NORTH CANTON — Trying to explain how his team got the job done on a wild opening Friday night of high school football , Buchtel coach Bryan Williams just kind of shook his head.
"A little bit of this and a little bit of that," Williams said.
And a whole lot of heart from the boys from Akron .
Buchtel shut out Hoover in the second half and overcame just enough mistakes in a game filled with them to win 22-13 at Memorial Stadium.
Up 14-13 with 16 seconds left, the Griffins blocked a 44-yard field goal attempt by Hoover's Alec McLeod. Karter Dawson scooped it up for Buchtel and ran 62 yards for a touchdown. QB Stevie Diamond, who ran for two TDs earlier and completed some big throws to convert third downs, added the 2-point conversion run to seal the win.
It was the third long field goal missed by Hoover on the night and the second one blocked by the Griffins.
"We talked about effort. We talked about finishing, man. We talked about playing as a team," Williams said. "The biggest thing is composure. You can lose it in this type of game, and that's when the other team takes advantage. We kept our composure. We had some hiccups, but we made more plays than they did."
Hoover enjoyed early success running the ball with AJ Dolph, but the Griffins adjusted and took that away. The Vikings could not get anything going in the passing game.
Hoover had the ball in Buchtel territory five times in the second half and never paid it off.
Vikings head coach Brian Baum rued one of his own decisions from the first half.
Hoover led 13-6 with the PAT coming after Bryce Roach's 1-yard TD run early in the second quarter. But Baum went for 2, and a pass from quarterback Zac Braucher was incomplete.
"I wish I would've kicked the extra point," Baum said. "I wanted to put it up two possessions. That call will haunt me."
Here's how things unfolded through our live score updates.
Buchtel returns blocked field goal for late TD to seal win vs. Hoover
The Griffins blocked Hoover's 44-yard, go-ahead field goal attempt and returned it for a TD with two seconds left to increase their lead to 20-13. They added a successful 2-point conversion to win the game 22-13.
Hoover forces punt
The Vikings get the ball back at their own 29 with 3:45 left, trailing 14-13.
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Hoover can't cash in golden opportunity
A Buchtel fumble gives Hoover great field position at the Griffins' 22. But the Vikings go backwards and have to settle for a 42-yard field goal try from Paul Koskovich. It misses wide left with 6:57 left.
Buchtel leads Hoover 14-13 after three quarters
The Griffins have second-and-5 at their own 34 when fourth quarter starts. A pass interference call on Hoover got Buchtel a first down on third-and-8 back at its own 3.
Hoover and Buchtel play hot potato
The Vikings settled for a 52-yard field goal attempt by Alec McLeod and it was blocked by the Griffins. Two plays later, Buchtel's Marcus Britt fumbled the ball away, with Sam Hassen recovering at the Griffins' 14. But Hoover gives it right back, with John Collins fumbling inside the 5 and the Griffins recovering at the 1. Collins was shaken up on the play. Buchtel still leads 14-13 with 2:51 left in the third quarter.
Buchtel and Hoover trade defensive stops
The Griffins stop Hoover short on fourth-and-3. Buchtel takes over on its own 27 with 6:16 left in third quarter. Moments later, it's Hoover stopping Buchtel on fourth-and-1, with Jake Rembielak dropping Stevie Diamond for a 3-yard loss. The Vikings take over on the Griffins' 34.
Second half ready to start
Buchtel will get the kick from Hoover. Alec McLeod has blasted both of his kickoffs tonight into the end zone for the Vikings.
Buchtel leads Hoover 14-13 at halftime
If you're a fan of the forward pass, this is not the game for you. Stevie Diamond did hit Dwight Shade on a 10-yard pass to convert a third-and-8 on Buchtel's go-ahead scoring drive. AJ Dolph has been the main weapon for Hoover with 93 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.
Buchtel surges into lead on Hoover
Stevie Diamond used his quickness to get the corner and score on a 5-yard touchdown run with 33 seconds left in the first half. Dajuan Owens powered in a 2-point run to put the Griffins in the lead at 14-13.
Vikings ground game churning
Bryce Roach punches in a 1-yard touchdown to cap a seven-play, 60-yard scoring drive. Hoover goes for 2 and throws incomplete, so the Vikings lead 13-6 with 10:23 left in the second quarter. Hoover has completed one pass and it came on a screen.
Hoover leads Buchtel 7-6 after first quarter
Vikings will have a second-and-6 at the Buchtel 36 when the second quarter starts.
Buchtel takes advantage of Hoover miscue
Hoover forced a quick Buchtel punt, but the Vikings mishandled the ball and the Griffins recovered at the Hoover 15. Three plays later, Stevie Diamond went airborne, getting flipped over, on a 11-yard TD run for Buchtel. A rush attempt failed on the PAT. Hoover leads Buchtel 7-6 with 3:59 left first quarter.
Hoover powers its way to an early lead
The Vikings waste no time going down the field for a touchdown on the opening possession. That was nine plays, all on the ground, covering 62 yards. AJ Dolph capped it with a 7-yard touchdown. He carried five times on the drive for 39 yards. Paul Koskovich adds PAT for 7-0 Hoover lead with 7:29 left first quarter.
Hoover to receive opening kickoff
Buchtel won the coin toss and deferred to the second half.
A quick look at the North Canton Hoover and Buchtel football teams
Both the Division II Vikings and Division IV Griffins return a lot of experience and look to make a jump after .500 seasons last year. Both went 6-6, reaching the state playoffs and winning one game before their season ended in the regional quarterfinals. Hoover is in the Federal League, while Buchtel plays in the Akron City Series.
This is the third straight year Hoover has opened at home against Buchtel , with the Vikings winning 35-21 in 2022 and 27-21 last year.
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This article originally appeared on The Repository: OHSAA football scores | North Canton Hoover vs. Buchtel high school football recap
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