Claxton

Claxton rolls over CDS for big region win

Tigers grab No. 2 seed in play-in game

Calvary Day at Claxton

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CLAXTON - JaMalcolm Morgan and the Tiger offense ran over, through and around Calvary Day, en route to a 29-6 victory at Bell Memorial Field.

The 225 yard, three-touchdown performance by Morgan provided a menacing Tiger defense with more than enough support, as it held the Cavaliers to just 162 yards on the night. Nearly half of the total would come on one play.

The Tigers (6-3, 4-1 Region 3A-A) did it all on the ground, rushing for 279 of their 288 yards, and all four scores. The senior laden offensive line, with Tray Bacon and Lorenzo Love leading the charge, controlled the line of scrimmage from start to finish in what would be the final regular season game of their high school careers.

“We knew Calvary had good football team and we knew we had to come in here and play a good football game,” said Tiger coach Allen Cartwright. “And it was a good one. It was a tough, physical ball game, just like we expected. Fortunately our kids were able to push through and get it done in the second half.”

With its fourth-consecutive region win, Claxton clinched the second seed in its side of the Region 3-A bracket, setting up a first-round home matchup with Treutlen County next week.

In what shaped up to be a battle for second place in Region 3A-A, both Calvary Day (4-5, 2-3 Region 3A-A) and Claxton entered with ample amounts of emotion and hit the ground running.

With just a few seconds removed from the opening clock, Calvary would strike for its biggest play of the night. On the game’s second snap, Cavalier quarterback Ross Howard dropped back, could not find a receiver and took off.

The Calvary captain found daylight down the right sideline, scoring from 61-yards out and giving his team an early six-point lead. The excitement would be short-lived however, as the Tigers had an answer.

Claxton took control of the ball for its first possession of the night and rattled off an eight-minute drive, converting three first downs and taking advantage of three Calvary penalties along the way. Facing fourth-and-goal, Morgan would corral a pitch left and sprint seven yards for his team’s first score.

The first-half offense ended as quickly as it had started. Neither team would muster a scoring drive for the remainder of the half. Twice, Claxton would end its drive with a turnover, once on a failed fourth down conversion and again on a Xavier Slater fumble.

Calvary Day could not overcome a myriad of mistakes, leading to seven first-half penalties for 45 yards. When it did begin to drive, the Tiger defense would shut the door.

Seniors Chris Bellamy and Mikell Sapp would each make drive-ending sacks.

The second half would completely belong to the home team. On its first drive of the third quarter, Claxton marched 65-yards in five minutes, gaining four first downs on its way to a second score.

Morgan would take a second-down handoff through the middle of the Calvary defense for 1 yard and his second six-point play of the night. He would get in the end zone again on the next play, converting the two-point conversion on a toss sweep.

Midway through the fourth quarter, Morgan would strike again. This time, the Tiger back received a quick handoff from the fullback position and flew through the heart of the Cavalier front untouched for a 33-yard touchdown.

The Claxton defense would prove impenetrable for the remainder of half, cutting short every Cavalier drive. Lebron Glover and Slater would each add an interception to their fourth-quarter stats, before Glover sealed the Cavs’ fate with an 11-yard touchdown scamper in the game’s closing minutes.

“Tonight was all about the running game and good defense,” said Cartwright. “We gave up that first early score, but after that, our defense really buckled down.”

 The Tigers will now set their sights on a 7-2 Treutlen County team that is coming off a 40-27 win against Metter. The Vikings, who will make the November 6 trip to Claxton, defeated Calvary Day by a score of 21-7 in September.