ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – In a matchup of two powerhouse programs that haven’t played each other since the turn of the century, the undefeated North Gwinnett Bulldogs will make the 15-minute drive to Buford to face off against the Wolves in a one-game defeat Class 6A quarterfinal matchup of prominent North Georgia teams.

The last time the two teams met in 1999, Dexter Wood’s Buford team celebrated a 27-6 victory over Tim Hammontree’s North Gwinnett Bulldogs.

The game will be broadcast live on Peachtree Sports Network and will also be streamed live on the Atlanta News First app beginning at 8 p.m. From home, download the free ANF+ app wherever you stream – FireTV, AppleTV, Roku and YouTubeTV – simply by searching “Atlanta News First” on those platforms. If you’re on the go, you can download Atlanta News First for free on your Apple or Android device from the App Store. You can also follow it live here on the WANF – Special Events channel.

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North Gwinnett is coming off a 24-10 win over Newton in the second round in which the Bulldogs totaled more than 400 yards of offense, including over 300 yards rushing. North Gwinnett senior running back Tommy Lafayettte tallied 188 rushing yards alone in the win over the Rams, sending the Bulldogs to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2022.

The Buford Wolves are coming off a 42-7 win over Lowndes, holding the Vikings to their lowest point total of the season. The Wolves’ offense topped 400 yards, with a balanced offensive attack that totaled nearly 160 yards through the air and just over 250 yards on the ground, with five different players rushing for 25 yards or more.

Both programs are seeking their first taste of the semifinals this decade, as Buford hasn’t made it since the 2017 season and North Gwinnett since 2019.

The Bulldogs will look to maintain their perfect record and strive for their first undefeated season in program history. Led by Eric Godfree, who is in his second season with the program after eight seasons at Parkview, a win on Friday would mark the coach’s first return to the semifinals since 2019.

This year’s North Gwinnett team is a different breed and is smothering any competition that lines up in front of them. The Bulldogs feature an explosive and experienced offense that averages over 38 points per game and over 4,000 yards of total offense, coupled with a defense that has held opponents to 10 or fewer points in seven of their 12 games this season, including both has played in postseason games and has 188 tackles for loss this season.

The Bulldogs are led by Georgia Tech baseball senior quarterback Ryan Hall, who has commanded a well-oiled offensive machine in 12 games. Hall has thrown for nearly 1,800 yards with a 65% completion rate this season, as well as 23 passing touchdowns and just two interceptions. Although Hall is not known for his agility, he was able to use his legs to his advantage, totaling over 450 yards and five rushing touchdowns this season.

“He’s probably our most productive football player overall,” Godfree said. “What he brings to the table at the quarterback position, he can run, he can throw, he can make plays. He is a dynamic football player for us, he really helps us offensively.”

Hall’s legs were an added bonus to an already potent Bulldogs offense led by Tommy Lafayette, who recently decommitted from Stanford. The senior running back has rushed for over 780 yards this season, scoring 11 rushing touchdowns on 121 carries. Lafayette is averaging more than six yards per carry and has had two games with more than 100 yards this season, including the second-round win over Newton.

North Gwinnett’s receiving corps is comprised of a handful of upperclassmen who have achieved several major accomplishments throughout their high school careers. Seniors Erik Ronning and Nicholas Bookman performed incredibly for the Bulldogs, combining for nearly 1,500 all-purpose yards. Ronning leads the team with 570 yards, while Bookman is a close second with just over 480 yards this season.

With so many playmakers on offense, the Bulldogs’ defense is no stranger to causing problems for opposing offenses with a disruptive defensive line that is one of the best in the state.

Led by seniors edge rusher and Wake Forest commit Cole Funderburk and defensive lineman, Rutgers commit Braxton Kyle, the Bulldogs marked their territory in the backfield as the two totaled 117 tackles, an astounding 56 tackles for a loss, including 16 sacks between the two star defenders.

Second-year linebacker Jake Godfree, son of Coach Godfree, has done an impressive job commanding an experienced North Gwinnett defense from his position in the middle of the defensive unit. The sophomore leads all Bulldogs with 117 tackles this season, including 18 tackles for loss on his own. Godfree has received offers from major college programs such as Ohio State, Michigan, Tennessee and Florida State after an impressive sophomore campaign.

Leading the Bulldogs’ back end is veteran cornerback Malaki Weedon, who has made North Gwinnett very difficult for opponents to throw to. The senior leads the team with five interceptions this season, including two this past weekend against Newton. In addition to his five interceptions, Weedon recorded six pass deflections and two fumble recoveries during his final high school football season.

Bryant Appling leads an impressive Buford team that remained dangerous throughout the 2024 season. The Wolves’ only mistake this season was leading national-leading Milton by just three points. It’s the closest point it’s ever had since winning the title a year ago against the reigning Class 7A champions.

“We didn’t play bad or anything (against Milton), we just couldn’t get it in the red zone and couldn’t stop the big play,” Appling said. “We have gotten better in all these aspects of the game over the last 12 games, they have grown closer together and trust each other a lot more in difficult situations, which has paid off on the field.”

After rattling off 11 straight wins following the Milton game, including wins over Benedictine, Roswell, Douglas County and Collins Hill, the Wolves enter Friday’s quarterfinal game battle-tested and ready to show why they are one of the top teams in the game belong to the state.

Buford quarterback junior Dayton Raiola has been a key to offensive success this season, leading a strong offense in his first season as a starter. The junior has thrown for more than 1,700 yards and 18 passing touchdowns this season, along with a 58% completion rate and just three interceptions. Raiola averages just over 140 yards per game through the air and has only recorded one rushing touchdown this season.

The Wolves’ four-headed monster of a rushing attack features two seniors and two juniors who each gained over 300 yards on the ground on the season. Senior running back and Tennessee standout Justin Baker was the lead back and leads the team in carries, yards and touchdowns with 93 carries for nearly 900 yards and 11 touchdowns. A back like Baker and a committee consisting of senior Ethan Ervin, who has totaled over 600 yards and six touchdowns, as well as two junior backs in Tyriq Green and Dylan McCoy, who have combined for 10 touchdowns, have all proven to be great options for the wolves.

In the passing game, Georgia Tech’s most recent commitment, Jordan Allen leads all Wolves in receiving yards by a wide margin, with nearly 800 this season, an average of about 25 yards per catch. He leads the next highest receiver on the team with more than 500 yards and was a real threat for the Wolves in the return game with his speed and volatility.

Buford’s defense is as good as you’ll find anywhere in the state. The Wolves have several players on the defensive side of the ball who are committed to major college football programs across the country.

The leading tackler on this year’s Wolves team, senior LB and 3-star South Carolina prospect AJ Holloway, has totaled 64 tackles and 10 tackles for a loss in 12 games this season. Along with Holloway, Buford is among the best linebackers in the country this year, including USC’s Jadon Perlotte. Perlotte is one of the top players in the state and decommitted from Georgia to the Trojans in July. The senior has recorded 23 tackles in just seven active games this season. In addition to Perlotte and Holloway, senior linebacker Mantrez Walker, a Colorado commit, was another name that caused problems at his linebacker position. The senior is second on the team with 53 tackles, to go along with one fumble recovery and three tackles for a loss.

The Wolves defensive line has numerous pass rushing threats that will make life difficult for the North Gwinnett offense. Junior defenseman Bryce Perry-Wright and Wake Forest senior Nicco Maggio have been terrors in the front seven for Buford this season. The two rank first and second on the team in tackles for loss, with 13 for Perry-Wright and 10 for Maggio. Perry-Wright has totaled 48 tackles this season and has picked up offers from major programs like Alabama, Florida, Oregon, Ohio State, Georgia and many others.

The secondary for Buford is among the best in the country. Stanford commits Chris Garland and Tyriq Green have been exceptional for the Wolves this season. The two have combined for eight interceptions and 43 tackles this season, keeping the back end of the Wolves defense in check.

After not meeting in two decades or more, North Gwinnett and Buford meet for the first time in the postseason this Friday at Buford’s Tom Rosen Stadium.

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