Wildwood, Fla. — The Villages High School football team got its 2024 season off to a momentous start with a season-opening victory over a rival Friday night in Wildwood.

Maleek Williams and Patrick Harding accounted for two touchdowns apiece, Xavier Walton caught a score and made two big plays defensively, and the Buffalo used a solid second-half effort to run away from Wildwood for a 34-13 win at Death Valley-Wildcat Field.

A late first-half touchdown pushed VHS (1-0 overall) out to a 13-6 lead at the half, before the visitors from Middleton rattled off 21 unanswered after the break to secure a Week 1 victory over their longtime in-county foes.

"The statement we made that first possession of the third quarter was big, and we just carried it throughout the rest of the night," said Buffalo head coach Richard Pettus. "We kept pounding the ball and getting it done up front, and we were able to move efficiently because of it. We also played lights out defensively and saved ourselves there after a couple turnovers, so it was a really good team win for us to start the season."

The 18th meeting in series history began with a pair of methodical drives, though each stalled in plus-territory and resulted in turnovers on downs. Wildwood (0-1) opened with a eight-play series that came to an end inside the VHS 30-yard line, while the Buffalo came back with a 12-play drive of their own — which included a touchdown negated by a penalty — but eventually stalled out inside the Wildwood 5.

The Wildcats got on the board first early in the second quarter, as running back Tyrese Keiler finished off another eight-play possession with a 1-yard plunge on the ground for a 6-0 Wildwood lead.

A solid kick return from Bradee Powell set VHS up near midfield on its ensuing possession, with the Buffalo needing just four plays for Williams to score his first touchdown of the season on a 1-yard run to push The Villages out front at 7-6. The senior running back also recorded a 32-yard reception on the drive.

After the two teams exchanged fumbles, the Buffalo put together a key drive to end the first half and hold a touchdown lead at the intermission. With just 1:48 to play before halftime, Harding led the offense down the field — using his arm and legs — before later escaping pressure to find Walton on the run for a score with :05 seconds left in the first half to lead 13-6.

VHS opened the second half with another scoring drive to take a 20-6 lead, as Williams continued to shoulder the load behind a solid offensive line as he crashed ahead for a 3-yard touchdown run with 10:06 left in the third quarter.

That's when the Buffalo defense took over, forcing two Wildwood punts and Walton making two key individual plays defensively to help VHS pull away.

The senior defensive back pulled down an interception late in the third period of action, helping set up a 7-yard quarterback keeper from Harding to give VHS a 27-6 advantage on the first play of the fourth quarter. Walton then forced a fumble amid a scrum of bodies, which ultimately led to a 16-yard touchdown reception from Ja'dence Kennedy to Omari Hill for a 34-6 lead with 5:17 remaining.

"It feels great just to play my role well for the team," Walton said after the win. "We're getting coached up really well and we practice everything we're doing out here, and I'm happy all that hard work paid off tonight."

A last-minute touchdown from Keiler, who finished with 104 rushing yards, pulled Wildwood closer on the scoreboard but it was all for naught, as the Buffalo moved to 1-0 on the young season with the three-score victory.

Williams finished with 21 carries for 110 yards and three catches for 37 yards, while Harding completed 12-of-23 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown through the air and added 58 rushing yards and a score on the ground.

VHS will now work ahead on a short week — playing at Lecanto on Thursday night — with kickoff between the Buffalo and Panthers set for 7 p.m. in Citrus County. 

"Our routine doesn't change, but the mindset definitely has to," Pettus said of the short turnaround. "We're a day earlier and we've got to be ready to go on Thursday night. Lecanto is a good football team and we're going to have our hands full, for sure."


THE VILLAGES 34, WILDWOOD 13
Villages    0    13    7    14 — 34
Wildwood    0    6    0    7 — 13
First Quarter
No scoring
Second Quarter
W: Tyrese Keiler 1 run (kick blocked), 11:08
V: Maleek Williams 1 run (Bradee Powell PAT), 8:58
V: Xavier Walton 15 pass from Patrick Harding (kick missed), :05
Third Quarter
V: Williams 3 run (Powell PAT), 10:06
Fourth Quarter
V: Harding 7 run (Powell PAT), 11:51
V: Omari Hill 16 pass from Ja'dence Kennedy (Owen Yassen PAT), 5:17
W: Keiler 18 run, :58





Cody Hills can be reached for questions or comment at cody.hills@tvcs.org or by calling (352) 259-6890.