Calumet Avenges Last Season’s Sectional Loss

It was a night that belonged to the Calumet Warriors from the start. On a cold, socially distanced night from Community Field at Knox High School, the Semifinal Round of Sectional 25 took place between Knox and Calumet. A year ago, this matchup resulted in the first Sectional Championship in football for the Redskins, as Knox defeated Calumet on the road in overtime, 19-12. 2020’s Semifinal would tell a much different story.

With the Redskins beginning on the offensive attack, it would be an unconventional strategy, as Knox would go with a “Wildcat” attack, using Senior Cade Short, who usually lines up as a running back/wide receiver, at the quarterback position, using the veteran to run the ball early and often. Knox would soon switch back to Sophomore quarterback Cohen Watson. After a couple of nice runs, the Redskins would be forced into a punting situation on fourth down. On the Warriors’ initial possession, the Redskins would avoid disaster, as a long touchdown run would be called back due to a holding penalty. After that penalty, the drive would stall out, forcing the Warriors to punt for the first time, giving the Redskins the ball back in great starting field position. Gunnar Wagner would be the featured back, as the Redskins would go straight at the Warriors, keeping the ball on the ground against a very physical Calumet defense. Ultimately, the drive would stall out once again, with Knox turning the ball over on downs at the Calumet sixteen yard line. The Warriors would take advantage on the ensuing drive, as Cheffronio Cooper, also known as C.J., would take a handoff to the left of the offensive formation, and explode sixty-seven yards for the first touchdown of the ballgame. After a successful two-point conversion, the Warriors found themselves leading eight to six, which would be the score at the end of the first quarter.

The two teams would be deadlocked in a back-and-fourth battle between the Sectional 25 opponents as the first half wore along. the Warriors would begin to break things open. with 6:47 remaining in the first half, it would be Calumet’s C.J. Cooper who would put another score on the board. On a beautiful pass from quarterback Mark Flores, Cooper would haul in the rocket, and dart into the end zone for a twenty-six yard touchdown reception. After a failed two-point conversion, the Warriors held a fourteen nothing lead over the Redskins. Knox would not go quietly into halftime. Despite a pass being picked off by Calumet Junior Roman Hernandez, the Redskins would get the ball back, having not given up any more points. With 3:05 remaining in the half, it would be Knox Senior Gunnar Wagner who would get the Redskins into the scoring column. On third down and five yards to go, Cohen Watson would hand the ball to Wagner, who would dart to the outside of the formation, and gallop twenty-five yards for the Redskins’ first touchdown of the game. Following a failed two-point conversion, Calumet would remain in the lead 14-6, which would be the score as the two teams entered their locker rooms at halftime.

The second half would belong to the Warriors, as Calumet would be able to score offensively, as well as defensively. With just over three minutes remaining in the third quarter, it would be Senior Jerrell Johnson who would come up with the defensive score for Calumet. Johnson would pick off a pass down the middle of the field and dart back the opposite direction, thirty yards, for a touchdown. A successful two-point conversion would put the Warriors up 22-6 with 7:07 remaining in the third quarter. Approximately three minutes later, the explosive Warriors’ offense would find gold once again, this time in the person of Junior Mario Price, who would be able to pull down a pass from Flores, then fly to the end zone for a forty-seven yard touchdown! Following another successful two-point conversion, the Warriors lead had increased to 30-6, with 11:53 remaining in the game.

The final gasp for the Redskins would come on the ensuing kickoff return. It would be Senior Gunnar Wagner who would get Knox back on the board, as he returned the kickoff eighty-one yards for a Redskin touchdown. After a successful two-point conversion run by Short, Knox Trailed 30-14. The final dagger to the heart of the Redskins would come with nine minutes remaining in the game. The Warriors would be on the attack when, on the fourth play of their drive, C.J. Cooper would explode once again for his third touchdown of the game on a fifty-three yard run. Following a successful two-point conversion by Flores, the scoreboard would show it’s final tally of 38-14, giving Calumet their thirteenth Sectional victory in program history!

The Starke County Co-Op Play of the Game on WKVI was the thirty-yard interception return for a touchdown by Calumet’s Jerrell Johnson in the third quarter.

The Ashley Derrickson/Five Star Player of the Game went to Calumet’s C.J. Cooper, who carried the ball seventeen times for one-hundred eighty yards and two touchdowns, while also pulling down three passes for fifty-two yards, and returning an interception thirty yards for a defensive touchdown as well.

The Knox Redskins’ season comes to an end with an overall record of 6-5, including 4-2 in the Hoosier North Athletic Conference, giving the Redskins their fifth straight winning season, something that has never been done in school history at the varsity level.

The Warriors will move on to play Hanover Central for the Championship of Sectional 25, going on the road once again next week.

Game Statistics

Calumet-38

Rushing: (Attempts-Yards-Touchdowns)

C.J. Cooper 17-180-2; John Marshall 13-46; Mark Flores 11-31; Mario Price 2-5; Jacob Holifield 1-0

Passing:

(Completions-Attempts-Yards-Touchdowns-Interceptions)

Mark Flores 4-8-99-2

Receiving:

Cheffronio Cooper 3-52-1; Mario Price 1-47-1

Knox-14

Rushing:

Gunnar Wagner 23-100-1; Cade Short 10-36; Gabe Lovins 1-4; Payton Baugh 1-3; Cohen Watson 3-(-) 2

Passing:

Cohen Watson 0-6-0-0-2

*Statistics Provided By Knox Statistician Tim Knowlton*