandro Mata 10 P, K

WARNER ROBINS DEMONS (Warner Robins, GA) • Cardinal & White # Name Gr. Pos. 1 Jalen Addie 11 QB 2 Marcayll Jones 12 WR 3 Ty Carr 12 WR 4 Jahmere Bryant 12 MLB 5 Taijun Galloway 12 LB 6 Andre Thomas 10 LB 7 Jatavious Bryant 12 DB 8 Xavier Hill 11 DB, WR 9 Armon Porter 11 WR 10 Christon Lane 10 QB 11 Daveon Walker 10 WR, DB 12 Corey Petty 10 WR 13 Kaleb Howard 11 WR 14 Malachi Dee 12 LB 15 Malachi Witherspoon 12 LB 16 Demarcious Robinson 11 LB 17 Montavious McClinton 12 QB 18 Cooper Avery 9 QB 19 Greg Lawson 12 DB 20 D’Marion Sturn 10 DB, RB 22 Titonio Smith 12 DB 23 Jonathan Allen 10 WR 24 Jahlen Rutherford 11 RB, DB 25 James Smith 12 RB, DB 26 Ryan Young 11 LB 28 Antwon Jackson 10 WR 29 Chaveyon Buckner 11 LB 30 Jacarious Carter 10 LB 31 Cian Lewis 9 DB 33 Camren Matthews 11 LB 34 Ahmad Walker 11 LB, RB 36 Terrell Kemp 11 LB 37 Chaz Sturn 9 DB 38 Christian Yokley 11 DB 39 Andrew McGhee 11 LB 42 Jarvis McNair 10 DB 43 RJ Adair 9 DB 45 Jalin Baker 10 DB 46 Montrez Dinkins 10 LB 47 Jaren McWilliams 12 DL 48 Ibrahim Jackson 9 DB 49 Marquis Jordan 9 DL 51 Jodie McCray 10 LB 52 Marshall Engledow 11 OL 53 Jahmere Bryant 12 OL, TE 54 Jadon Pitts 12 OL, DL 55 Manasseh Thompson 12 OL, DL 56 Ryan Cooper 12 OL, DL 57 Jakobi Johnson 9 LB 58 David Larkin 11 OL 60 Amontee Washington 10 OL 62 Noah Stovall 10 OL 66 Bobby Hutchinson 11 OL 67 Brandon DeLaCruz 10 OL 71 Jose Gonzalez 10 OL 72 Zack Dixon 10 OL 73 Adrian Allen 9 OL 74 Ethan Georgia 11 OL 75 Will White 11 DL 76 CJ Brooks 10 OL 77 EJ Carter 9 OL 78 Adrian Allen 9 OL 79 Brennan Long 10 K 81 Amir Quick 9 DB 82 Marquis McKenzie 10 DB 83 Marquiz Gray 10 DB 84 Daniel Barber 9 K 85 Cary Payne 11 K 86 Victory Burley 9 DL 88 Jesse Manire 10 DL 89 Jackson McCook 9 K 90 Santanna Willis 11 DL 91 Tre Carr 10 DL 92 Carl Ingram 9 DL 93 Javar Jordan 11 DL 94 Xavier Roberts 10 DL 95 Jaden Washington 11 DB 97 Christian Jones 11 DL Head Coach: Marquis Westbrook Assistant Coaches: Jeremy Avery, Tim Bynum, Kelly Chastain, Blake Davis, Darryl Davis, Dedrick Early, Jeremy Edwards, Josh Greene, Shaun Lenderman, Michael Rowley, Jordan Singletary, Stephen Stroman, Antonio Talton, Jack Taylor, Tara Upshaw, Bryan Watts