Friday, December 05, 2008
Looking back on the Buffs' top victories
Standing in front of Floyd County High football now is a historic opportunity for a first Group A Division 2 state championship.
What advice for these undefeated athletes as a 4:15 p.m. Saturday kickoff with once-beaten Gretna looms at Salem Stadium?
Read your keys and visualize success.
This might help. The Buffaloes' five greatest victories:
No. 5: Nov. 20, 1999, Floyd County 28, George Wythe 6
In winning their first Region C title, the Buffs got 160 yards rushing and two touchdowns from ace tailback Josh Spence, who had 110 yards by halftime and TD runs of 24 yards before halftime and 27 after. All-around performer Jacob Hawkins belted four extra points and helped spearhead a defense that stopped the Maroons eight times after they twice had first and goal at the 1 in the third quarter. The second first came via an interference penalty. That preserved a 14-6 lead and was the last best chance for George Wythe and courageous quarterback Lance Goff, going both ways despite playing on a badly sprained ankle in his final game. Floyd County coach Winfred Beale pronounced the goal line stand the finest in his 26 years as coach to that point.
No. 4: Nov. 14, 2008, Floyd County 15, George Wythe 14
The boys looked like dead Buffs when the visiting Maroons, leading 14-7, had a first and 10 at the Floyd County 15 late in regional final. An exhausted Buffaloes defense turned back the threat, though. An 80-yard march followed as wonder-worker quarterback Luke Harris completed all four of his passes for 52 yards, had one immense 14-yard carry and added the 3-yard run for the score that cut the deficit to a point. There were 16 seconds left, but instead of going by the book and playing for the tie the seniors talked Beale into going for two points. Harris eluded a near sack and found tall and lanky Ethan Griffith for the winning conversion. "If it had been us, we would have kicked it," Maroons coach Donnie Pruitt said.
No. 3: Dec. 1, 2001, Floyd County 17, Gate City 3
Playing in front of a packed house at tradition-rich Gate City, the Buffaloes crafted a complete game and thumped the Blue Devils but good to advance to their second state championship game, a match with Washington & Lee. Quarterback Isaac Spence had a 37-yard scoring toss to end Adam Turner, 202-pound bruiser tailback Josh Deweese chipped in a 48-yard TD run, and Jacob Hawkins cracked three PAT's and a field goal. The defense held the powerful Gate City ground game to 89 net yards. "They really got us good," Gate City coach Nick Colobro said. "Hats off to Floyd."
No. 2: Nov. 27, 1999, Floyd County 35, Honaker 32
With so many people watching that the overflow crowded onto the field at times, the Buffs won a heart-stopper over current Pittsburgh Steeler Heath Miller and host Honaker to earn a spot in their first state title tilt the next week against eventual champ Madison County. Miller, an unbelievable talent playing both quarterback and safety at the time, almost rallied his troops from a 28-10 deficit. Going 16-for-29 for 269 yards and three TDs, Miller had 197 aerial yards in the second half alone. It was not enough. Floyd County's Josh Spence, already committed to Virginia Tech, rushed 29 times for 256 yards and four touchdowns and also went the whole way at linebacker. "Now he's a football player," Honaker coach Doug Hubbard said.
No. 1: Nov. 30, 2008, Floyd County 14, Lebanon 13
Memories of this one ought to provide copious cold chills to witnesses in the raucous home crowd whenever they reflect on it. They'll first recall the epic 82-yard winning drive Harris orchestrated in less than a minute and a half. Operating on a tightly taped and painfully throbbing ankle sprained in the first half, Harris ultimately connected with Christian Rodrigue for the 8-yard tying touch. Nathan Weiss was deadeye on the conversion kick. There were 6.8 seconds showing. Along with the great skill of the players in the comeback, good luck had something to do with it. When Lebanon had a first and 10 from the Buffs 11 with under two minutes to play and a 13-7 lead, Pioneers coach John Adams called for an inside run. The Buffs had only one timeout left. Three kneels might have done it. Instead, a backfield exchange problem resulted in a fumble. Matt Link recovered and Floyd County was in business for the winning possession. "We tried to run down the middle there, something we run all the time, something safe." said the Pioneers coach, at his post since 1987. "We just mishandled the ball."
