Jackets, Phoenix refocus for another big 6-AAA game after big wins over rivals last Friday
Both Calhoun and Sonoraville are coming off huge wins this past Friday over rival teams, and any time you have that, coaches always worry about the possibility of a letdown.
But the likelihood of that happening this week is pretty slim as each team backs up one rivalry game with another. The Jackets host their rivals from just up the road, Sonoraville, at 7: 30 p.m. on Friday at Phil Reeve Stadium.
Calhoun (6-0, 4-0) defeated Adairsville last Friday, 42-10, as they made a competitive game not look as competitive by controlling the final quarter and a half for a larger margin in the final score. Sonoraville (4-2, 3-1) rolled up a big lead at the half this past week against Gordon Central and held on from there for a 27-3 victory.
Now, the two teams meet each other in a huge Region 6-AAA contest as the Jackets look to maintain their spot at the top of the standings, and the Phoenix look for a big upset to shake things up a bit.
Calhoun coach Hal Lamb said he expects to see a quality team and challenger across the field on Friday.
“Sonoraville is a good team, and Coach (Jim) Kremer is doing a good job out there,” said Lamb. “They are coached well and sound on both sides of the ball.
“Plus, it’s homecoming week for us so that can be a challenge for coaches. Hopefully, we can continue to get better this week so we can have a good night on Friday.”
The Phoenix are in the middle of a big stretch of games as they faced Adairsville and Gordon Central the last two week and have Calhoun and Ringgold the next two weeks. Kremer said his team is trying to remain consistent during the stretch.
“We knew coming into the season that this would be a tough few weeks for us,” said Kremer. “But ever region game is a big game. We need to be able to sustain over the long haul and play to the best of our abilities every week. I expect us to come out with a lot of intensity this week. At least we better, or it won’t be a very good ballgame.
“This is the most important game for us because it’s the next game. And our kids know it will be an exciting game to play in.”
Last Friday, the Jackets took care of business in a game that had been made out by many as the de facto region title game. Lamb said he was pleased with how his team responded to the challenge and knows they’ll have to get up like that to play the same way this week.
“That was a big win for us,” said Lamb. “The atmosphere was electric, and our crowd was really loud. It was just a great high school game to be a part of. We played our most complete game this year.
“We can’t have a mental letdown this week. I’m pleased with how we played last week, and to play like that two weeks in a row is a challenge. Hopefully, our kids will come out and play well and have the same intensity.”
The Jackets have controlled the series against Sonoraville, winning all six meetings, all in convincing fashion. This will be the first meeting between the two since 2011.
Kremer, who spent seven years at Calhoun as an assistant coach, said his team knows the task ahead will be tough, but he thinks they will come into the game loose and ready to battle.
“Calhoun’s a really good football team with a lot of tradition,” said Kremer. “They’ve got a long winning streak going for a reason.
But we told our kids that this is one of those fun games you get to play in. There’s not a lot of people that think we can win. There’s really no pressure on us, and we’ll come to compete. We’re not going to be afraid. They’ll have a lot of people there, and we’re going to bring a lot of people too. There really isn’t any pressure. We’re going to go out and play and try to get it to the fourth quarter.”
The Jackets thoroughly defeated Adairsville last Friday, who many in the area believed would be their toughest test before the State Playoffs.
Sonoraville also won their rivalry game over Gordon Central, but they’ll be extremely motivated once again this week as they look to play the spoiler role. They should get a little extra motivation from being the homecoming opponent of the Jackets as well.
Calhoun’s defense has a lot of talent and depth so the Sonoraville offense will almost have to play a perfect game to pull off the upset. The game should be close early before the Jackets pull away in the second half.
Score:
Calhoun wins, 42-17.