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By Gaylen Duskey
realfang@citlink.net
Before the season got under way Calhoun's first year head coach Mike Arthur talked about how young and thin his team was.
Friday night at Wirt County the Red Devils showed just how right he was in a 33-6 loss to the Tigers.
Key injuries as the game went on and showed that.
First the Red Devils lost Seth Moore, the leading returning tackled and rusher from last season. Moore was a two-way starter at running back and linebacker. His loss cost the Red Devils two starters.
The Calhoun lost two-way starting tackle Hayden Richards. That was two more starters the Red Devils were down.
Then came the loss of Caden Hicks. Hicks was the starting quarterback, defensive end and punter. That was three more lost starters for the Red Devils.
Also lost was Ben Frederick a two way player at defensive back and wide receiver.
Those injury losses crippled Calhoun on both sides of the ball and the Tigers took advantage and pulled away as the game went on.
Calhoun, when it was relatively healthy in the early part of the game, took an early 6-0 first quarter lead when Hicks hit Dylan Heiney for a 40-yard score with 1:13 remaining.
After that it was all downhill for Calhoun as the injuries mounted.
Wirt took the lead for good in the second period when Josh Ellison scored on a 14-yard run and Dylan Jenkins kicked the extra point for a 7-6 lead.
After that Ellison combined with Drew Adams for a 30-yard pitch and catch and the Tigers were on top 13-6 at the half.
After injuries to Richards and Hicks decimated the Calhoun offense the Tigers were able to pick apart the Red Devils' defense behind Ellison.
First he hit Drew Adams with a 30-yard score then he had a nine-yard run for another. After his second 14-yard scoring run of the game he topped off his evening with a 58-yard scoring pass to Casey Stanley.
Overall, Wirt had 306 yards total offense with Ellison leading the way with 113 yards rushing and 189 yards passing.
Calhoun was held to 92 yards total offense and six first downs. The Red Devils fumbled five times and lost four and were penalized nine times for 63 yards.
Heiney led Calhoun in rushing with 29 yards on four carries and receiving with four catches for 55 yards.
Hicks hit half of his 12 passes for 53 yards before suffering an arm injury.
The Red Devils, 0-1, return to action at 7 p.m. Friday night at home against Sherman, 1-0. Wirt, 1-0, meanwhile is on the road at St. Marys, 1-0.
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