Offensive diversity big part of Calhoun's success

photo Calhoun High School's Chazz Moss (21) fumbles the ball after being hit by Westminster's Chase Williams (3) and John Sanders (14) .

CALHOUN, Ga. -- The GHSA football championships are filled with elite teams and star players, and while undefeated Calhoun fits the bill as a team, it has a noticeable lack of star power.

For the Yellow Jackets, however, quantity is preferred over quality, especially on an offense that can showcase any of several athletes on any given Friday night.

"We like the options we have offensively," coach Hal Lamb said. "We don't really have a star, I guess you would say, but we've got a bunch of guys who get the job done, and our offensive coaches do a great job getting them involved."

There is a stark contrast between teams when it comes to star power in Friday's Class AAA championship game in the Georgia Dome. While top-ranked Washington County (14-0) is led by the Gatorade state player of the year in quarterback and defensive back A.J. Gray, Calhoun has four main rushing threats and up to seven receivers who regularly are involved in the offensive game plan.

While every coach would love to have a Gray, who has more than 5,000 total yards and 50 touchdowns, there is an advantage to not depending on a workhorse.

"Sometimes it's better if you don't have a star athlete," Ringgold coach Robert Akins said. "The thing about Calhoun is they play well as a team and they have a lot of weapons. They have multiple guys, so you have to pick your poison with them and decide who you want to take away.

"They can attack you any number of ways depending on what the defense is trying to take away, like the other night when (quarterback) Kaelen Riley threw the ball a lot."

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Semifinal foe Westminster loaded the defensive box to take away the run, so Riley went to the air with several short passes, and when the Wildcats decided to press the receivers the Jackets went deep for two of their three scores.

"We have so many weapons," Riley said. "You know, the big thing is none of us care who gets the yards or the touchdowns. We just want to win."

Riley enters the title game with 2,345 yards passing and 23 touchdowns, and he's one of three Yellow Jackets runners with more than 600 yards. Cole Jackson leads the team with 754 yards on the ground, with Olico Dennis adding 604. Third-stringer Bryson Bushong has 382 yards and is second to Dennis in yards per attempt at 7.5.

Carson Brown leads the receivers with 35 receptions and has 548 yards, second to big-play receiver Thomas Lester, who has 553 yards on 27 catches (20.5 per catch) and leads receivers with seven touchdowns. Chazz Moss has 430 yards, while backs Jackson and Dennis along with Malik Lawrence and H-back Landon Rice also have had big moments in the playoffs.

That offensive diversity, Ringgold's Akins believes, will serve Calhoun well against a Washington County defense known for its speed and strength.

"I think they match up well against them," said Akins, whose team lost to WACO in last season's semifinal round. "The main thing that surprised us wasn't necessarily their speed but their strength. They won't be able to take away everything Calhoun does, and Hal and his staff will find some things they can take advantage of. It should be a great game."

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

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