The signs are stashed on a shelf in the Gordon Central meeting room.
They’re small signs, designed to be held in one hand by cheerleaders and fans. But they can be used only once a year.
The picture on the signs is that of a Yellow Jacket with a red circle around it and a red line through it. The text is “Beat Calhoun.”
Similar signs, banner and paraphernalia is probably stashed away somewhere at every school in Region 7B-AA, because Calhoun has become the Los Angeles Lakers, the New York Yankees and the Detroit Red Wings of the region.
The Yellow Jackets are the team everybody else wants to beat. They have upgraded facilities with artificial turf on their field.
And they’ve have been able to replace Division I signees with more Division I signees the next season.
Yet no other region opponent has been able to defeat them in their last 64 region games. The current Calhoun senior class hadn’t reached the middle school system when they last lost.
“To win a state title, I know we’d have to beat them,” said Gordon Central sophomore defensive end D.J. Prather, who is 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds. “We’re working hard each day and getting better, and I believe we can beat them this year.”
Each of the teams in Region 7B-AA are gunning for the Yellow Jackets who have reached the state championship game two seasons in a row.
Some Calhoun opponents may have a shot at an upset if a few penalties, fumbles and interceptions go their way.
Others, such as first-year North Murray, could be playing the Yellow Jackets with a running clock during the entire second half.
“It’s daunting to have somebody that’s a juggernaut like them in your region,” said Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe coach Todd Windham whose team dropped from Region 6A-AAA. “Hopefully, what it does, is pull everybody up with them.”
Calhoun is the target, a big red bulls-eye on its back. That’s cool with coach Hal Lamb who has had the same target fixed on his forehead since the day he arrived.
“All streaks come to an end, and that’s a given,” Lamb said. “Hopefully we will keep that streak going this year.”
Dade County would like to stop it. So would Sonoraville and every other team in the region. Current Yellow Jackets have other ideas due to the fact that even one loss this season cannot derail their ultimate goal of hoisting a trophy inside the Georgia Dome.
“A region championship is not what we aim for,” senior quarterback Landon Curtis said. “We don’t go for that.
“We aim for state championships.”