CALHOUN, Ga. - When talk turns to Calhoun High School's 2014 Class AAA state football championship, the subject usually centers around the dramatic title-game upset win over Washington County.
Memorable as it was, however, the Yellow Jackets nearly didn't make it that far. Two weeks earlier an underdog Elbert County team nearly ended their title hopes, using the inspired play of star Mecole Hardman and a slew of Calhoun turnovers to enter the final minutes tied at 17.
Coach Hal Lamb's team escaped the upset when Hardman, after fumbling a snap inside the 5, was tackled in the end zone for a safety.
"We were fortunate to win that game," Lamb recalled. "We just didn't play very well, but sometimes you have to win with less than your 'A' game."
The Jackets and Blue Devils meet again tonight at Phil Reeve Stadium with many of the same characters and with storylines everywhere. Elbert wants revenge and its senior star quarterback, a now-healthy Hardman, has been waiting 12 months to redeem himself.
But while it appears Elbert has all the intangibles on its side tonight, the Yellow Jackets have their own bit of extra motivation.
"They're excited about being in the quarterfinals," Lamb said, "and they're also excited about redemption. We didn't play very well last year against them. Elbert wants redemption because they feel they let one slip away.
"We want it because we played poorly. We had four turnovers and two more that could have been. We need to play better than last year, that's for sure."
Close calls have been nearly annual events for the Jackets, who have made five championship game appearances in the past six years.
There were the memorable 38-35 win at Brooks County in 2008, sealed on a goal-line stop as the game ended; the 49-41 shootout win over Lovett in 2009; the closer-than-expected 21-15 win over Lamar County in 2011; and a 31-30 win over GAC in 2013 in which the Jackets survived a chip-shot field goal in the waning seconds.
Just last week Calhoun needed overtime to get past Peach County, aided by a fumble at the 1 on Peach's overtime possession.
Near-losses all, though in each instance the Jackets found a way to play another week. Calhoun players take pride in believing there isn't a circumstance they can't overcome.
"I think it says a lot about us as a football team that we can find a way," senior quarterback Kaelan Riley said. "Last year that (Elbert County) game was as important as any we played, and we don't win the championship if we hadn't pulled it out.
"That was a game we had to be able to overcome adversity with like six turnovers. There's no way you should win a game doing that, but we just have a belief."
And that, according to Lamb, means as much as anything to his program. The veteran coach, who recorded his 200th win last week, knows his team can be beaten.
He also knows the Jackets won't concede anything until it's over.
"That is a credit to these kids to be able to win a game not playing our best," he said. "Our kids believe they are going to win the football game, even when it doesn't look good in the fourth quarter. We're going to find a way to win."
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296; follow on Twitter @youngsports22.