By Kevin Eckleberry

Sports Editor

With a big assist from running back Marquis Terrell, the Callaway Cavaliers are champions again.

Terrell ran for 258 yards and scored four touchdowns as the Cavaliers beat Heard County 46-21 Friday night at Staples Field in Franklin.

The win, their seventh in a row, secured a second consecutive Region 5-AA title for the Cavs.

Callaway (7-2, 7-0 in region play), which closes the regular season Thursday night against Pike County, will be at home for at least the first two rounds of the state playoffs.

“It means a lot,” Terrell said of going back-to-back in the region. “It’s a tradition we’re building.”

Added head coach Pete Wiggins, whose team has won 18 straight region games dating back to 2007: “It means we’ve been real consistent. I’m so excited for them.”

Although the final spread was 25 points, things didn’t come easily for the Cavs.

Heard County shook off an early 13-0 deficit to take a 14-13 lead at the half, but the second half was all Callaway.

Quarterback Quan Bray put Callaway back on top with a 23-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter, and the Cavs went on to outscore the Braves 33-7 in the second half.

“We knew we were going to come out and play hard (in the second half),” Terrell said. “We had a bad second quarter.”

No player made more of an impact on the game than Terrell.

He carried the ball 23 times, and he scored on runs of 35, 4, 47 and 18 yards.

“I’ll take that every night,” Wiggins said. “And I’m sure he’ll tell you those guys up front did a great job.”

Terrell did credit his offensive lineman for doing what they always do.

“The guys up front, they opened up holes all night,” Terrell said. “That’s nothing new.”

Terrell scored on the Cavs’ first offensive play, taking a handoff from Bray and going 35 yards for the score.

Josh Ham, who had a big night with four extra points and two field goals, made the point after to give Callaway a 7-0 lead.

Callaway’s second possession was capped by a 4-yard Terrell touchdown run, and it looked like the Cavs were headed for an easy night.

Heard County showed plenty of fight, though.

After Callaway’s second touchdown, the Braves went 53 yards in just three plays, with Damiean Jones scoring on a 5-yard run on an option pitch from quarterback Santez Emory.

Brandon Daniel’s 47-yard run set up the touchdown.

On their next possession, the Braves went 80 yards on 13 plays, with Daniel completing the drive with a 3-yard scoring run.

Drew Cameron’s extra point gave the Braves a 14-13 lead heading into the half.

Wiggins wasn’t surprised to see Heard County get back in the game.

“We knew it would be tough,” he said. “Coach (Tim) Barron does a great job.”

The Cavs regained control on their first possession of the third quarter.

Terrell got Callaway going with an 18-yard run into Heard territory, and the elusive Bray completed the 58-yard drive with his 23-yard scoring run.

The two-point conversion attempt failed, and Callaway was up 19-14 with 8:26 left in the third quarter.

After a three-and-out by Heard, Callaway got the ball back, and it took Terrell one play to extend the lead.

Terrell took the handoff, squirted through the line of scrimmage, and once he hit the left sideline, he was gone for a 47-yard touchdown.

Ham’s extra point was true, and the Cavs were up 26-14 after scoring two touchdowns in about 80 seconds.

Later in the quarter, a 32-yard field goal by Ham gave the Cavs a 27-14 lead.

The Braves still had some life left in them, though.

On the first play of their ensuing possession, a bit of trickery netted them a touchdown.

Jaquay Williams caught a short pass from Emory, and he immediately tossed the ball back to Jones, who sprinted down the sideline for an 80-yard touchdown run.

The extra point trimmed Callaway’s lead to 29-21 through three quarters.

Any momentum the Braves may have had did not translate to success in the final quarter.

Ham put Callaway up 32-21 with a 43-yard field goal, and after a Heard punt, the Cavs drove 60 yards for the clinching touchdown.

Fittingly, it was Terrell who finished the drive off with an 18-yard touchdown run with 5:28 remaining.

Heard fumble on its next possession, and the Cavs went 28 yards for the game’s final touchdown, with Bray plunging in from 1 yard out for the touchdown.