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By Gaylen Duskey
realfang@citlink.net
Calhoun has lost 40 straight games dating back to the last game of the 2009-10 season.
This season the Red Devils have an 0-18 record
And Friday night they fell to Clay County 54-36 on the Panthers' homecoming.
But there was nothing in the Red Devils play that showed where this team ought to be winless on the season, on a long losing streak and 18 points worse than the 11-7 Panthers.
On the contrary had Calhoun hit some key free throws and had a controversial call gone the Red Devils way the end of all those bad things would have happened.
But alas such was not to be.
Calhoun had its chances and early in the second quarter having the Panthers on their heels and threatening to break into a big lead.
Calhoun was ahead 16-12 when one of its players was fouled attempting a three-point shot.
Those three could have give the Red Devils a five point lead,
But it was not to be as the Red Devils missed all three of those foul shots and two more while making a couple of bad passes and shooting a few ill-advised shots allowing Clay County to gain a lead it never would relinquish,
And while the Panthers did lead from that point on.
But the Devils had their chances.
In the fourth quarter with the Red Devils down by eight points sophomore guard Ryan Slider drove the lane and made a shot. The whistle blew and the Red Devils appeared to have cut the lead to six with the following free throw about to cut it to five.
But the call - controversial as it was - did not go the Red Devils' way. Instead Slider was whistled with a charge nullifying the basket and giving the ball to the Panthers. After that momentum killer the Red Devils limped home the rest of the way threatening to take the lead nevermore.
Slider led Calhoun with 13 points and 11 rebounds. He was the only Red Devils to hit double figures in either category.
Ricky Hall backed Slider with seven points while Trent Phillips had six, Sheldon Mason five, Tyler Gerwig three and Luke Moore two. Lucas Wilson played but did not score.
Justin Blankenship led clay with 14 while Travis Morris added 12 and Garrett Ellison 11. Chris Cole added eight, Alexander Burkhammer five and Matt Gillispie four.
Clay County also won the junior varsity game by a 55-29 margin.
Wilson led the 0-14 Red Devils with 15 points. He was backed by Gerwig with six, Tyler Tanner with four, Ray Davis with three, Sam Brady with two and Derek Dawson with one. William Baker, Dustin Turner and Nick Watkins all played but did not score.
Clay 10-6 was led by Jarrett Woodyard with 13 while Keener and Justin Shamblin with 11 each. Storm Carner and Isaiah Mitchell added four each and Derrick Vaughn and Gavin Nichols had two apiece.
Calhoun will try to get in the winner's circle Wednesday night when it travels to Doddridge County. | 
