Boyd-Buchanan locked up the Region 3-2A Championship on Friday with an impressive 41-0 win at Polk County. The top-ranked Buccaneers scored on possession number one and never looked back as they ran their record to a perfect 8-0 and 6-0 in region play. A 45 yard pass play from quarterback Cooper Hodge to E.J. Mathews set up a one yard touchdown run by Isiah Dillard to put the Bucs up 7-0 with 9:13 to go in the first quarter. After that initial score, then Buccaneers got a little sloppy, as they were flagged with five penalties in the game's first nine minutes.
With :13 left in the opening quarter of play, E.J.
Mathews rambled in from 46 yards out to put Boyd-Buchanan up 13-0. Just a few moments after that, quarterback Cooper Hodge again completed a pass for a huge gain, this time to Jeremy Borders, which set up another touchdown. This one, a 29 yard scamper by Isiah Dillard put the Bucs up 20-0 with 9:17 left in the first half. Following a Polk County punt, it took the Bucs only one play to reach the end zone again as E.J. Mathews scored on a 62 yard run and with 7:32 remaining in the first half, Boyd-Buchanan led 27-0.
With 3:44 left in the first half, Jeremy Borders out ran the Wildcats and scored from 58 yards out to make the score 34-0 at the half. The Buccaneers put up 382 yards of offense in the first half in building that 34-0 lead.
In the second half, the Bucs struck like lightning as Will Watkins stepped in front of a Wildcat pass and intercepted it, returning it to the Polk County 22 yard line. On first down Isiah Dillard scored on a 22 yard run, and the Bucs were in command 41-0. The TSSAA "Mercy Rule" was in effect from that point on as the Bucs coasted to the win. Next week, the Buccaneers renew an old rivalry as they host South Pittsburg's Pirates in a non-region contest at David L. Boyd Field at 7:30.
Boyd-Buchanan wrapped up a bye in the first round of the 2-A playoffs in Tennessee as they claimed the 3-2A title.