Any team that’s still alive — and at this point in Central Virginia it’s just Buckingham—at the region championship level is going to have some of those smaller but critical pieces in place that hold the whole puzzle together.
Then again, when you’ve got all of 27 players on the roster, just about everyone has to be a critical piece. Which is why an undersized defensive end and a sophomore backup quarterback — Jackson Bryant and Cam Johnson — have helped put Buckingham in position to take on superpower Gretna in the Region B, Division 2 championship.
Jackson Bryant checks in at all of 5-foot-10 and 160 pounds, which is small even for a Group A defensive end. The junior, who moved from nose guard this season, uses his speed to create havoc in opposing backfields. The approach worked, particularly late in the year when Bryant came up with 12.5 tackles in the regular season finale and another 7.5 in the Region B semifinal win over Clarke County.
“I’m not the biggest guy, but I’m fast,” Bryant said. “Speed kills.”
He grew up with two older brothers, both of whom suited up for the Knights and played under head coach Craig Gill. According to Gill, Bryant may be the youngest of the litter and just a junior, but he’s already made his own mark on the Buckingham program.
“He’s the toughest kid I’ve coached in a long time,” Gill said. “I don’t think they (Will and Ben Bryant) hold a candle to him.”
His numbers certainly say he has. He’s second on the team behind middle linebacker Michael Layman in total tackles and he leads the squad in tackles for a loss. He even scored a critical touchdown in the Knights in their win over Fluvanna, scooping up a blocked kick and racing 60 yards for a score.
His speed may also be an advantage against Gretna — the Hawks try and get to the edge on a regular basis, but with Bryant roaming one edge that job will at the very least be a bit tougher.
Johnson can have the same kind of impact on a game — he just does it from a multitude of positions. Johnson didn’t think it would be that way though, not when the season started.
“I thought I was I just going to back Tarian up, but they threw me in at receiver,” Johnson said.
He’s had a solid impact there in a productive passing offense that the Knights have utilizied to keep defenses from loading up against almost 2,000-yard rusher Maurice Taylor. Johnson has hauled in 316 yards and three touchdowns on 20 catches, providing a nice compliment to standout junior Antonn Briley and tall sophomore Caleb White. He’s also filled in admirably at quarterback when injuries have hampered Ayers, not throwing the ball much, but running the offense efficiently.
While he’s been pressed into a number of key duties — Johnson has averaged nearly four tackles from his spot at defensive back—he’s also been able to learn behind Ayers.
“Tarian is a great quarterback to learn from,” Johnson said. “Anything I need I can go to him and ask him. He tells me everything I need to know.”
Johnson and Bryant may not be on the tips of everyone’s tongue when they talk Buckingham football, but they’re both parts of puzzle, and pretty darn good ones at that.
Buckingham County (10-1) at Gretna (10-1) 6 p.m. Friday, Region B, Division 2 final
The Basics: Buckingham had to upset Clarke County on the road to get a shot at redemption against Gretna and they got it done on a cold night in Berryville, winning 7-0. Now they get a shot at the Hawks, who ended the Knights’ unbeaten run in 2009 with an overtime victory. This time around, they’ll face a Gretna squad that’s hitting on all cylinders. The Hawks crushed Manassas Park last week, a team Buckingham managed to beat in the regular season. Both Gretna and Buckingham have the run game to survive in November, with Gretna getting the bulk of its production from quarterback while the Knights lean on running back Maurice Taylor. This one has the makings of a down-to-the-wire battle.
Key matchup: Gretna linebackers Darien Jefferson and Reese Wilmoth take on Buckingham’s Taylor. The Hawks’ two linebackers average right at nine tackles per game each, but they’ll have their hands full with Taylor, who could cross the 2,000 yard mark against Gretna. If Jefferson and Wilmoth can keep tabs on the slippery Taylor, Buckingham may have to take to the air to come up with points.
Who to watch: Gretna’s Nick Miller. The Hawks’ star senior quarterback is just 5-foot-8, but the stats speak for themselves. He’s rushed for 1,516 yards, averaging 9.2 yards per carry. He’s thrown for another 1,299. The Hawks are no one-man team, not by any stretch, but Miller is the engine that drives them. Buckingham has to at least contain the senior to have a chance.
Line: Buckingham by 1. Look, if Fork Union can do it — the Blue Devils, who earned the final seed in the playoffs, derailed Liberty Christian Academy, the presumptive favorite to win the state title in the Division I semifinals — why can’t Buckingham get it done against Gretna?
