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By Fred Guarino
The Lowndes Signal
For Central it was cheers and leaps of joy. For Calhoun It was tears and thoughts of what could have been.
The Central High School Lions claimed their first win of the 2015 season Friday night 28-26 at the expense of the Calhoun Tigers, who were celebrating homecoming.
The win improved the Lions to 1-8 overall and 1-6 in Class2A Region 3 play while the Tigers fell to 0-9, 0-7 in the same region.
“It was rough. The boys showed up. It was a good game is all I can say,” said Central head football coach Martez Graham. He had praise for his star defensive player of the night Tarrance Gordon. “He (Gordon) was the MVP (most valuable player) of the game. Without him we wouldn’t have won it,” Graham said. “He did everything we asked of him.”
Gordon ran a fumble back for a touchdown in the contest and made an interception that proved the nail in the coffin for Calhoun’s hopes.
Graham said his players have come a long way this season and that he is proud of every one of them.
“We lost focus,” said Calhoun head football coach Dewayne Williams. His Tigers led most of this contest, but suffered for their mistakes… a fumble returned for a touchdown, a bad snap that led to a score and a critical interception that ended their chances. “And when we lose focus, we start making mistakes,” he said.
Williams continued, “And sometimes you just aren’t able to bounce back… And so that’s what it was… mistakes.”
The Calhoun coach head football coach said, “I told them all week you can’t take Central for granted. We kind of took Central for granted. And so, it’s a hard pill to swallow, but it’s life. We’re going to try to bounce back this week and go hard and try to end this season on a winning note.”
The Tigers will have to pin those hopes for a win on hosting non-regional opponent Francis Marion this coming Friday, which will also be senior night.
Central will host non-regional opponent Keith.
Calhoun opened the scoring in this battle of winless rivals with a 28-yard touchdown pass play from Demarco Jiles to Arthur Phifer to put the Tigers up 6-0 at the 8:44 mark of the first quarter.
But indicative of the battle this game would prove to be, Central tied things up when Keegan Blackman turned a busted play into a 15-yard touchdown run to knot things up a 6-6 at the 7:35 mark of the first quarter.
Calhoun would retake the lead 12-6 on a 17-yard touchdown run by Phifer at the 3:21 mark of the first quarter.
But the Lions would answer again on a 8-yard touchdown run by Malek Hill to tie things at 12-12 at the 9:05 mark of the second quarter.
The Lions would take the lead for the first time of the night, however, on a fumble returned for about 25 yards for touchdown by Central’s Gordon. Hill would add the 2-point conversion, and the Lions led 20-12 at 4:14 mark of the second quarter.
But before the Lions could catch their breath, the Tigers would reply with a 67-yard touchdown pass play from Quinterrious Arrington to Gnald Sharpe. Arrington would run for the 2-point play to make it 20-20 at the 3:48 mark of the half.
Compounding the frustration for the Lions, The Tigers would score again on a 19-yard halfback pass play that went from Arrington to Phifer to Jamichael Carter to put Calhoun up 26-20 at the half.
But late in the contest a muffed snap on fourth down by the Tigers would put the Lions in business at the Tigers’ 13 yard line. Keegan Blackman would go on to score the touchdown from the 1-yard line and add the 2 point conversion to put the visitors up 28-26 with 6:38 left in the fourth quarter.
And the Tigers last hope was crushed when the Lions’ Gordon rose up to snag an interception to seal the win.
Phifer had 98 yards rushing for Calhoun, had 55 yards passing, rushed for a 17-yard touchdown, caught a 28-yard touchdown pass and passed for a 19-yard touchdown.
Presented as the 2015 Calhoun High Homecoming Court were:
The 2015 Calhoun Homecoming court included Miss Freshman Carjala McCall, Mr. Freshman Jeremy Morgan, Miss Sophomore De’Andrea Truitt, Mr. Sophomore Lorenzen Jones, Miss Junior Taylor Smith, Mr. Junior Tyriq Whiting, Miss Senior Jaquisha McCall, Mr. Senior Fritz Lawson, second attendant to Miss Calhoun Shakoya Haygood, first attendant to Miss Calhoun SammeccaLa’Shay Moore, first attendant to Mr. Calhoun Quinterrous Arrington, Miss Calhoun Rodneisha Hayes, Mr. Calhoun Demterius Smith, second attendant to Miss Homecoming Dashia Miles, first attendant to Miss Homecoming Ke’Asia Truitt, Miss Homecoming Ashalya Hayes, Mr. Homecoming Melvonte Fagg, Miss Cheerleader Dedrianna Smith, Mr. Football Arthur Phifer Jr., Miss JROTC Jonel Knight, Mr. ROTC Cameron D Harold, Miss Band Tatyanni Coleman and Mr. Band Justaveon Brown.