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By Gaylen Duskey Sport Editor
FLATWOODS - Calhoun's 25-14 loss to Braxton County Friday night was something of a microcosm of the entire football
season.
For the Red Devils too many plays came up just a little bit too short while too many of the opponents' plays, no matter how
strange or ill designed, worked.
It has been that way all season and it was that way Friday night too.
Braxton County jumped on top quickly - as was the case with every Calhoun loss - only to have the Red Devils battle back.
Braxton, which finished the season 6-4, grabbed a 6-0 lead on a 40-yard run by Andrew Tanner, the Eagles' outstanding
running back.
Tanner's run was a great run. The next time Tanner scored - from 13 yards out to give the Eagles a 12-0 lead - he could
have walked into the end zone since Calhoun bit on a fake to fullback Kenny Hacker and the one defender with a shot at
Tanner fell down.
But, like so many times this season, the Red Devils rallied.
Calhoun pieced together a nice drive and got back into the game when Justin Price broke loose from 32 yards away for the
touchdown. Derek Roberts' kick made it 12-7.
The game remained that way for the rest of the half but Calhoun had gained the momentum.
Then, on the opening kickoff of the second half, Price scored again on a brilliant 70-yard run. Roberts again added the extra
point and Calhoun was up 14-12.
That's when the strange and unusual things started happening.
There was a hook-and-ladder play by the Eagles that worked for 17 yards on a third-and-15.
There was a sure pass interception - and likely a touchdown - dropped by the Calhoun defender. And on the next play there
was the 18-yard touchdown pass to Glen Tanner giving the Eagles an 18-14 lead.
Following that Calhoun ignited another drive that rolled down to the 11-yard line where it stalled forcing a field goal attempt
by Roberts. The kick was blocked but was picked up by offensive tackle Chad Conley who lugged it to the two before being
knocked out of bounds. Had he been able to get one more yard the Red Devils would have had first and goal and probably
would have scored to regain the lead.
But, alas, it was not to be.
Instead Braxton took over.
While the Eagles did not immediately put things away that stop did turn the momentum away from the Red Devils, putting
Braxton back in control of the game.
Yet Calhoun appeared to stop the Eagles on numerous occasions only to have things go awry - especially on pass defense.
Three straight times on third or fourth and long Braxton had a receiver go short and turn, only to have the Calhoun defender
playing far enough off him to allow the first down.
The final nail in the Red Devils' coffin came when Hacker, heretofore almost exclusively a blocker, rambled in from 11 yards
out with 4:29 remaining.
Calhoun fought back but it was too little and too late.
With the loss the Red Devils finish the season with a 4-6 record.
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