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Calhoun shows determination in OT

Staff Photo by Dan Henry / The Chattanooga Times Free Press- 12/12/14. Calhoun High School quarterback Kaelan Riley (1) looks for an open player while battling Washington County during the GHSA class AAA championship game at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Ga. on Friday, December 12, 2014. The Yellowjackets won the state championship over the the Golden Hawks with a final score of 27-20. Staff Photo by Dan Henry / The Chattanooga Times Free Press- 12/12/14. Calhoun High School quarterback Kaelan Riley (1) looks for an open player while battling Washington County during the GHSA class AAA championship game at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Ga. on Friday, December 12, 2014. The Yellowjackets won the state championship over the the Golden Hawks with a final score of 27-20.

By Idris Garcia/Correspondent November 21, 2015 3 min read

CALHOUN 20, PEACH COUNTY 14 (OT)

The star: Calhoun’s defense, which forced a fumble that was recovered by the Yellow Jackets’ Baylon Spector on Peach County’s first possession of overtime.Up next: The 2014 state champions move on to the quarterfinals against Elbert County next week.

CALHOUN, Ga. – Calhoun let a couple of late opportunities slip away Friday night, but it made the last one count.

After a pair of second-half miscues, the Yellow Jackets forced a turnover in overtime, then scored on their first possession to escape with a 20-14 home win against Peach County in the second round of the Class AAA playoffs Friday night at Phil Reeve Stadium.

The Jackets (12-0) dominated possession with a vicious rushing attack throughout the game, but they failed to convert a go-ahead score on two key possessions in regulation. Star quarterback Kaelan Riley fumbled inside the 5-yard line, and the potent running game was stonewalled by the Trojans inside the 2 to start the fourth quarter.

“It really hurt to fumble and not get that score,” Riley said. “But I knew in overtime, if we stopped them, we were going to score.”