GHSA FOOTBALL STATE FINALS
At Mercedes-Benz Stadium, AtlantaToday’s Games› Class A private: Eagle’s Landing Christian (13-0) vs. Athens Academy (13-0), 10 a.m.› Class AAA: Peach County (13-1) vs. Calhoun (13-1), 1 p.m.› Class AAAAA: Rome (14-0) vs. Warner Robins (14-0), 4:30 p.m.› Class AAAAAA: Coffee (10-3) vs. Lee County (13-1), 8 p.m.Saturday’s Games› Class A public: Clinch County (11-2) vs. Irwin County (12-1), 10 a.m.› Class AA: Rabun County (14-0) vs. Hapeville Charter (13-1), 1 p.m.› Class AAAA: Marist (14-0) vs. Blessed Trinity (12-2), 4:30 p.m.› Class AAAAAAA: Colquitt County (11-3) vs. North Gwinnett (13-1), 8 p.m.
CALHOUN, Ga. - First of all, Brannon Spector wants to clarify that losing a football game is never actually a good thing.
But losing 55-8 is about as far from a good thing as can be experienced on the gridiron. For a proud program like Calhoun High School, losses like that never happen these days. Except they have - two years in succession, in fact.
That the defeats, which also include a 56-0 rout in 2016, came at the hands of a Cartersville team many believe to be one of Georgia's best in recent memory is only a little solace to those who endured them.
As the Yellow Jackets (13-1) prepared for today's GHSA Class AAA championship game against Peach County (13-1) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, the difference in how they reacted to each of the losses - this year's came on Sept. 1 in their third game of the season - was seen on the practice field.
"Losing a game like that is not fun, but that game really helped us, actually," said Spector, a junior and two-way star for the Jackets. "We didn't handle it so well last year, and it honestly went through my head how we would react this year. But we learned from it and it motivated us.
"From that game on, we seemed a lot more focused in practice and we have definitely worked harder."
Calhoun coach Hal Lamb, who called this year's loss embarrassing, said players stepped up to make sure a promising season didn't erode.
"We do have some good leaders, and they took the reigns and helped the coaching staff fix some things," he said. "I know I didn't handle the loss well, but looking back it was a great learning tool. We felt we had a good football team, but we played very, very bad against a great team, and we were embarrassed.
"Losses like that can linger, but the good thing about this team is they learned from it and made sure it didn't."
Calhoun's defense, which allowed more than 400 yards and gave up four passes longer than 30 yards that night, has become one of the state's best. Entering today's game against another high-powered offense, Calhoun has allowed three offensive touchdowns in four postseason games.
The Jackets' past three victims - Monroe Area, Liberty County and Cedar Grove - entered the games averaging 38, 29 and 42 points. The challenge gets even tougher today against the Trojans, who have scored an average of 46 points per game this season.
Peach County, a traditional state power that won three titles from 2005 to 2009, will be the most balanced team Calhoun has faced since Cartersville.
"What stands out to me is how athletic they are as a team," said Spector, Calhoun's enforcer in the secondary. "They play fast. If you don't wrap up on defense, it's probably a touchdown. Their quarterback (Antonio Gilbert) knows what he's doing."
The teams played two years ago in the second round of the playoffs, with the Jackets winning 20-14 in overtime. The Trojans were young then, with Gilbert a sophomore. He has thrown for 3,031 yards and 23 touchdowns this season, and Lamb believes he is a different player.
"They are better just because of the quarterback and how much he has improved," Lamb said. "He was just back there two years ago. With all the experience he has, he can now get them out of some bad plays with his arm or legs. He's the best quarterback we will play other than (Cartersville's) Trevor Lawrence."
Lawrence and the Purple Hurricanes may have beaten the Jackets badly that night, but Spector said they didn't break them.
"We saved our season after that game," Spector said, "and we realized our goal of winning a state championship was still up to us. Now we just have to finish the drill."
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6296. Follow him on Twitter @youngsports22.