CALHOUN, Ga. – To win its fifth state football championship, Calhoun will have to defeat two foes – one physical and one mental.
The physical foe comes in the form of a Jefferson team that started the season ranked No. 1 and entered the playoffs as Class AAA’s top-seeded team. The 11-3 Dragons are experienced and will represent the most physical team the 11-3 Yellow Jackets have faced in the postseason.
The mental foe might be even more imposing for Calhoun, which relies on several first-time starters, including freshman quarterback Trace Hawkins. Will the stakes and the stage – Wednesday’s state championship game inside Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium at 4 p.m. – be too much for a large group of players who were in elementary school when the team’s current seniors played in the 2021 championship game.
Calhoun head coach Clay Stephenson isn’t concerned about the moment being too much.
“We’ve got four freshmen or sophomores who are starting, and nothing has been too big for them so far,” Stephenson said. “Just go out and play football. That’s not just for the young guys. It’s also big for these seniors, who made it as freshmen and lost to Warner Robbins.