By Gaylen Duskey
realfang@citlink.net
The rain, unlike Calhoun, didn't hold off as it rained all night Friday.
But Calhoun held off until the second half yet they still pummeled Wirt County 32-6 behind the running of junior tailback Randy Fluharty and a rock-ribbed defense with all the points coming after intermission.
The first half could be summed up pretty easily: Darrenger Fluharty returned a punt 77 yards for a touchdown, but it was called back by a penalty ⦠other than that, nothing happened.
But after that Calhoun opened up - like the skies - to put a damper on Wirt County Senior Night.
On its first possession of the second half Calhoun scored on a run by Randy Fluharty. But it was called back by a holding penalty - one of four called against the Red Devils.
But that setback was for naught as Fluharty scored again - this time from 14 yards out with 8:36 remaining in the third quarter for a lead they would never relinquish.
Wirt County coughed the ball up on its next possession and Calhoun scored again with lightning suddenness as Fluharty blasted in with a six yard run.
The Tigers were stymied once more and Calhoun marched down the field for its third third quarter touchdown, a three-yard Fluharty gallop.
By this time Calhoun had completely stopped Wirt County's running game and the Tigers opened up an aerial circus with Josh Valentine playing the ringmaster.
Valentine, who two years ago engineered a second half Wirt County rally that knocked off the Red Devils looked like he was going to cause trouble again as he hit Levi Kirby with a 25-yard scoring pass early in the fourth quarter to make it 19-6.
But that was that even tough Valentine complete 17 of 21 passes for 186 yards.
Fluharty answered that touchdown with one of his own - this one from 18 yards out to make it 25-6. On the game Fluharty had 31 carries for 279 yards after being held to 20 yards in the first half.
After Fluharty's score Wirt once again tried to mount a threat but this one was thwarted by Sean Gungle's pass interception which set up Calhoun's final score of the evening - a Zach Moore to Danny Slider 15-yard scoring strike.
Overall Calhoun had 359 yards total offense while Wirt had 194. The Red Devils also had the edge in first downs with 18 to Wirt's 10.
With the win Calhoun County keeps its playoff hopes alive. The Red Devils, now ranked 11th in Class A, should have a rating of 7.375 which could vault them into ninth place overall.
Calhoun, now 6-2, plays Braxton County, 3-5, in the Red Devils' final home game of the year this coming Friday night. Wirt, now 4-5, finishes its season on the road at Gilbert.
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