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Yellowjackets look to keep rolling vs. Buffalo

Photo courtesy of Scott McCloskey Williamstown’s Carter Haynes, right, throws a pass during a high school football game against Magnolia earlier this season.

Williamstown High is expected to be a prohibitive favorite when it plays the Buffalo Bison at 7 p.m. Friday at the new Buffalo Stadium.

The Terry Smith-coached Yellowjackets, 11-ranked in Class A with a 3-1 overall record, has won three straight since falling 33-0 to top-ranked Wheeling Central in their August 23 season opener.

“We didn’t play terrible against Wheeling Central,” Smith said. “It’s just that they’re so good.

“Since that game, we’ve played pretty good defense and haven’t turned the ball over a whole lot. We had no turnovers against Ravenswood; two against Marietta; and one against Magnolia.”

Buffalo, meanwhile, is winless at 0-4, and has only scored three touchdowns on the season. Last Friday evening, the Brian Batman-led Bison hosted and dropped a 56-6 decision to the 14th-ranked Sherman Tide.

On that same Friday evening, the Jackets were routing the eighth-ranked Ravenswood Red Devils, 55-19, at Flinn Field in Jackson County.

Williamstown just may have too many offensive weapons for Buffalo to contain.

Against the Devils (2-1), WHS quarterback Carter Haynes threw four touchdown passes, two to Eric Brown, in the first half.

“Carter’s worked hard and he’s really good,” Smith said.

Maroon and gold running back Donathan Taylor scored four touchdowns, three rushing and one receiving. One of the junior’s runs was an 80-yard dash to the house.

“Donathan’s really talented,” Smith said.

Nick Bondi added a five-yard TD catch, and Ty Moore rushed four yards to paydirt for the winners.

Williamstown owned a commanding 48-7 advantage at halftime.

The Jackets amassed 457 yards of total offense in the contest, and the first-team defense limited RHS to just one TD.

Over in Putnam County, on the same night, Buffalo was getting drilled by Sherman, giving up 30 first-quarter points. The Bison couldn’t slow down the Tide’s running game and allowed an even 400 yards of offense in the contest.

Buffalo did avert a shutout in the fourth quarter when QB Jarod Bailes hooked up with David Whittington for a 13-yard scoring strike.

Look for the Bison to keep the ball on the ground with Jackson England and Caleb Marcum doing the bulk of the ball carrying.

“There’s some talent there, I think,” Smith said. “It seems like Buffalo will do some good things, and then turn around and do some bad things.”

As to how Buffalo will stop Williamstown’s high-powered offense…well, good luck, because the Bison are going to need plenty of it.

Last year, Williamstown defeated Buffalo, 41-0.

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