Middleton, Fla. – The Villages High School football team will host a state playoff game against a familiar foe next Friday night in Middleton.

The Buffalo (10-0) earned the No. 3 seed in Class 3A-Region 2 and will host No. 6 South Sumter (6-4) in a regional quarterfinal matchup, with kickoff between the two rivals set for 7:30 p.m. Nov. 13 at H.G. Morse Stadium in Middleton.

The postseason tilt will be the second time VHS and SSHS have faced off in three weeks, following a 33-10 road victory for the Buffalo back on Oct. 23 in Bushnell. That victory clinched the Class 3A-District 6 championship for The Villages, punching its postseason ticket and earning the right to host a first-round playoff game.

In that matchup, the Buffalo rushing attack dominated the second half, as Tranard Roberts ran for four touchdowns over the final two periods en route to finishing with 187 yards on 13 carries. The Villages also proved to be the more physical defensive squad, allowing just 160 yards of offense – an average of 3.1 yards per play – while racking up 10 tackles for loss and four sacks in the regular-season win.

Friday night's regional quarterfinal will mark the ninth meeting all-time between the two schools separated by just a dozen miles and only the second-ever postseason meeting. South Sumter got the better of The Villages, 21-7, back in November 2019.


Cody Hills can be reached for questions or comment at cody.hills@tvcs.org.