No trick, just a treat: Buchholz puts on defensive masterclass in Halloween upset against Cardinal Newman

GAINESVILLE – Buchholz knew what to expect on fourth down.

Cardinal Newman quarterback Jyron Hughley relied on the same formula all night, hustling and hoping his speed suited the Bobcat defense.

With the game on the line, Hughley came out of the pocket.

He forgot Nic Clayton.

Wisconsin’s commitment lived up to the adage that “big players make big plays” with the fourth sack inside the Crusader red zone winning it for Buchholz.

The ‘Cats sent off a spooked Cardinal Newman team in West Palm Beach with a 14-7 victory on Halloween night at Citizens Field.

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“To close out the regular season with a win like this is special, especially for the seniors,” coach Mark Whittemore said. “It gives us some great momentum heading into the playoffs.”

This victory is a milestone victory for the season. The Crusaders were ranked No. 4 in Florida in the latest FHSAA rankings.

The surprise of this match occurred on defense. The Bobcat defense, usually the engine that drives the team, has struggled in recent weeks.

A first-half shutout quickly proved Buchholz had an October surprise.

With his defensive performance, one would expect BHS to be operating in perfect gear considering the combined 153 points he has scored over the last three games.

The first two records? It was.

Buchholz rushed for 76 yards in five plays, capped with 58 rushing yards by Justin Williams.

Saying that Williams, a receiver by nature, has adapted well to the backfield is like saying the candy industry depends on Halloween.

That’s a huge understatement.

Williams scored seven touchdowns against Tocoi Creek on Oct. 14, then ran for nearly 300 yards last week against Bartram Trail.

“I don’t know what category you would put him in as an athlete, but he has a very tough body,” Whittemore said.

He was on his way to a second touchdown on the next drive, but a miscommunication between quarterback Trace Johnson and Jasiah Powell put the ball on the ground.

This sparked a crisis for the Bobcat offense that it was unable to extricate itself from.

Buchholz missed a field goal on his next drive.

Whittemore isn’t too worried about the offensive struggles.

“When you play a top 20 opponent, it’s tough,” Whittemore said.

The offense passed the test in the second half with a five-minute, 80-yard touchdown drive, ending with Williams’ second touchdown of the game.

Defensively, the speed of Hughley and Louisville commit Jaylin Brown began to catch up to the Crusaders, who scored their first touchdown midway through the third.

When it mattered most, Cardinal Newman punted and that turnover dwindled in the fourth quarter.

Whittemore called the front seven’s defensive game plan “impeccable.”

“We did a great job denying what we didn’t deny last week,” Whittemore said. “We played flawlessly up front, which allowed us to be skilled at linebacker and make some plays we didn’t make last week.”

The Bobcats now rest next week and await their playoff fate. In the latest FHSAA rankings, BHS ranked No. 3 in 6A Region 1, 15 spots behind No. 2 Pace.

Buchholz hopes this win, combined with Pace facing Milton 0-9, will be enough to overtake the Patriots.

Otherwise, the ‘Cats are ready to embrace the road warrior mantra.

“We’ve been to Georgia, we’ve been to Vero Beach, so these kids are used to that,” Whittemore said.

Justin Williams summed up the team’s feeling.

“I like going to other people’s places and we’re going to beat any team we play,” Williams said.

Noah Ram covers Gainesville area high school sports and University of Florida athletics for The Gainesville Sun and the USA TODAY Network. Contact him by email at [email protected] and follow him @Noah_ram1 on X/Twitter.

This article was originally published on The Gainesville Sun: FHSAA Florida High School Football: Buchholz Football Defeats Cardinal Newman