Falcons show that they are a true bird of prey as they tear up Buchtel up 44-7


On Saturday afternoon, I made my second visit of the 2024 football season to Akron Buchtel High School to watch the Griffins battle a very stout Austintown Fitch squad. Fitch came in with a 4-0 record, while Buchtel came in with a 1-3 record, dropping their last three games.

Treavion Davis muffed the opening kickoff, but he made fast work in recovering the ball, and then with a burst of speed that would have made Bullet Bob Hayes proud, he took off and did not stop until he had gone 65 yards for a touchdown. Anthony Ruggles made this a 7-0 game with his conversion kick. Doing the long snapping on the play was Hunter Smart. Smart is one of the best long snappers in the state, and Ruggles has been the best kicker I have watched all this year.

Robert Maderitz set up the next Falcons touchdown when he took the ball to the Buchtel 3-yard line. Deon'Dray Richard ended the drive going in from the three to make this a 14-0 game, with 6:39 left in the opening quarter.

In large part to a bad snap, one of several that would plaqu Buchtel throughout the game, Rocco DiFlorio would get a 15-yard sack on Quadire Harvey at the 1:31 mark of the quarter.

With 9:41 left in the half, Junie Higgs would haul in a 14-yard catch to help set up the Falcons next score, which came on a 23-yard run from Richard to make this a 21-0 game with 9:11 left in the half.

Ruggles would pull off a perfect onside kick, and completing the play for the Falcons with the recovery was Christian Mahone. Richard Humphrey would show that the Buchtel defense had no quit in them with a sack that put the Falcons back 9 yards. Then a pick by Harvey gave the Griffins the ball.

The Falcons defense would make short work of the Griffins offense, forcing a punt. On the put, the ball rolled backwards, making this a negative yard punt. Two Buchtel players tried to down it but never touched the ball; scooping up the ball for the Falcons and taking it to the house from 23 yards out was Davis to make this a 28-0 game with 4:15 left in the half.

With 2:21 left on the clock, Buchtel was forced to punt again; this time Deonte Stallings blocked the kick, scooping up the ball and taking it to the end zone for another Falcons score was Brayden Bryant to make the score 35-0.

Once again, the punting unit would give up points for Buchtel when another bad snap caused the ball to go over the punter's head, where the end result was a safety to make this a 37-0 game with 0:17 left in the half.

The Griffins would get a 55-yard touchdown catch from Demetrius Coates with the conversion kick by Xavier Wilson, making this a 37-7 game with 5:01 left in the running clock third quarter. 

Richard would twist and turn and break a tackle on his way to a 31-yard run. He would have a nice power run taken from his when a late flag was thrown on the Falcons at the 1:00 mark of the quarter.

The final score in the game came on a 24-yard touchdown catch by Brayden Bryant, making this a 44-7 game. Before the game ended, DiFlorio got a sack on Stevie Diamond. DiFloria, who is listed at 5-11, 220, can hit and play defense well at his linebacker slot.

My unofficial stats

Falcons

30 plays

256 yards

Passing, 5-7 1 TD 1 INT

Griffins

29 plays

66 yards (negative 4 in the first half)

Passing, 5-10, 1 TD

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