Calhoun responded to a potentially demoralizing loss last week to rout Hiram 56-35 Friday night on the road, handing the Hornets their first loss in seven games and reestablishing the Yellow Jackets as a contender once again in GHSA Region 7-AAAAA.
Trey Townsend had four touchdown passes, three of them to elite tight end Emaree Winston, and ran for another score for Calhoun (5-2, 1-1), which lost 21-17 to Cartersville a week ago after leading 17-0 at halftime.
"I'm very proud of how our guys approached this week starting Monday," Calhoun coach Clay Stephenson said. "We focused all week on just doing our jobs each play for four quarters, and we did a great job of that tonight. We have to keep doing that and focus on getting better every day."
Hiram (6-1, 1-1) threw a quick haymaker on the first play of its first series when Ryan Strickland found Walter Matthews, who has committed to Southern California, for an 80-yard touchdown pass. Calhoun needed only three plays to tie as Townsend hit Winston for a 48-yard score.
Caden Williams' 1-yard run gave Calhoun a 31-14 lead late in the second quarter, but the Hornets later got a 68-yard touchdown run from Kaden Hamilton and a Strickland scoring toss moments later to cut the Calhoun lead to 34-28. However, Townend and Winston hooked up again for a 30-yard score, and Jacob Shuler sealed it with a 6-yard fumble return for a touchdown.
(READ MORE: Final scores and photos from Friday night's Chattanooga-area prep football games)
Dalton 42, Woodland-Bartow 7: The Catamounts broke a two-game losing streak after winning their first five games and evened their Region 7-AAAAA record at 1-1 as Ethan Long passed for 228 yards and three touchdowns on eight completions and Adriel Hernandez rushed for 142 yards and scored twice against the host Wildcats (2-4, 0-2).
Long's touchdowns included a 75-yarder to tight end Jeffson Locke, who had 140 yards on four catches, with the other two to Bubba Tanner, who had 73 yards.
Trion 49, Coosa 6: The Bulldogs (6-0, 2-0 Region 7-A Division I) rolled up 432 total yards while holding the Eagles (3-4, 0-3) to 161. Kade Smith passed for 188 yards and three touchdowns and added 77 rushing yards, Toby Maddux had 98 yards and two touchdown on just five carries, and Ethan Willingham caught four balls for 102 yards and a score.
Bremen 34, LaFayette 28 (2OT): The hard-luck Ramblers fell to 1-6 and 0-4 in Region 6-AAA after losing their second overtime game in three weeks, this time to league co-leader Bremen (6-1, 4-0). Khalas Finley had 114 yards and two touchdowns on 40 carries to lead LaFayette, which sent the game into overtime on A.J. Thompson's 2-yard run.
Dawson Pendergrass had a 4-yard touchdown run for LaFayette in the first OT period, but Bremen's Trent McPherson scored on a 15-yard run to extend the game, then scored the winner on a 10-yard run.
Cedartown 47, Heritage 35: Cedartown (4-3, 1-1 Region 7-AAAA) used three first-half touchdown passes from Drew Ledbetter to Demarcus Gardner (covering 58, 40 and 78 yards) and a pair of Michael Gibbons touchdown runs to race out to a 35-7 lead over the Generals.
Heritage (4-3, 1-1) scored on a 59-yard fumble return by Noah Pierce, Brady Chandler's 62-yard pass to Cody Bryan and two Caden Hight touchdown tosses in the second half to make the score respectable.
Other area scores:
Adairsville 55, Ridgeland 7
Central-Carroll 45, Sonoraville 35
Christian Heritage 42, Mount Pisgah Christian 10
Darlington 35, Chattooga 0
North Murray 56, Gordon Central 7
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com.