Reed emerging for Bucs

Chase Reed and his Boyd-Buchanan coaches went through a feeling-out process through spring and those early August practices and even into the 2010 season.

The coaches knew Reed could run, but they also knew they were reconfiguring an offense depleted by graduation.

The transformation has resulted in Reed scoring 102 points through the Buccaneers' first-round playoff win over Unaka. The junior ran for 143 yards and the team's first touchdown and kicked two extra points and two field goals in a 22-6 victory to earn the Times Free Press Player of the Week honor.

He has 11 touchdowns and five field goals in five attempts, with a long of 36.

"This year he has come into his own," Boyd-Buchanan coach Grant Reynolds said. "He has learned how to run more than just sprint, and he has learned how to fit into our offense as far as pass-catching and blocking.

"The last three wins Chase has gotten the bulk of the carries," Reynolds said. "When you have a good athlete like that, you want to get him the ball as much as you can, but the other kids have done a great job of taking the pressure off him."

Specifically, Reynolds was talking about John Hale, Rock Wood and freshman quarterback Jim Cardwell. Hale and Wood have shouldered the burden of the inside running game in the Bucs' option offense and have combined for 549 yards in addition to blocking for the 5-foot-8, 165-pound Reed.

Coinciding with increased rushing demands on Reed has been the emergence of Caldwell, who finally wrested the starting job from Clay Parker.

"Both quarterbacks did a great job competing for the job, and we had alternated the two through Week 8," Reynolds said, "but we have always had kids at quarterback that could run the option, and that's where we are right now with our scheme."

The Buccaneers, state runners-up two years ago, will take their option and their standout running back and kicker on the road this week to play at Hampton. The 9-1 Bulldogs are the top seed in the eight-team quadrant at the top of the 2A bracket and enjoyed a bye for last week's opening round.

"Compared to the bunch we played last week, they're not quite as big," Reynolds said. "They have a couple of quick running backs, they're well-coached and they do a good job in the kicking game. Their coach is Mike Lunsford, whom we got to know in past playoffs when he coached at Cloudland. He also has very physical teams."

Reynolds, though, has been encouraged by the Bucs' improved play late in the season.

"The younger guys are playing well and the older kids are coming through as good leaders," he said. "I like the way we're competing right now."