CALHOUN, Ga. - It might just be the play that saved Calhoun's football season.
With the Yellow Jackets clinging to a one-point lead with just more than 10 minutes to go in a GHSA Class AAA playoff game Friday night at Phil Reeve Stadium, visiting Lovett had the ball near midfield and all the momentum on its side.
That all changed when senior linebacker Eric McKnight practically took the ball away from Lovett's quarterback as he blitzed up the middle, returning the interception 23 yards to set up Calhoun in the red zone.
Three plays later, Gavin Gray hit Luke Moseley for a touchdown, and the Jackets went on to win 21-6 in the second-round matchup. The 2017 state champions will host Jenkins in the quarterfinals next Friday.
"I just came in on a blitz, and it was perfect timing," McKnight said. "I jumped up, it hit my hands and I caught it. It changed the whole game."
Said Calhoun coach Hal Lamb: "Right before Eric picked that ball off, I said, 'We need a turnover bad.' What a play he made. To me, that was the play of the game."
Calhoun's typically explosive offense - the team averaged 48-plus points per game this season - struggled putting points on the board. After a touchdown pass from Gray to Brannon Spector on the opening drive, the Jackets moved the ball into Lovett territory on the next six possessions without scoring a point.
Fortunately for Calhoun (12-0), the defense answered the call, holding Lovett (6-6) to 81 first-half yards and just 19 rushing yards for the game.
"We needed to be tested," Lamb said. "Nothing was going our way early on offense, and we have to be more consistent making plays. Our guys were a little frustrated at halftime, and we finally made some plays late, but I have to give credit to the defense. They won the game."
Calhoun racked up 235 yards of offense in the first half and reached the red zone three more times after the opening score. Those possessions ended in missed field-goal attempts from distances of 40, 24, and 35 yards.
After a 41-point average margin of victory for the season, senior linebacker and tight end Davis Allen said being challenged will help the team the rest of the way.
"We grew up tonight," said Allen, whose interception and touchdown catch late in the game sealed the victory. "We stepped up to the challenge. We had some struggles throughout the game, but we found a way to win. It's survive and move on."
Contact Kevin Llewallyn at sports@timesfreepress.com.