Calhoun vs. Peach County: Strength of schedule, coaches, and the trophy goes to ...
The trophy goes to Calhoun if:
The Yellow Jackets finish drives
Peach County can make a team pay for not getting points when reaching the red zone. The Trojans have a speed advantage and a balanced offense, and rarely go a few drives - even against good teams and playoff teams - without scoring. If Calhoun leaves points on the field in the first half, the second half may not be too pretty.
The DBs can make some plays
Both teams have stellar quarterbacks, and quality secondaries. Calhoun's Bralon Barton comes in with the confidence of a three-interception game against top-ranked and unbeaten Cedar Grove in last week's semifinal. The Yellow Jackets are facing a QB who has thrown one interception that was a bad decision, according to head coach Chad Campbell. Calhoun has to disrupt Peach County's offense by drastically slowing down the passing game and causing incompletions.
Avoid frustration with an early deficit and start answering
The Trojans are more explosive, even without two starters. They have taken strong control early in the first three playoff games, and were in control at Greater Atlanta Christian despite a close score. It's been a long time since Calhoun trailed at halftime - and yes, the Yellow Jackets long ago erased the big loss to Cartersville from their mental hard drive, so it's irrelevant - and, like Peach County, aren't used to coming back.
The trophy goes to Peach County if:
The younger Trojans stay cool
Injuries have forced some changes, some players to step up. There's a chance some might get too amped or a little nervous on this stage, and in a stadium that's been massively hyped, one that just hosted an SEC championship that they probably watched. And then got very excited while thinking, "Maaaaan, we're playing there next." This is the game when some players try to make plays they've never made, or overcompensate for mistakes.
Mitchell Fineran's foot comes into play
Peach County has one of the top place-kickers in the Southeast, who puts kickoffs in the end zone and draws attention in pregame with his field goal tries. The Trojans have used him for key field goals more later in the season, and his confidence was boosted by at clutch kicks at Greater Atlanta Christian.
They get off to a better start than Calhoun
Peach County is off a confidence-boosting offensive game in which the Trojans didn't really have any big plays. Instead, they put together grinding drives that break down a defense, and against a team that might be better than Calhoun. Peach County, especially with the unflappable Gilbert behind center, won't be impatient without having the 51-yard runs or 63-yard pass plays.
Strength of schedule
Calhoun
Vs. Playoff teams, non-region: 3-1. Beat AA Douglass (7-4) 17-14; beat 6A Dalton (7-4) 24-0; lost to 4A Cartersville (11-1) 58-6; beat North Murray (7-4) 40-13.
Vs. higher classifications: 1-1. Beat 6A Dalton 24-0; lost to 4A Cartersville 58-6.
Vs. above-.500 opponents (regular season): 5-1. beat AA Douglass (7-4) 17-14; beat 6A Dalton (7-4) 24-0; lost to 4A Cartersville (11-1) 58-6; beat North Murray (7-4) 40-13; beat sub-region opponent Adairsville (6-5) 42-16; beat sub-region opponent Bremen (9-2) 48-0.
Away from home: Calhoun's lone loss was at Cartersville, and they won two playoff games on the road, including last week's monster against top-ranked Cedar Grove.
FYI: The playoff opponent records were 5-5, 10-2, 9-4, and 13-1.
Peach County
Vs. playoff teams, non-region: 1-1. Peach County lost on the game's final play to Class 5A finalist Warner Robins ... and pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat Class 4A semifinalist Mary Persons 35-14 on the road.
Vs. higher classifications: 3-1. Beat 6A Houston County 44-14, 4A Perry 47-19 and Mary Persons 35-14, lost to 5A Warner Robins 38-35.
Vs. above-.500 opponents (regular season): 3-1 Lost 38-35 to 5A Warner Robins (14-0); beat 4A Mary Persons (11-3), 35-14; beat region opponent Westside (7-4) 35-7; beat region opponent Pike County (9-4) 49-21.
Away from home: The Trojans are 5-0 on the road, 1-0 in the playoffs.
FYI: The playoff opponent records were 6-5, 5-6, 7-6, and 12-2.
The Coaches
Hal Lamb took over in 1999, after two losing seasons at Upson-Lee. Calhoun had region title and playoff win in 45 seasons. Calhoun has won 17 straight region titles and hasn't lost a region game since his third season, 14-7 to Darlington on Oct. 19, 2001. Lamb is part of a football family that includes brother Bobby, Mercer's head coach. He grew up in Commerce, and played at West Georgia.
Record: 224-51, 21st season; 219-36 at Calhoun, 19th season.
State championships: 2011, 2014.
FYI: The Yellow Jackets have reached the semifinals nine times under Lamb, and their only first-round loss under him was in 2000.
Chad Campbell grew up and played football, baseball and basketball at Hawkinsville, and went to college at ABAC for a year and played baseball, which he continued at Georgia Southwestern. He was hired at Peach County after graduation and has been there for more than two dozen years.
Record: 120-22, 11th season, all at Peach County.
State championships: 2009.
FYI: The Trojans have made the semifinals in five of Campbell's 11 seasons.