McCallie opened Friday's football game against Blessed Trinity with a flurry and rolled to a 56-6 blowout win at Spears Stadium, giving the Blue Tornado a shot of momentum heading into next week's rivalry game against Baylor.
McCallie (4-2) stunned the Titans with 28 first-quarter points, taking advantage of two Blessed Trinity turnovers and amassing 193 offensive yards in the opening period.
"We were able to score quickly and take control of the game early," McCallie coach Ralph Potter said. "We took advantage of their turnovers, and we were able to control the line of scrimmage on offense."
The Titans (4-2) fumbled on the second snap from scrimmage, setting up Shawn McColley for a 9-yard touchdown run. A failed fourth-down conversion attempt by Blessed Trinity led to another McColley score on a 2-yard run, and the rout was on. A 19-yard strike from Robert Riddle to Walker Fannon and a 41-yard run by Tyrik Stewart capped the Blue Tornado scoring blitz to start the game.
Blessed Trinity didn't have to travel quite as far to suffer its second loss of the season. The Georgia AAAA school from Roswell lost 41-28 to St. Peter's Prep from Jersey City, N.J., on Sept. 3 in Dublin, Ireland. That game was played in association with Georgia Tech's season opener against Boston College.
McColley finished Friday's game with 196 yards (on 16 rushes) and three scores, all in the first half. Stewart gave McCallie a second 100-yard rusher for the night with 104 yards on four carries, including a touchdown.
Overall, McCallie outrushed Blessed Trinity 415-113.
"Establishing a strong ground game is important to having success," Potter said. "Tonight we were able pick up some first downs and break a few long runs."
Riddle went 7-for-9 passing for 87 yards with touchdown passes to Fannon and Rico Dozier. Riddle also scored on a 9-yard keeper in the third quarter.
Freshman quarterback Deangelo Hardy took over the McCallie offense from there, and he finished with 64 yards on four carries and a 36-yard touchdown pass to Hakim McMorris.