
Buchholz may have defeated cross-town rival Eastside, 35-7, on Friday evening, but that doesn’t mean it came easily.
Taking just a 7-0 lead thanks to a Jasiah Powell 14-yard touchdown rush on the opening drive, the Bobcats needed a quick turnaround and any momentum offensively to support its defense, which had dominated Eastside all night.
Quarterback Trace Johnson, who did not complete a single pass in the second quarter, threw four second-half touchdowns. Two went to D.J. Hicks in the fourth quarter with two more going to Justin Williams in the third and fourth quarters.
Meanwhile, the Bobcat defense continued its dominance with only one score given up, which came after a muffed punt.
“It really says a lot about our defense,” said Buchholz head coach Mark Whittemore on the second-half turnaround. “It says more about our defense than anything else because they’re the ones that have to hold the rope, toe the line.”
Sparked by a 28-yard catch-and-run by Hicks, Johnson hit Williams for a seven-yard score to open the third quarter.
“Not surprising that he came out in the second half and had an explosive play,” Whittemore said of Hicks. “He’s an explosive player. That’s what he’s going to do each game.”
The Rams, who had dominated defensively with multiple turnovers-on-downs and a forced missed field goal in the first half, found brief offensive success in the third quarter when quarterback Andrew Sutherland hit receiver Daijon Johnson for a 40-yard touchdown.
However, a plethora of penalties, including multiple unsportsmanlike conducts, overtook any other momentum gained by Eastside, and Buchholz took advantage.
An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty extended a Bobcat drive that ended in Johnson hitting Hicks for a six-yard score off a jet toss to make it 21-7.
On the next drive, another Ram penalty moved Buchholz inside the 5-yard line, and another jet toss from Johnson to Hicks resulted in a two-yard score. Hicks finished the game with a game-high nine catches and two scores.
Hicks now has three touchdown receptions on the season, which matches his total from last year.
“It was just being a team player last year,” he said. “Going back to the Lakeland game, it really hurt, and for the returners like me, Justin and Trace, we knew we had to work harder in the offseason, do everything we can to bring the team back to how it was last year. We showed that today.”
Finally, a 15-yard penalty on the next drive by Eastside moved Buchholz inside the red zone, which eventually set up a 12-yard touchdown pass from Johnson to Williams for the final score.
Next week, Buchholz (3-0) faces another major test in a difficult schedule as it hosts Manatee (Bradenton) at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Meanwhile, Eastside (1-2) will look to get back in the win column at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday against Trinity Catholic at Citizen’s Field.
Friday, Sept. 6
Buchholz 35, Eastside 7
Gainesville 14, Leon (Tallahassee) 7
Florida High (Tallahassee) 41, Hawthorne 27
Vanguard (Ocala) 23, Newberry 0
P.K. Yonge 38, Young Kids In Motion (Jacksonville) 12
Union County (Lake Butler) 45, Santa Fe (Alachua) 0
Master’s Academy (Oviedo) 57, Oak Hall 20
Bell 14, Branford 13
Bradford (Starke) 28, South Sumter (Bushnell) 7
Chiefland 44, Belleview 0
Columbia (Lake City) 20, Hillsborough 0
Fort White 21, North Marion (Citra)18
Williston 21, Land O’Lakes 13
Aucilla Christian (Monticello) 29, Trenton 8
Taylor County (Perry) 37, Dixie County (Cross City) 0
Madison County 43, Suwannee (Live Oak) 26
Foundation Academy (Winter Garden) 42, Bronson 0
Jordan Christian Prep (Auburndale) at Saint Francis Catholic Academy, not reported