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Calhoun vs. Washington County: GHSA Class AAA Championship
Calhoun battled Washington County in the Georgia Dome on Dec. 12 for the GHSA Class AAA championship trophy.
ATLANTA — The play almost never happened.
Calhoun practiced it just a few times, and never against a live defense.
Friday, the pass went to a different player than the intended receiver.
But the trick play won the game and the Georgia Class AAA state championship for Calhoun, 27-20 over Washington County in the Georgia Dome.
"We just had to find the right time to run it," Calhoun coach Hal Lamb said. "It was really a great read by our backup quarterback."
The double-reverse throwback -- called with the Yellow Jackets (15-0) and Golden Hawks tied at 20 with 9:42 to play -- resulted in Baylon Spector, a wide receiver who also is the No. 2 quarterback, connecting with Carson Brown for a 40-yard touchdown.
"It's probably the most important play of the game," Spector said.
Calhoun's Cole Jackson (28) runs for a first down.They call it "Soldier R-5 Throwback." Offensive coordinator Michael Davis inserted it into the playbook recently because it starts like a couple of other Calhoun trick plays. He had the offense practice it this week specifically for the Golden Hawks (14-1).
"We have a couple tricks here and there," Davis said. "That's the one we hung our hat on. That was a big play in the game -- a huge play."
Quarterback Kaelan Riley took the shotgun snap. The offensive line blocked as if for a screen pass.
Riley handed the ball to wideout Thomas Lester on a reverse around the right side. He flipped the ball to Spector coming back to the left. Normally, Spector would throw to Riley.
"We've only thrown it to the quarterback in practice," Davis said.
Instead, Spector saw Brown wide open 30 yards downfield and lofted the ball his way. Brown waited for it to reach him -- with no defender within 20 yards of him, it seemed like hours -- and he caught the pass with two hands and headed to the goal line.
"I don't know what to tell you," Brown said. "I saw the ball coming and I went to the end zone."
His points proved to be the difference in Calhoun's second state championship of the last four years. The Yellow Jackets won the Class AA title in 2011.
The points came at a critical point of the game. The Yellow Jackets recovered a fumble to get possession. A Riley pass was nearly intercepted on the sideline, almost giving the ball back.
And the Jackets were facing third-and-16 at the WACO 40-yard line -- too far for a field goal, too close to punt.
Davis called the play from his spot in the coaching box.
"When I called it, Hal said, 'I don't like it. They'll be in two-man defense,'" Davis said. "Coach (Clay) Stephenson liked it, and I said, 'We're going with it.'
"It was still there."
It was the perfect play at the perfect time to cap a perfect season.
Contact David Uchiyama at duchiyama@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6484. Follow him at twitter.com/UchiyamaCTFP