Change of plans

Sports

Related Photos

Paula Merritt

Discussion

November 3, 2009

Calvary wins region title in three-team playoff

By Jamie Wachter / executive sports editor The Meridian Star Tue Nov 03, 2009, 11:48 PM CST

DECATUR — Calvary Christian coach Kirby Newell had an unusal plan ready to insure the Cougars qualified for the MAIS 8-Man state playoffs.

However, Calvary's defense and senior quarterback Kyle Koch made the idea moot as the defending state champion Cougars knocked off Veritas 12-6 and Central Academy 8-6 in a three-team overtime-formatted playoff jamboree Tuesday at Bailey Stadium on the East Central Community College campus. The Vikings secured the second seed from Division 1 with an 8-6 win against Veritas.

"I was going to throw the game," Newell said after the win, which gave Calvary a home playoff game Friday against Mt. Salus Christian. "Because losing by 2 would have guaranteed me that no matter what happened in this game that I was in.

"I went to the seniors (Monday) after I got back from Jackson, and I said 'What is your No. 1 goal, is it to get in the playoffs or is it to win and host the first round?' And every one of them told me it was to get in. Well, if Macon makes that extra point and I score a touchdown and lose by two, I'm in.

"It could've been a real, sure enough situation where I look bad for everybody up here, but when the seniors come to me and say we're going to do something, I would've thrown the game. I would've thrown it."

With a win against Veritas already in hand, Calvary saw Central Academy — the lone team to beat the Cougars this year — score on third-and-goal from the 7 when Trevor Eaves outraced the Cougar defense to the left sideline. However, Calvary's defense stiffened on the two-point conversion attempt, stuffing CA junior Ferris McGuire.

From there, Koch delivered. With the Cougars facing a third-and-goal from the CA 13 following a holding call and two incomplete passes, the senior quarterback connected with Justin Sylvester for 9 yards on a slant. He then hit Johnathan Bartlett on a cross for the tying touchdown on fourth down.

"I was debating whether to isolate Bartlett on one side or isolate Sylvester on the other side," Newell said of the third-down call. "We decided to go with Sylvester because he's taller. And if we'd have had more space it would have been Bartlett, but we decided to go with Sylvester.

"They call their own plays when we go iso, and he looks at the corner and tells the quarterback what we're running. He called a slant and got us down there to the 4 and gave us a shot."

On the two-point conversion, Koch showed off his elusiveness, scrambling around the pocket before darting inside the right corner of the end zone for the region title-clinching score.

"Buy time, ad-lib, that's him," Newell said. "On a regulation football field in 8-man, he can dominate most of the time because he can do that — run around, run around, run around, run around before he finds something.

"We were going to throw the jump ball on the extra point, it wasn't there and then he just did his thing."

Koch's feet came in handy during the Cougars' first playoff session, too. After both teams scored on their initial drives — Koch findng Zach Carpenter open in the end zone — the Calvary defense rose to the occasion and stuffed the Lions on third and fourth downs inside the 3.

"The defense won this thing," Newell said. "On offense, we need as much green as we can get. When we only have 10 yards and can't run around very much, we're limited.

"But, our defense won this thing. That's it. They won this thing."

Koch then raced to pay dirt on the Cougars' second play.

Text Only

Sports

Clarkdale serves notice in rout of Enterprise
The Clarkdale girls’ basketball team served notice that it belonged among the top teams in MHSAA Class 2A with a 59-56 division win at defending 2A state champion Scott Central on January 31.

February 8, 2012
Northeast Lauderdale stuns, upsets Northeast Jones in opening round.
Shaquanta McDonald and Tarmecia Mack each scored 10 points as The Trojans beat the Tigers 42-28 in the opening round of the District 5-4A District Tournament held at West Lauderdale Tuesday. Brittany Williams added nine points for Northeast Lauderdale (5-21).

February 8, 2012
Season Ender
The defense was there, but the offense never came around and Meridian High saw its playoff hopes disappear as Oak Grove pulled away in the final minutes to knock off the host Wildcats 58-48 on Tuesday night in the Region 5-6A Tournament.

February 8, 2012
Kemper County wins thriller over Heidelberg
In a division with traditional powerhouses Choctaw Central, Southeast Lauderdale and Newton – the fourth-and-fifth-seeded Kemper County and Heidelberg girls both were hoping to just punch their ticket to the Class 3A state playoffs and hope to hit a hot streak.
Part one of that equation was successful for Kemper County Tuesday night, but it was far from easy.

February 8, 2012
New-look Lions set to open 2012 softball season
Coming off the most successful season of fast-pitch softball competition in the program’s history, the East Mississippi Community College Lions are set to open their 2012 softball campaign by playing host to Marion Military Institute Tuesday afternoon on the Scooba campus. First pitch for the season-opening doubleheader is set for 1 p.m.

February 7, 2012
Yellowjackets survive Hornets, keep season alive
Rarely does a team commit 46 turnovers and not get run out of the gym, but the Union girls overcame their ballhandling woes to knock off Lake 41-38 in overtime of the MHSAA Division 6-2A Tournament Monday night.

February 7, 2012 4 Photos
Roundup — MCC baseball splits pair at tourney

The Meridian Community College Eagles salvaged a split of its final games in the 2012 T.J. Fleming Invitational at Lurleen B. Wallace Community College on Sunday.

February 6, 2012
Crusaders use experience, speed to topple Tornadoes
Philadelphia and Sacred Heart both entered Friday's Class 1A/2A/3A soccer state championship game looking for their first state crown.
The Crusaders, though, had finished as runners-up the previous two seasons, and used that experience and their speed to their advantage as they scored three first half goals in route to a 3-1 win.

February 4, 2012 4 Photos
Roundup — West girls rally past Louisville
The West Lauderdale girls basketball team overcame an early deficit to top visiting Louisville 60-56 to close out the regular season Friday.

February 4, 2012
Dreams Dashed
    A real life David vs. Goliath meeting took place in the Class 1A/2A/3A girls state championship soccer game Friday afternoon at Clinton High School's Arrow Field.
   Having never advanced farther than the second round of the MSHSAA soccer playoffs, Clarkdale entered looking to shock the state and win its first state title. In th way stood Our Lady Academy, a nine-time state champion from Bay St. Louis.
   The Crescents blanked the Bulldogs 5-0 for their third straight title and 10th since 2000.

February 4, 2012 6 Photos
More Sports Headlines

Sports

Search Results

Related Photos

Discussion

Change of plans

Calvary wins region title in three-team playoff

Site Map

Contact Us