ROME — It took a half, but the Calhoun Yellow Jackets showed everyone at Barron Stadium why they’re the defending Class AAA champions and the No. 1-ranked team, beating AAAA’s Ridgeland Panthers 45-21 on Thursday to kick off the 27th annual Corky Kell Classic in the season opener for both teams.
Unlike the Yellow Jackets' state title win over Peach County, they won this game convincingly and free of controversy.
“This felt good,” said Yellow Jackets senior quarterback Gavin Gray, who had 376 passing yards and two touchdowns on 30-of-45 passing. “The way the state championship ended last year, there were a lot of naysayers about how we won, but it felt good to come out here and show that we’re all about it.”
After the two teams finished the first half tied at 14, the Yellow Jackets ripped off 31 points in the third quarter — capping a 38-0 run that started in the second quarter — to put the game out of reach for the Panthers and force a running clock for the fourth quarter.
The Jackets’ third quarter points came on Zack Fuller touchdown runs of 5 and 11 yards, followed by a 36-yard touchdown pass from Gray to Luke Mosely, and then a 27-yard field goal from Eduardo Fajardo. Davis Allen put an exclamation point on the quarter with a 23-yard interception returned for a touchdown. All five scores came on consecutive possessions.
For good measure, Ethan Crump intercepted Ridgeland as the third quarter expired.
“Our defense definitely got us in great field position and our offense really decided, ‘Hey, we’re going to step it up this half,’ so that’s what we did” Gray said.
Calhoun also scored in the first quarter to tie the game at 7 on Jonkell Tolbert’s 7-yard run, and again in the second quarter on Gray’s 28-yard pass to Brannon Spector, which tied the game at 14.
The Panthers led twice in the first half thanks to Jordan Blackwell touchdown runs of 24 and 42 yards. Their final score came on a 60-yard reception by Stephon Walker from Tanner Hill with 4:24 remaining.
The Yellow Jackets’ defense finished with four interceptions and a fumble recovery, but they lost linebacker Eric McKnight in the first half to an injury. His status moving forward is unclear.
In addition to Gray’s performance, the Yellow Jackets were led by Mosely, who had 117 yards and a score on 10 catches, and Spector, who had 103 yards and a score on eight catches. Fuller led Calhoun with 62 yards and two scores on 11 caries. On defense, Allen led the way with 5.5 tackles — two for a loss —a sack and an interception returned for a touchdown.
For Ridgeland, Blackwell led all rushers with 142 yards on 14 carries and Walker had 104 yards on five catches.
Calhoun 0 14 31 0 — 45
Ridgeland 7 7 0 7 — 21
R - Jordan Blackwell 24 pass from Tanner Hill (Conner Middleton kick)
C - Jonkell Tolbert 7 run (Eduardo Fajardo kick)
R - Blackwell 42 run (Middleton kick)
C - Spector 28 pass from Gavin Gray (Fajardo kick)
C - Zack Fuller 5 run (Fajardo kick)
C - Fuller 11 run (Fajardo kick)
C - Luke Moseley 36 pass from Gray (Fajardo kick)
C - Fajardo 27 FG
C - Davis Allen 23 INT return (Fajardo kick)
R - Stephon Walker 60 pass from Tanner Hill (Middleton kick)
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