Callaway rallies for dramatic win over Heard
Published 12:00 am Sunday, September 6, 2015
FRANKLIN – The Pulpwood Classic trophy is going to remain at Callaway High.
For the fourth straight season, Callaway and Heard County played in the Pulpwood Classic, and this year’s game was contested in Franklin, and it was indeed a classic.
Heard County won the first Pulpwood Classic, but Callaway has won the past three after capturing a 20-17 victory on Friday night.
Heard County looked intent on claiming the trophy after surging to a 17-0 lead in the first half.
The Cavaliers found some momentum with a touchdown late in the first half, though, and they completed the comeback with two touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
Callaway, which lost its season opener to LaGrange, has now won two in a row to improve to 2-1, while Heard County fell to 0-2.
The Braves dominated the game for most of the first half.
Already leading 17-0, it looked like the Braves were about to add to that lead when they lost a fumble near the goal line.
Callaway responded with a big-time scoring drive that nearly covered the length of the field.
Cedric Maynard got the Cavaliers out of the shadow of their own end zone with a long run to the 36-yard line.
The Cavaliers continued to march down the field, and quarterback Braylon Sanders capped the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run, and Noah Stephens made the extra point to make it a 17-7 game, which was the score at the half.
After a scoreless third quarter, Callaway came to life in the fourth quarter.
After Heard County missed a field goal, Callaway got a long touchdown pass from Sanders to JT Wortham, and the extra point cut the deficit to 17-14.
A little more than a minute later, Callaway scored again on a Maynard touchdown run, and it was a 20-17 game after the unsuccessful extra-point attempt.
The defense held firm from there, and Callaway returned home with a dramatic win, and with the Pulpwood trophy in tow.
Reach Kevin Eckleberry at (706) 884-7311 or on Twitter @lagrangesports