Turnovers costly for Colonels in loss at Calhoun

Cass running back Freddie Gbadie.

The Cass Colonels committed five turnovers Friday night — three in the red zone — and lost at No. 6-ranked Calhoun, 35-14, in a game that was closer than the final score indicates.

A Cass fumble on the opening kickoff led to a 30-yard touchdown pass from Calhoun’s Christian Lewis to Quin Smith just over one minute into the game.

The Yellow Jackets added another first quarter touchdown culminating a 79-yard drive with 2:58 remaining in the second quarter. This time Lewis found Brendan Gray crossing in the back of the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown and a 14-0 lead following Carlos Orozko’s second PAT kick.

The Colonels narrowed the margin to 14-7 just over one minute later.

Quarterback Devin Henderson found Kevin Henderson racing up the left sideline for a 61-yard pass completion to set up the Colonels’ touchdown. Freddie Gbadie finished off the three-play drive with a 5-yard touchdown run.

Calhoun regained a two-score lead with a 29-yard Caden Williams touchdown run four minutes into the second quarter. The Yellow Jackets’ drive covered 86 yards in 10 plays.

Cass responded with a 12-play, 75-yard drive of their own to make the score 21-14 at halftime.

Cass loaded up its right side after reaching the Calhoun 1-yard line and had Kymoni Pullum slip out the left side to the back of the end zone to catch a 1-yard pass from Devin Henderson.

Calhoun added a 47-yard touchdown run by Cole Speer with 6:43 left in the third quarter and a 56-yard run by Caden Williams with just 0:54 left in the game for the only scoring in the second half. Cass had multiple opportunities to pull within one score of the Jackets in the second half. A fumble inside the 5-yard line, an interception in the end zone, and a blocked field goal attempt thwarted second half opportunites for the Colonels.

Calhoun (8-1, 4-0) will travel to top-ranked Cartersville next Friday. The winner of that game will take the Region 7-AAAAA championship and earn a No. 1-seed in the Class 5A state playoffs.

Cass (5-4, 2-2) hosts 9th-ranked Blessed Trinity with the winner earning the region’s No. 3-seed in the state playoffs. The loser will slip to a No. 4-seed.