Dramatic win puts Cavaliers in quarterfinals
Published 2:53 am Saturday, November 18, 2017
By Kevin Eckleberry
kevin.eckleberry@lagrangenews.com
ROCKMART – Callaway’s Courtney Williams returned an interception nearly the length of the field in the closing moments of Friday’s game to help lift his team to a 40-35 victory over Rockmart in a second-round playoff game.
Callaway (11-1) advances to the Class AA quarterfinals, and it will be on the road against Brooks County on Friday.
Callaway was clinging to a 34-28 lead late, and Rockmart was driving with a chance to take the lead with a touchdown and an extra point.
The Cavaliers needed someone to step up and make a play, and Williams obliged.
The senior cornerback picked off a pass near the goal line, and he raced nearly 100 yards for the touchdown with less than three minutes to play.
After an unsuccessful two-point conversion, Callaway had a 12-point lead.
A talented Rockmart team didn’t quit and scored a touchdown with less than 30 seconds to play, but Callaway recovered the ensuing onside kick to hang on for the thrilling win.
Callaway was trailing 7-0 when Cartavious Bigsby scored on a 31-yard touchdown run, and the Noah Stephens extra point tied it midway through the opening quarter.
After Rockmart went back on top, Kedrick Ramsey threw a 40-yar touchdown pass to Jacob Freeman, and Stephens’ extra point tied it at 14-14 early in the second quarter.
Touchdown runs of six yards and three yards by Qua Hines gave Callaway a 28-14 lead, and Rockmart added a touchdown with less than a minute left in the second quarter to make it a 28-21 game, and that was the score at the half.
In the third quarter, Ramsey threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to DQ Wilkerson, and Callaway led 34-21.
Rockmart scored a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter to get within six, and it had the ball with an opportunity to seize the lead when Williams came through with the game-saving play.
OF NOTE: For much more on Friday’s game, check out Monday’s sports section.
