While rolling to six straight wins, it seemed like East Webster got all the breaks and bounces. Against traditional power Calhoun City, the breaks went to the Wildcats.
Calhoun City scored on the opening drive and build a 20-0 lead and took a 28-7 win over the Wolverines to open Division 2-2A play. The Wolverines fall to 6-1 on the season and are 0-1 in 2-2A play and will host J.Z. George for homecoming Thursday.
It was a hard loss to swallow for coach Ron Price who thought his team was in position to beat the Wildcats and take an early lead in the division.
“For the first time all season, things didn’t go our way,” Price said. “To win a game like that, you have to have some things go your way. For four quarters, we created difficult situations. We allowed them some big plays. To win a big game like that, you have to have some things go your way and we really didn’t and a lot of that was our fault. At the end of the night, it wasn’t meant to be a game that we could win.”
Calhoun City got the ball to open the game and promptly drive 79 yards in seven plays as they scored on fourth-and-10 on a 37-yard run with 8:01 left in the first. The PAT was blocked and Calhoun led 6-0.
Calhoun City added to its lead in the second quarter as the Wildcats went 71 yards in eight plays as they scored on a 1-yard run. The two-point conversion was good and Calhoun led 14-0.
East Webster responded with a 14-play drive but ended up turning the ball over on downs at the Calhoun City 19 as the Wildcats led 14-0 at the half.
“We just didn’t finish drives,” Price said. “We had some long drives and got the ball inside the 20 and just didn’t finish drives. I know they won by 21 but that game was not that lopsided. If we could have scratched on any of those drives, I think it could have been a different game.”
The bounces went against the Wolverines again as Calhoun City kicked off to start the second half. The Wildcats used a sky kick and was able to recover it at the East 23. Two plays later, the Wildcats scored on a 9-yard run. The try for two failed and Calhoun City led 20-0.
“I thought that was huge,” Price said. “It’s 14-0 at the half and we are supposed to get the ball. It takes a funny bounce and they recover it. That just took all the energy out of us. And then they go down and score. It was very frustrating.”
East Webster responded by getting its lone touchdown of the game. The Wolverines went 69 yards in 11 plays as Stephen Betts scored on a 4-yard run with 6:15 left in the third. Parker Burleson booted the PAT to cut the lead to 20-7.
After forcing a Calhoun City punt, East put together another good drive and had a touchdown called back for holding. They eventually turned the ball over on downs to end the threat.
“There again, it’s a two-score game and I think we are back in it and get a touchdown called back,” Price said. “Again, if we score there, it’s a different game. Again, we had chances and have to finish drives.”
East Webster had another chance when Hastings Gibson recovered a fumble at the Calhoun 13. But Betts gave the ball back on fourth down with an interception in the end zone.
Calhoun City added a late score after a Betts fumble gave the Wildcats the ball at the East Webster 22. The Wildcats scored on a 19-yard run with 3:12 left in the game for the final margin of 28-7.
East Webster had 288 yards of total offense. Betts was 8-of-20 passing for 80 yards. He also rushed for 136 yards on 23 carries while Tyrik Pittman had 70 yards on 16 carries.
On defense, Ethan Roberts led the way with 10 tackles while Luke McKee had eight stops. Isaac Jones had seven tackles while Conner Shurden had six tackles. Kobe Smith, Carter Flora and Caleb Massey each had five tackles.
