Callaway hangs tough in loss to Bremen

Published 1:30 am Saturday, March 13, 2021

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By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

The shot attempts kept flying, and Callaway’s John Will White kept making saves.

White delivered a memorable performance in goal for Callaway during Friday’s home game, but it was Bremen scoring three times in the final 20 minutes to earn the Region 5-AA win.

The score was deadlocked when Callaway was called for a foul, and Bremen converted the penalty kick to take a 1-0 lead with 19:07 left.

Bremen added an insurance goal with 11:41 to play, and it notched the final goal with seven minutes remaining with backup goal keeper Connor Davis in the game.

That the Cavaliers stayed in the game as long as they did was a testament to White, who stood tall against one of the state’s top Class AA teams.

Some of the saves were routine, but on others White was diving to his left or right, leaping high to keep the ball from going over his head, or charging forward to cut off a Bremen breakaway.

After the game, Bremen’s coach paid White a major compliment.

“(White) was phenomenal,” said Callaway head coach Mike Petite. “What the coach told him after the game was, you are the best goal keeper we have seen, and he’s seen a lot of good teams. He plays a good schedule. I said John, if he said that to you, that’s one of the biggest compliments you can get.”

The Cavaliers fell to 1-3 in the region, but they can still finish as high as second and earn a home game in the state playoffs.

Callaway finishes its region schedule with games against Haralson County and Temple next week.

Callaway has lost twice to Bremen, and its other region setback came against Temple.

If Callaway beats Haralson County, it can finish second by beating Temple by four goals or more.

In Friday’s girls’ game, it was all Bremen, which rolled to a 10-0 victory.

Bremen scored six goals in the first half, and it added four goals in the first 20 minutes of the second half to end the game.

Callaway is 1-3 in Region 5-AA, and it will finish region competition with games against Haralson County and Temple next week.

Callaway lost to Bremen twice, and it fell to Temple 6-5 in a wild game last week.

The Lady Cavaliers can finish as high as second in the region if things go their way next week.

Both Callaway teams have already qualified for the state playoffs.