The Adairsville Tigers dropped to 3-3 on the season and 1-2 in region play with a 42-16 loss to the Calhoun Yellow Jackets on Friday night.
Adairsville gave itself a position to hang close with Calhoun, as it forced a three-and-out and then got the ball inside the 10-yard line on its opening drive, but it would end with a missed field goal. On Calhoun’s second drive, Reed Hughes would intercept the ball on the goal line and give Adairsville another chance to take a lead, but the turnover would not result in points.
Calhoun got on the board with Gavin Gray connected with Drew Rutledge on a 69-yard touchdown pass with 25 seconds left in the first quarter. Adairsville would answer on the next drive when Mason Boswell found Ethan Belcher for a 9-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 7 in the second quarter.
Gray would again complete a long touchdown pass, this one a 77-yard strike to Luke Moseley. The Yellow Jackets. Travon Branch would take the kickoff up to the Calhoun 40-yard line and a Calhoun 15-yard penalty would set Adairsville up at the Calhoun 25-yard line. Adairsville would not be able to get in the end zone, but Josh Honea would connect for a 37-yard field goal to cut into the Calhoun lead 14-10.
Calhoun would march the ball to the Adairsville 1-yard line, but another goal-line interception from Adairsville would stunt the Calhoun drive. A few plays later Boswell, who caught the interception, would throw one of his own and it would be returned to the 1-yard line. Gray would take the quarterback keeper up the middle and give Calhoun a 21-10 lead.
With just nine seconds left in the first half, Boswell would throw a jump ball to Cody Henderson to cut into the lead 21-16 after the missed PAT.
Unfortunately for the Tigers, Calhoun would shut the Tigers down and score 21 points unanswered points in the second half and drop the Tigers 42-16. The Yellow Jackets made some defensive adjustments and held the Tigers to several three-and-outs. The defense showed its fatigue late in the third quarter, with long Calhoun drives.
Adairsville will hit the road next week as it plays Sonoraville at 7:30 PM.