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Calvary Day football coach Mark Stroud would have preferred a blowout victory like the Class 3A No. 2 Cavaliers enjoyed in their first four games this season.

“You don’t ever want to have a close game with your rival,” Stroud said Friday night. “You want to try to win that one big.”

Class 3A No. 5 Savannah Christian gave city and Region 3-3A rival Calvary Day a battle at a packed Pooler Stadium. The game was tied at halftime as each team delivered big-play haymakers that fed the intensity of a game with action to the whistle – and then some.

But the Cavaliers owned the second half, putting up 21 unanswered points including two touchdowns in the final 2 minutes and 13 seconds to double up the Raiders 42-21.

“I felt like it was going to be this kind of game coming into it. I knew it’d be a war,” said Stroud, complimenting the Raiders as a tough, well-coached team. “Whoever could finally get a little momentum somewhere in there and kind of roll with it and maybe some breaks happen.

“I thought our kids really stepped up in the second half. I thought the defense played really, really well, made plays when they had to make plays. The offense settled in and started being able to run and throw the ball effectively. I thought that was critical for us to be able to win.”

CDS (5-0, 2-0 region) didn’t need dramatic finishes in outscoring opponents 211-31 in its first four outings for an average margin of victory of 45 points. SCPS (3-2, 1-1) was tested in a loss at Class 6A Marist but also had cruised to three decisive wins, including 35-0 over rival Savannah Country Day a week earlier.

“(Calvary) beat us. It didn’t come down to one play,” Raiders coach Baker Woodward said afterward. “We made too many mistakes to beat Calvary tonight, and that’s the bottom line.”

The Cavaliers didn’t let a fumble on their opening drive of the second half give momentum to the Raiders, who went three-and-out. Calvary later converted an interception into the go-ahead, 54-yard scoring drive. Senior quarterback Jake Merklinger completed passes of 14, 18 and 25 yards before Chase Lucas’  5-yard touchdown run for 28-21 with 2:40 left in the third quarter.

The Raiders responded by grinding for yards behind powerback Zo Smalls for 10 straight carries before they faced fourth-and-one at the CDS 19. Quarterback Blaise Thomas was sacked by blitzing linebacker Cutter Powell for a turnover on downs early in the fourth quarter.

That’s when Merklinger, who has verbally committed to Tennessee, went to work with a drive featuring a series of quick, short passes before the Raiders’ standout defensive line could get any pressure on him.

On third and goal from the 9, Merklinger looked to pass but caught defenders flat-footed as he made a decisive run and crashed through tacklers at the goal line for a 35-21 advantage with 2:13 remaining in the game.

“He overcame some early mishaps and came out and made some big-time throws and did some phenomenal things,” Stroud said with a reference to the game’s first score when the Raiders defensive back Jamari McIvory, a state champion sprinter, returned an interception 84 yards in the opening quarter.

McIvory’s touchdown was matched on the ensuing kickoff which Caden Arnold returned 66 yards for a score. In the second quarter, Thomas spun and slashed his way to an impressive 32-yard TD, then Merklinger’s sneak tied it. Merklinger and Arnold connected on a diving, 22-yard TD catch, and Thomas matched it with a lob to David Bucey in the end zone for another tie.

Calvary senior receiver Michael Smith, who has committed to South Carolina, made the scoring come full circle on the defensive side when he intercepted a pass and returned it 55 yards for the final touchdown with 1:26 left in the game.

“They started hitting the short-passing game more on us and we couldn’t defend it,” Woodward said. “Their athletes were in space and we had a tough time with it. We were able to run the ball pretty successfully in the second half. We kind of ran out of gas. I wish we would have had another answer. We just didn’t have the ball much the second half. I think that hurt us.”

Calvary Day 42, Savannah Christian 21

CDS | 7 | 14 | 7 | 14 | -- 42

SCPS | 7 | 14| 0 | 0 | -- 21

First quarter

SCPS – Jamari McIvory 84 interception return (Ethan Byrd kick)

CDS – Caden Arnold 66 kickoff return (Grady Shiver kick)

Second quarter

SCPS – Blaise Thomas 32 run (Byrd kick)

CDS – Jake Merklinger 1 run (Shiver kick)

CDS – Arnold 22 pass from Merklinger (Shiver kick)

SCPS – David Bucey 21 pass from Thomas (Byrd kick)

Third quarter

CDS – Chase Lucas 5 run (Shiver kick)

Fourth quarter

CDS – Merklinger 9 run (Shiver kick)

CDS – Michael Smith 55 interception return (Shiver kick)

Other Final Scores

Friday's Games September 22, 2023

NOTE: (nr) non-region game

PHOTO CREDIT:  RDP Productions - Kyunie Shuman

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Optim Orthopedics supports Prep Sports and the following schools: Benedictine Military School, Bradwell Institute, Calvary Day School, Liberty County High School, Richmond Hill High School, Savannah Country Day, South Effingham High School, and St. Vincent's athletics. Benedictine Military School, Bradwell Institue, and Liberty County's team doctor is Dr. David Sedory. Dr. David Palmer is the team doctor for Calvary Day School, South Effingham, and Richmond Hill. Savannah Country Day and St. Vincent's team doctor is Dr. Thomas Alexander. Remember, Optim Orthopedics gets you back into the game.