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By Fred Guarino

The Lowndes Signal

The newly minted Class 3A Region 3 Pike Road Patriots took down the Class 2A Region 3 Calhoun Tigers 68-0 Saturday, Aug. 25 in an 11 a.m. pre-season game played at Alabama State University.

Calhoun head football coach Ervin Starr pointed out that while his Tigers include 12 seniors, six of those seniors are playing “their first year of football… ever.”

Starr said of the loss to the Patriots, “We lost to a very good football team. Although they have no seniors, they are loaded with some outstanding football players.”

He said Pike Road is well coached, disciplined and talented.

While Starr said his own team had some good plays, Saturday, he said, they just had more mistakes than good plays.

“Our O line play was not good offensively, and we missed way too many tackles to be in contention,” Starr said.

However, Starr said, Travon Brown, a 5’11,” 140-pound junior quarterback “did a great job running our offense. He stayed poised while being under pressure all day. I’m very proud of him.”

Starr also noted some standouts on defense including junior defensive back Demareus Cheatam, senior defensive back Willie Mason and freshman defensive back Robert Lewis.

Starr also said senior running back Johnny Allen came on in the second half and looked good.

A positive from Saturday’s action, the game against Pike Road gave Calhoun’s athletes an opportunity to experience a college campus, as well as playing in a Division 1 college stadium.

Tigers will have to wait, however, until Sept. 7 to step into regional action against Samson at Calhoun to attempt to end a losing streak that stood at 31 games prior to Saturday’s action.