Calhoun can’t keep pace vs. Canes
The Cartersville Hurricanes flashed its prolific aerial attack and ferocious defense on Friday, storming past the Calhoun Yellow Jackets 58-6.
The Yellow Jacket defense struggled to come up with an answer for Cartersville quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence, considered by many to be the best pocket-passing quarterback recruit in the nation, established phenomenal pocket presence and pinpoint accuracy en route to passing for nearly 300 yards and four passing touchdowns.
Just like Lawrence, the rest of the Hurricane offense was as advertised against Calhoun (2-1), snatching an early lead and never looking back. On Cartersville’s first possession, Lawrence dropped back and hit JKobe Orr in stride on a deep post route. Orr did the rest, coasting past the Jacket secondary for a 56-yard touchdown that set the tone.
Due to a combination of unfavorable, rainy field conditions and the immense pressure generated by the physicality of Cartersville’s defense, Calhoun was unable to find its offensive rhythm in the first half.
Calhoun quarterback Gavin Gray showed poise, but mostly failed to connect with his receivers in the first half due to the swarming coverage by the Hurricanes. He finished with 88 passing yards on 12 completions.
After the Jackets’ second drive stalled out, punter Aaron Hayes received a low snap on the wet surface and didn’t have time to get the kick off. The mishap placed the Hurricanes well within striking distance on the seven yard line, and bruising Cartersville running back Rico Frye promptly punched it in a couple plays later for the three-yard rushing score and a 14-0 advantage.
Lawrence once again proved lethal on the following possession for Cartersville, displaying excellent touch on a slant to EJ Turner that resulted in a 16-yard touchdown that put the Hurricanes in complete control by a score of 21-0 midway through the first quarter.
The Yellow Jackets made another special teams mistake on the ensuing drive, snapping over Hayes’ head and into the end zone and awarding Cartersville two additional points via safety.
The Hurricanes (3-0) weren’t done in the first quarter, with Lawrence remaining patient in the pocket and sending a sailing pass to wide receiver Jaylon Akins, who turned on the jets and registered a 31-yard score.
As the quarter drew to a close, Lawerence utilized his dual-threat ability, crossing the goal line on a six-yard rushing touchdown.
The purple and gold picked squad picked up right where it left off in the second quarter when a Lawrence deep toss was tipped by two players and miraculously landed in the outstretched hands of Turner. Frye punctuated the drive with another three-yard rushing score to push the score to a commanding 44-0.
The Yellow Jackets are off next Friday, but will try to get back in the win column against Coahulla Creek on Sept. 15.