Holloway acknowledged that, yes, it was something to celebrate after everything the players have been through, but he added that it’s time to get back to work come Monday and build off the win to where they can enjoy more Friday nights like this past one.
“It’s good to see the light at the end of the tunnel. At the same time, we told the kids after the game, ‘Enjoy this one. Then we’re going to get down to business on Monday and get ready for Walker.’ We want it to snowball and hopefully give us some momentum. You know, Walker’s got a really good team. They’re 3-0 now and we’ve got to go to their place. So we’ve got to have a good week of practice next week and be focused,” Holloway said.
MZ (1-1) has now been competitive in both of its ball games in 2012 after not winning a game since the 20009 season finale prior to Friday, and the Eagles will try to keep that momentum going heading into Marietta next week to face a Walker team that is experiencing its own turnaround this season after five consecutive losing seasons. The Wolverines are also under the direction of a first-year head coach in John East.
And while the Eagles are focused on getting back to business, Holloway said win No. 1 at MZ is something he’ll never forget.
“It was great. People in the stands were behind us all the way. The kids were excited and it’s just a long time coming,” Holloway said.
Learning from Loss
Despite sitting at 1-2 following the completion of its non-region schedule, the Carrollton High School football team will more than likely be a better team down the road for it. Because, honestly, the setbacks to program powers like Oxford (Ala.) and Calhoun will do much more to help the Trojans than their 42-12 rout of Chapel Hill from Week 2.
It’s something that’s not lost on Carrollton coach Rayvan Teague as his ball club gets set for an open week before beginning Region 5-AAAA play on Sept. 28 against Columbus.
“Obviously, I think every time we have to play at a higher level, we’re going to get better — especially if we don’t get anybody hurt. It looks like we came out of this game relatively unscathed, which is a good thing. Other than a few feelings getting hurt, that’s about it. From that stand point, to play a game of this level, to come out healthy and play pretty well, it’s got to be a positive,” Teague said following the Trojans’ 46-35 road loss to top-ranked Calhoun on Friday night.
Trey and Taylor Show
While both the Trojans and Yellow Jackets put on quite a performance up in Calhoun on Friday, two individuals also gave the fans more than their money’s worth in Trojan junior wing back Trey Chivers and Calhoun senior quarterback Taylor Lamb.
Lamb, who led the state in passing last season and is headed to South Alabama next fall, completed 38-of-56 pass attempts for 467 yards and four touchdowns with just one interception to carry Calhoun to the victory. Chivers, meanwhile, had a breakout performance out of the Carrollton backfield, rushing for a career-high 264 yards and three touchdowns, while also catching two passes for 97 yards, including an 81-yard touchdown reception.
Statement Drive
Trailing 8-6 in its Region 5-AA opener on Friday night, the Bowdon High School football team came out of the locker room and put together an 11-play, 80-yard touchdown drive that saw them eat up more yardage than it did the entire first half — 66 yards. It proved to set the tone for a strong second half for No. 10 Bowdon (3-0, 1-0 Region 5-AA) en route to a 34-14 home win over Kendrick.
“That was big. We told them coming out that they’re going to be sky-high and have the momentum on their side and we need to do something to take it away, and we did,” Bowdon coach Dwight Hochstetler said.
Starting on the Right Note
Along with Bowdon getting off to a 1-0 start in Region 5-AA play, Bremen and Temple both earned victories on Friday night, with the Blue Devils dispatching of Chattahoochee County, 35-0, while the Tigers took care of Jordan, 25-16, to collect their first win of the season. Heard County, another playoff hopeful and preseason favorite to win the region, was off Friday. The Braves host Bremen next Friday in what should amount to a huge early-region affair.
Times-Georgian Sports Reporter Jordan Hofeditz contributed to this story.
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