Calhoun City earned a rematch with Bassfield in the Class 2A State championship game by defeating East Webster 35-14 at D.L. Harrison Field Friday night.
“I’m so proud of this team,” Calhoun City head coach Perry Liles said. “Our offensive line just keeps pounding and pounding and our backs kept hitting it up in there. You can win games when you control the ball and keep it away from the other team. We did that tonight.”
That was best exhibited in the fourth quarter. After East Webster scored on the final play of the third quarter. Calhoun City burned the first 10:02 of the fourth quarter with an 80 yard drive that ended with a 15-yard touchdown run by Brieton Sykes.
“That 10 minute drive at the end really defined our team,” Liles said.
QB Chakel Gates and RB Brieton Sykes once again powered the Calhoun City offense, combining to rush for more than 330 yards and four touchdowns.
“We knew this would be a difficult game, so me and Brieton had to step up and make plays and that’s what we did,” Chakel Gates said.
Gates accounted for the first score of the game when the Wildcats took the opening kickoff and marched 74 yards scoring on a 4-yard run. East Webster answered with a touchdown drive of their own, scoring on a 1-yard dive over the top by Deangelo Liggins to tie the game at seven at the end of the first quarter.
Calhoun City took over from there with two second quarter scores – a 52-yard pass from Gates to Sykes and an 8-yard scoring run by Gates.
Gates leaped high between two Wolverines to pull down the pass and then pulled free of both of them to reach the end zone. On the touchdown run he overpowered two Wolverines to cross the goal line.
“I just wanted it more tonight,” said Sykes, who finished with 175 yards on the ground. “Last year has motivated me all this year.”
After stopping East Webster on the opening possession of the second half, the Wildcats marched 78 yards for another touchdown, scoring on a a 1-yard run by Sykes.
East Webster cut the score to 27-14, scoring on a 4-yard run by QB Jack Wilson on the final play of the third quarter, but they couldn’t get the ball back to mount another threat.
“We just couldn’t get off the field on defense,” East Webster head coach Doug Wilson said. “They can run it straight at you, or around you.”
Gates, who finished with 160 yards rushing, and Sykes would lead the 10 minute march to salt the game away. East Webster’s possession in the final two minutes quickly ended with a Steele Liles’ interception sparking the celebration on the Wildcats’ sideline and a Gatorade bath for Coach Perry Liles.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do to prepare for next week,” Liles told the team in the post game huddle, “but how ‘bout them Wildcats?”
The Wildcats,14-0, will play for the 2014 2A title on Friday at 2:30 p.m. in a rematch with Bassfield at Mississippi State in Starkville.
“This is very emotional,” Gates said. “After the loss last year, we were determined to come back and get it done.”
“I’m just glad to be around these guys,” Keshun Bobo said. “They played their hearts out tonight.”