Canes hold back Calhoun, 38-35, for (very) early Saturday win

September 7, 2025 Scott Barkley / CanesAthletics.com

The Canes' defense makes a stop during their 38-35 victory over Calhoun.

Ramsey Rowell’s 24-yard field goal was the difference in a marathon night at Weinman Stadium, which didn’t conclude until just before 1 a.m. with Cartersville’s 38-35 win over Calhoun.

A two-hour-and-13-minute weather delay pushed the start to near when other schools were close to finishing their games. Add the extra time allotted for being Georgia Public Broadcasting’s Game of the Week, and Friday’s game easily stretched into Saturday morning. 

Fans were staring at overtime until Rowell’s kick went through with only 20 seconds remaining. Even so, the Yellow Jackets drove deep enough for a final prayer to fall to the turf near the goal line. 

The game felt in hand with less than five minutes to play in the third quarter, as the Canes dismantled a 14-14 tie with three unanswered touchdowns, securing a 35-14 lead. It felt even more the case after Calhoun went three-and-out on their next drive. 

The Canes' offensive line clears a path for running back Braylon Hill.

Closing out the third quarter and entering the opening seconds of the fourth, the Yellow Jackets put together a 70-yard drive over six plays to cut the lead to 35-21. A big Madoxx Davis kickoff return started the Canes in Calhoun territory for a drive that reached inside the ten, but Rowell pushed a 24-yard field goal attempt, keeping the difference to two scores. 

The visitors responded with a 12-play, 80-yard drive that trimmed the lead to 35-28 on a one-yard plunge with less than five minutes to play. After recovering an onside kick, Calhoun quickly covered 42 yards in four plays. Hudson Chadwick’s 27-yard touchdown, along with the PAT at 12:39 a.m., also tied the game with 3:48 to play. 

The Canes responded with their most crucial possession of the night. 

It didn’t start easily. Needing a yard on fourth down from his team’s own 41, Cole Crawford took a direct snap and gained the marker while taking a wallop from Chadwick, now at linebacker. 

On the next play, Brady Marchese circled back to take in Nate Russell’s pass near the sideline for a 21-yard gain to the Calhoun 34. The offense got as close as the ten, but Russell’s third-down throw didn’t quite reach Davis in the corner of the end zone, setting up Rowell’s game-winning field goal. 

Marchese earned GPB Player of the Game honors, finishing with 177 yards and two touchdowns on nine receptions. Russell had 294 yards on 15-of-28 passing to go with his two scoring tosses to Marchese.

Both offenses clicked early. The Canes took the opening kick and on the first play from scrimmage immediately moved into Calhoun territory thanks to Russell’s 36-yard toss to Marchese. Two brutal Tripp Chatmo runs covered the final 19 yards for the touchdown and an early 7-0 lead after Rowell’s kick. 

Calhoun responded with a methodical 13-play, 58-yard scoring drive of their own, which included two fourth-down conversions, to tie the contest. 

On the ensuing kickoff, Davis returned the ball 78 yards for an apparent touchdown, but for the second time in as many weeks, his score was called back for a penalty. Nevertheless, the Canes started at Calhoun’s 25 and on the sixth play Russell connected with Marchese on a quick pass before the senior ran in for the 15-yard touchdown and 14-7 lead. 

Calhoun tied the score less than two minutes into the second quarter. On the Canes’ final drive of the half, a third-and-long throw from Russell to Tyon Coe covered 18 yards, placing them in the red zone. Coe then carried the ball down to the one before freshman Athens Davenport bulled in for the 21-14 lead after Rowell’s kick with 33 seconds remaining. 

After forcing a Yellow Jacket punt to open the second half, the Canes’ third play found the end zone when Marchese took another quick pass from Russell, spun to his right, and hit the jets for a 51-yard touchdown. Cartersville extended its lead to 35-14 with 4:46 remaining in the third quarter after Braylon Hill's two-yard touchdown run. That play was set up by Davis’ physical 25-yard catch-and-run to the goal line. 

Cartersville moves to 4-0 on the season and will travel next Friday, Sept. 12, to Dalton. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30.