Calhoun High takes 56-home game winning streak into state semifinals

At a glance• What: GHSA Class AAA Semifinal• Who: Westminster Wildcats (12-1) at Calhoun Yellow Jackets (13-0)• When: 7:30 p.m. todayRead moreGeorgia Class AAA semifinal matchup

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CALHOUN, Ga. -- Landon Rice is in his first year at Calhoun High School, and though the junior defensive end has played in some hostile environments he wasn't quite ready for a Friday night at Phil Reeve Stadium.

Now, 13 games into the 2014 season and preparing for a home Class AAA semifinal game tonight against Westminster, Rice sees what all the fuss was about. The Reeve just may be the most intimidating place to play in Georgia. Just ask the former Darlington School transfer.

"There's no doubt this is the best program in the state of Georgia and there's nowhere tougher to play," said Rice after a thrilling 19-17 win over Elbert County a week ago. "The fans come out like crazy. There were fans showing up here at 4 o'clock for a 7:30 game, and that tells you how much these people love us. I've never seen anything like it."

According to head coach Hal Lamb, who is also the school's athletic director, a push for more student involvement when he was hired 16 years ago was the start in transforming what was a fairly typical facility into a home-field advantage that finds the program riding a 56-game winning streak.

"To me, that's what's special about Calhoun High School," Lamb said. "To have so many students involved is so important and it's something we've pushed from the start. A Friday night at The Reeve is a special occasion for the school and this community, and I know the atmosphere makes a difference with our football team."

On a typical Friday night at home, nearly 40 percent of Calhoun's 1,000 students are in either a football or band uniform. Students also handle all the video responsibilities, including streaming live game action online and producing replays on the stadium's new Jumbo-Tron scoreboard.

With 186 wins in his 16 seasons, 14 region championships and now seven trips to the GHSA semifinals, Lamb's teams have been talented, but they've also played at a different level at home. The Yellow Jackets, 13-0 this season, have won 23 consecutive home games against playoff teams, and in those wins the average margin of victory has been 24 points.

photo Calhoun running back Cole Jackson (28) carries the ball against the Ringgold Tigers.

Conversely, in eight road or neutral playoff games during that time, Calhoun is just 3-5, although four of those losses came in state title games. What's the secret of The Reeve's magic? Longtime radio play-by-play man Dave Stokes, who's been on the scene 23 years, believes it's a combination of things.

"I've been to a lot of places and to me it's the best place in the world to watch high school football," Stokes said. "It's got a great artificial surface and it's extremely loud. There are horns blaring from the baseball bleachers just behind the end zone, and the new Jumbo-Tron scoreboard makes it even louder. To me, though, the biggest thing is the fans are right on top of the action, since there is no track around the field.

"The fans really jack the players up and they can definitely have an effect on teams that aren't accustomed to that kind of atmosphere."

Last Friday's 19-17 win over Elbert County is a perfect example. The visiting Blue Devils were pinned back to their 1-yard line in a 17-17 game with under two minutes to play with a shot at shocking the Jackets. However, on first down with The Reeve rocking, a fumbled shotgun snap led to a safety and the upset bid was gone.

"It's hard to come in here and win at The Reeve," said Calhoun quarterback Kaelen Riley, smiling after the Elbert win. "There's no better place to play because our crowd is just unbelievable. You couldn't ask for more as a player, and when we see the fans supporting us so intensely we can't let them down."

Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296.

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