Sports Writer

Venturing into Friday night’s contest against Pike County, the Calhoun Tigers were giving up 46 points per game, so it was no surprise when the Bulldogs cashed in for a 51-8 regional win.

Terrell Gray led the Bulldogs in scoring, with three touchdowns, and put the first points of the game on the scoreboard. Four minutes into the first quarter Gray powered his way into the endzone from the 3 yard line.

The Tigers used three running plays by Jasper Davis and Kevin Caldwell to reach the 31 yard line on their first drive. After an incomplete pass on first and 10, Calhoun quarterback Jarvis Baker fired a bullet over the middle and was picked off by Pike County linebacker Chris Nickson. The pass went off of the fingertips of a Calhoun receiver and Nickson hauled in the loose ball, and scored on the 42-yard return. The Tigers trailed 14-0 midway through the first quarter.

On the ensuing kickoff Pike County gambled by trying an onside kick, but Calhoun recovered at midfield. After five plays the Tigers were on the Pike County 25 yard line and looking to score. But on fourth down and one, the Pike County defense recovered a fumble by Baker and Calhoun went away empty-handed.

Turnovers hurt the Tigers as they fumbled three times and were intercepted twice.

In the second quarter Pike County punted, but got the ball right back as Chris Bell recovered a mishandled punt by the Tigers’ return man. The Bulldogs took over at the Calhoun 28 yard line and three plays later they were in the endzone. On first and 10, Gray ran 11 yards off left tackle to cap the short drive and give the Bulldogs a 21-0 lead.

Calhoun got their only points of the night with 6:52 left in the first half as the Tigers used a 7-play drive that started from the Bulldog 46 yard line. Out of shotgun-formation Baker hit wide receiver Tyler Styles for a 12-yard score. Baker connected with Styles again for the two-point conversion.

Pike County dominated the Tigers for the rest of the game as they took control of the clock. "We just tried to run the clock down in the second half, to keep from running the score up," Coach Wayne Grant said. "I think (Calhoun) played as good as they could play. They moved the ball real well and had two or three players that really got after it. We’re big and physical and we just knocked them off of the ball all night."

The Bulldogs passed for 102 yards and rushed for 211 yards. Pike County’s defense gave up 105 yards through the air and 84 yards rushing.

Leading the Bulldogs in rushing was quarterback Chris Nickson with 97 yards on nine carries and one rushing touchdown. Gray had 75 yards and three scores, and Craig Flowers added 28 yards for Pike County. Nickson was 2 for 6 passing, with 76 yards and one touchdown.

On defense Nickson and Elijah Daniel both intercepted a pass, and Chris Bell and Jarvis Wilson each recovered a fumble. Nick Walker had one quarterback sack.

In the third quarter Nickson passed to Eddie Meadows for a 25 yard score down the left sideline. Nickson tacked on the two-point conversion to extend Pike County’s lead to 45-8. Grant’s backup squad added the final score as Daniel threw to a wide-open Cedric Dillard for a 26-yard touchdown.

The Bulldogs improved to 5-2 overall and 3-1 in the region. Next week Pike County hosts Alabama Christian who lost 42-7 to Lanett Friday night.