Calvary Day hadn’t played in 22 days, so head coach Jason Cameron was hoping the Cavaliers could avoid a sluggish start to their GHSA Class 1A-3A Private state playoff home game against King’s Ridge Christian on Friday night.
“We had a long layoff, so you’re always worried about a little bit of coming out slowly and having some rust about you,” Cameron said afterward. “I don’t think we did.”
The Cavaliers scored eight touchdowns in the first half and didn’t need to score again in a 56-17 rout of the Tigers.
“I feel like we came in hot. We didn’t miss a beat,” said junior quarterback James Mobley IV, who threw four touchdown passes as Calvary Day was up 29-7 after one quarter and 56-7 at halftime to trigger a running clock in the second half.
The Cavaliers (10-1) had a week off after the regular-season finale on Oct. 31 and then had a bye into the second round. With the victory over King’s Ridge Christian (8-4), Calvary will play at home next Friday against Mableton’s Whitefield Academy (9-2), a 48-21 winner over Aquinas.
Nine different Cavaliers scored on Friday, including senior kicker Grady Shiver (6-for-6 on extra points) and junior Emerson Lewis, who returned a kickoff 92 yards for a TD and blocked a Tigers field-goal attempt which teammate Scottie Walker returned 67 yards for another score.
“Special teams is a really big part of the game. Special teams can win you championships,” said Mobley, praising Shiver for routinely booting kickoffs into the end zone and forcing opposing offenses into poor field position. “Grady Shiver doing his job was really big tonight, and Emerson Lewis coming off the edge really hot (to block the kick). That was a really big play, and that could be a really big play during this playoff run.”
Calvary Day's defense’s first job was stopping King’s Ridge Christian’s triple-option offense, which entered averaging 251.6 rushing yards per game. That meant Cavaliers defenders had to stay in their lanes and be keenly aware of eye discipline to follow the ball distributed through sophomore quarterback Patrick Zito.
“It was a really big week for the defense,” Mobley said. “They had film every single day. (Assistant) Coach (Donald) Chumley and Coach (Stephen) Miros did a really good job planning for King’s Ridge.”
After Calvary Day put aside concerns about rust with a 68-yard scoring drive to open the game – culminated by Zay Middleton’s 13-yard TD dash up the middle and Ca’Den Jones’ two-point conversion run – it was King’s Ridge’s turn.
After two off-tackle dive plays garnered all of 2 yards, the Tigers bit off a 19-yard chunk, then a 58-yarder to get to the CDS 1-yard line, where senior defensive lineman Jay Varner forcefully brought down leading rusher Austin Drye for no gain on consecutive plays.
King’s Ridge ran away from Varner on third down, pitching to Taylor Markakis, who scooted around left end for a touchdown followed by Max Cuzdey’s extra point for an 8-7 deficit with 5:11 left in the first quarter.
But that was it for the Tigers’ offense the rest of the half.
“Defensively, we had to adjust what we were doing compared to what (the Tigers) were doing,” Cameron said. “They had a good scheme to start. We made those adjustments and played a really good first half.”
King’s Ridge totaled 73 rushing yards in the first half and Zito was 5-of-10 passing for 27 yards before he was subbed out in the second half for senior Dylan Jordan, who operated more as a passing quarterback.
“Our defense was awesome,” Cameron said. “They had to tweak just one thing, and then they were light’s out the rest of the game.”
After Markakis’ TD, Lewis returned the ensuing kickoff for a score, then the Cavaliers kicked the Tigers when they were down with Shiver’s onside kick, which Brexton Bell recovered to keep the Cavaliers in possession.
Cameron praised the special teams for its play, including the two-point conversion, the two touchdowns and the onside kick.
“Another thing we practiced all week -- something that we really, really liked,” the coach said of the onside kick. “If we practice it, we’re going to run it. (The Tigers) gave us the same look, so we went for it and executed it.”
Calvary drove 47 yards and scored on Mobley’s first of two TD passes to Marlon Knight Jr., who went high to make an acrobatic catch while blanketed in coverage in the end zone.
After the Tigers fumbled away a bad pitch – an inherent danger with the triple option – the Cavaliers scored on the next play when Mobley found Ty Pinckney, whose 25-yard catch and run made it 29-7 with 54 seconds left in the first quarter.
Calvary’s Gabriel Ausfeld recovered a mistargeted pitch on the next drive to end the opening period, and Shawn Williams ran in from 5 yards out on the first play of the second quarter for a 35-7 advantage.
King’s Ridge Christian responded by taking advantage of four defensive pass interference penalties to drive to the CDS 26 as 6-foot-7 receiver Carson Kelly made for an inviting target and matchup problem. But Cuzdey’s field-goal attempt was blocked by Lewis coming off the edge and the ball bounced to Walker, who dashed along the right sideline for a gut punch of a TD.
The CDS defense held the Tigers to a three-and-out for a short field, then Mobley guided the offense to a penalty-blemished drive ending with his 13-yard TD pass to Knight.
After another three-and-out, the Cavs drove 71 yards for their last score, as Mobley made a quick pass to Jalen Hicks, who rumbled 38 yards along the left sideline with 54 seconds left in the first half.
Mobley said it’s a matter of finding the open receivers.
“With Coach Cameron the offensive coordinator, he makes my job easier with my pre-snap reads and knowing where to go,” said Mobley, who credited the receivers for stepping up with the loss of sophomore LaVon Owens to injury in the regular-season finale against Liberty County.
“We have the ability to spread the ball around and we’ve got an unselfish group,” Cameron said.
Mobley, who played only the first half as CDS was able to rest starters in the second half, was 11 of 13 passing for 177 yards and four TDs. The offense, supported by the stifling defense and productive special teams, added 91 yards on the ground in the first half.
“There’s no moment too big, there’s no moment too small,” Cameron said of Mobley. “He always stays the same, and I think it bleeds over to our guys. We never get too rattled.”
Calvary Day 56, King’s Ridge Christian 17
KRC|7|0|7|3|--|17
CDS|29|27|0|0|--|56
First Quarter
CDS—Zay Middleton 13 run (Ca’Den Jones run)
KRS—Taylor Markakis 1 run (Max Cuzdey kick)
CDS—Emerson Lewis 92 kickoff return (Grady Shiver kick)
CDS—Marlon Knight Jr. 12 pass from James Mobley IV (Shiver kick)
CDS—Ty Pinckney 25 pass from Mobley (Shiver kick)
Second Quarter
CDS—Shawn Williams 5 run (run failed)
CDS—Scottie Walker 67 blocked kick return (Shiver kick)
CDS—Knight 13 pass from Mobley (Shiver kick)
CDS—Jalen Hicks 38 pass from Mobley (Shiver kick)
Third Quarter
KRC—Carson Kelly 31 pass from Dylan Jordan (Cuzdey kick)
Fourth Quarter
KRC—Cuzdey 47 FG
Records—King’s Ridge Christian 8-4, Calvary Day School 10-1.
Photo Credit: Courtesy Calvary Day School Athletics Department
All Coverage Powered by Optim Orthopedics
From Friday night lights to tipoff and tournament time, Optim Orthopedics keeps Savannah athletes healthy, strong, and game-ready all season long.
Optim Orthopedics Team of Specialists:
-
Dr. Don Aaron: Bryan County
-
Dr. David Sedory: Benedictine, Bradwell, Liberty County
-
Dr. David Palmer: Calvary Day, Richmond Hill, South Effingham
-
Dr. Thomas Alexander: Savannah Country Day, St. Vincent’s Academy
Trusted leaders in orthopedic and sports medicine, Optim Orthopedics proudly supports Prep Sports Report football and basketball coverage—helping local athletes stay in the game and at the top of theirs.
Optim Orthopedics — Where athletes go to get back in the game!
