By Dan Cosgrove
The Calhoun Middle School Football team played their 3rd game of the season last night, falling to the Gilmer County Titans by a score of 0-20.
Calhoun dominated the clock in the first quarter. Starting on their own 35-yard line, Jared Haught was the workhorse, carrying the ball on 9 plays, marching the ball to Gilmer's 24-yard line.
Cory Metz also added some yards on the drive. However, they were stopped on a fourth down play and Gilmer took over on downs. With only 13 seconds left in the 1st quarter, Gilmer made only one play for a loss of 9 yards.
The second quarter started with Gilmer having to punt the ball on a 4th down play. Calhoun fumbled the ball and Gilmer recovered.
Gilmer was plagued with penalties and when it looked like they were going to be stopped, made a 60-yard pass for a touchdown.
On the following kickoff, Calhoun returned the ball to their own 33-yard line. Again Calhoun dominated the clock as they marched down the field.
With just over 3 seconds left to play in the half, and Calhoun on Gilmer's 35-yard line, they threw a pass which was intercepted and ran back for a touchdown. Gilmer made the 2-point conversion and the half ended with Gilmer leading 14 to 0.
The second half started with Calhoun kicking off to Gilmer. Phillip Norman made a nice tackle on the 27-yard line, where Gilmer started their drive.
After an incomplete pass and a false start penalty, Gilmer was looking at a 2nd and 15. Picking up 12 yards, it was 3rd and 3. Trent Phillips and Evan Mace teamed up and held them to no gain! Gilmer was forced to kick.
Calhoun took over on their own 34-yard line. On their first offensive play of the half, Nathan Cosgrove ran the ball for 10 yards only to be called back on a holding penalty.
Now 1 and 20, he gained 10 back, lost 4 yards on second down, and made a first down to the 46 yard line on the 3rd down. The next set of downs went 4 and out, with an incomplete pass. Gilmer took over with 1:29 left in the 3rd quarter.
Gilmer got off two plays before the third quarter ended. Seth Wease made the tackle of the game on 2nd and 14. It looked like the Gilmer player was about to break open for a large run when Wease pounded into the runner. You could hear and feel the impact in the stands.
At the start of the 4th quarter, Gilmer was stopped once again going 4 and out. However they got the ball right back on a Calhoun fumble.
Turnovers can make or break ballgames. On first down Gilmer made a 7-yard gain before being stopped by Jean Blair.
They got a penalty on 2nd down but on 3rd and 3, Gilmer's double reverse fooled the defense and they punched in their third and final touchdown. The 2-point conversion failed.
A two-yard run by Wease and two personal fouls on Calhoun players backed Calhoun to 4th and 18. An 18-yard pass by Wease was caught by Cosgrove, giving them a first down.
Haught and Wease continued to move the ball down the field but time ran out.
This was Calhoun's third loss of the season.
Don't let the win and loss columns fool you, they are an exciting team with many first year players. Middle school football is like the Major League Baseball's farm system. If you're into Red Devil Football, come to a middle school game to see the future. You will hear many of their names in years to come.
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