Calhoun’s Cole Speer turns up on defense to seal win
JStewart@npco.com
CEDARTOWN — After lighting up the field on offense last week against McCallie, Calhoun’s Cole Speer showed Friday night he can make some big plays on defense as well.
The junior recovered a fumble that led to the Yellow Jackets’ first touchdown against Cedartown and then reached out and nabbed an interception as the homesteading Bulldogs were driving down the field with less than 25 second left to play to seal a 14-7 win for Calhoun.
Calhoun Coach Clay Stephenson said the two turnovers made a big difference, especially following last week’s game when Calhoun gave up six turnovers of their own.
“Our guys played hard from the first play to the last whistle,” he said.
Stephenson credited his entire defensive roster and coaching staff for creating and executing a good game plan. He said his said his guys were aggressive and running to the football on every play.
Jerrian Hames scored both Jacket touchdowns in the non-region game. The senior workhorse took the ball in from 13 yards out with less than four minutes left in the first half and then found a clear route on a short pass to the middle from Christian Lewis that led to a 55-yard catch-and-run for six points early in the final quarter.
It was a defensive grind for most of the first 36 minutes for both teams as they combined for one score in 17 possessions over three quarters of play.
Calhoun (2-1) shook off its first loss from a week ago, where Speer recorded the most receiving yards in a game in Jackets’ history with 221, to come out gunning through the air against Cedartown but never found the same consistency in the passing game.
Holding a precarious 7-0 lead going into the final period, Calhoun took just three plays to move 59 yards on the third drive of the quarter, the bulk of which came on Hames’ big reception with 8:03 to play. Carlos Orozco made his second extra point of the night to put the Jackets ahead 14-0.
But Cedartown (0-2) didn’t give up, converting on thirdand-13 to keep a seven-play, 63-yard drive alive on the next possession. Harlem Diamond, who led all rushers with 13 carries for 102 yards, ran 30 yards down to the Calhoun 1 that set up Jayden Johnson’s 6-yard TD run.
The Bulldogs got the ball back on their own 26 after a Jacket punt on the ensuing drive and began frantically pushing the ball downfield with 2:27 left to play. They converted two fourth down tries and moved the ball to the Jackets’ 36, but then a tipped pass landed into Speer’s clutches. With only 18.6 seconds left, Lewis took a knee to end the game.
Lewis finished 11-of-24 passing for 150 yards and a touchdown, while Hames had 151 total offensive yards, 83 rushing and 68 receiving.
Calhoun hosts Ridgeland next Friday at Phil Reeve Stadium, while Cedartown is on the road at New Manchester. Both are non-region contests.