High school football: No. 10 Buford knocks off No. 6 St. Frances Academy 18-0 behind two Dylan Raiola TDs

By Jordan Divens Aug 18, 2023, 7:10pm

Georgia commit and top-ranked senior leads Wolves to upset win with scoring strikes to Tyshun White, K.J. Bolden.

No. 10 Buford (Ga.) opened its 2023 high school football season Friday with an 18-0 upset victory over No. 6 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore) as top-ranked senior prospect and Georgia commit Dylan Raiola impressed in his debut with a pair of touchdown passes.

Raiola connected with four-star North Carolina commit Tyshun White toward the end of the first quarter for his first score of the season before throwing a strike to five-star Florida State commit K.J. Bolden to put the Wolves ahead 15-0 with just under eight minutes remaining before half.

Despite being heavily pressured throughout the contest, Raiola showed poise against an impressive St. Frances Academy defense to lead the Wolves to the season-opening victory.

The Panthers had multiple scoring opportunities but a penalty called back a long first-half touchdown before a Buford defensive stand in the red zone halted the scoring threat early in the fourth quarter.

Buford (1-0), which begins the season as the team to beat in the Peach State, returns to the field for a road showdown against Mallard Creek (Charlotte, N.C.) on Aug. 27.



St. Frances Academy (0-1) continues a grueling schedule with an Aug. 26 road showdown against No. 7 Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.).
Top-ranked senior prospect Dylan Raiola impressed in his Buford debut on Friday night. He threw two first-half touchdown passes in a 18-0 shutout victory over No. 6 St. Frances Academy. (Photo: Michael Mixon)
Top-ranked senior prospect Dylan Raiola impressed in his Buford debut on Friday night. He threw two first-half touchdown passes in a 18-0 shutout victory over No. 6 St. Frances Academy. (Photo: Michael Mixon)
Five-star Florida State commit K.J. Bolden celebrates a first down for Buford as the Wolves won their season opener, 18-0 over No. 6 St. Frances Academy. (Photo: Michael Mixon)
Five-star Florida State commit K.J. Bolden celebrates a first down for Buford as the Wolves won their season opener, 18-0 over No. 6 St. Frances Academy. (Photo: Michael Mixon)