The Calhoun High football team put the Dalton loss behind them Friday with a 28-9 victory over the visiting Ridgeland Panthers.

The Jackets struck first in their opening drive when quarterback Michael Johnson snuck into the end zone on a 19-yard run. Adam Griffith nailed the kick for a 7-0 lead.

After getting stopped for minus-12 yards on their opening drive, the Panthers rebounded on their second drive, taking the ball down the field and then catching a big break near the end zone.

The break came when the ball, which was thrown Panthers quarterback Alex Ridge, ricocheted off attended receiver Mike Bowman 26 yards down the field and fell into the hands of a Michael Roberson, a second receiver.

Calhoun looked to score again early in the second quarter when they took the ball on Ridgeland’s 39 yard line. After a Johnson run of 10 yards and a five yard penalty on Ridgeland, which put the ball on the 16 yard line, Johnson looked to hit one of his receivers for a TD but instead threw it into the hands of Panthers safety Devaughn Buchanan, ending the drive.

After stopping the Panthers, the Yellow Jackets drove the ball down the field on a 19 yard pass from Johnson to Rhett McGowan, a 10 yard run by Kedron Aker and an eight yard run by Dustin Christian. Aker then punched the ball in on a five yard run. The kick was good, making the score 14-7 with six minutes to go in the half.

Calhoun increased their lead to 14 with fewer than two minutes to go in the first half when Panthers running back Terryl Freeman dropped a backward pass from Ridge and Calhoun’s Cody Ralston picked up the loose ball and took it 56 yards to the promise land.

A 60 yard kick return by Devin Bowman put Ridgeland at the 30 yard line, but they were not able to capitalize against the stingy Yellow Jacket defense.

Calhoun then ran out the clock and took the 21-7 lead into halftime.

The second half was slowed to a crawl as both teams racked up fumbles and penalties.

Midway through the third quarter the Yellow Jackets hit the end zone again on a seven yard run by David Collins. The play was set up by a fumble recovery at the Panther’s 17 yard line by linebacker James Hunt. Griffith knocked the PAT through the post for a 28-7 Calhoun lead.

The Panthers got on the board again in the fourth quarter thanks in part to a bad Calhoun snap for a safety. Yellow Jacket Landon Curtis fell on the ball to avoid giving up the TD.