Staff Writer
VAN — Jermie Calhoun made the most of his final high school game.
The senior accounted for 327 yards and seven touchdowns to lift the Van Vandals past Chapel Hill, 56-34, Friday night at Memorial Stadium.
Van’s (7-3, 3-2 in District 14-3A) win was bittersweet, however, as the Vandals missed out on the playoffs after Canton’s last-second win over Bullard.
Chapel Hill (5-5, 3-2), despite its worst loss of the season, was the beneficiary of Bullard’s loss as the Bulldogs punched a ticket to the playoffs for the second straight year.
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With his effort, Calhoun finished the season with 1,908 rushing yards and 30 touchdowns.
Calhoun’s heroics overshadowed a career night from Chapel Hill running back Matthew Tucker, who ran for 308 yards and four touchdowns. He now has rushed for more than 2,000 yards on the season.
Trailing 35-6, the Bulldogs scored 22 straight points in the third quarter to pull within one touchdown. Tucker had touchdown runs of 8 and 78 yards and Chris Mass tossed a 6-yard touchdown to Tony Riley.
Moments after Tucker’s 78-yarder narrowed Van’s lead to 35-28, Calhoun tossed a 53-yard touchdown to a wide-open James Whatley.
Calhoun followed with an 8-yard scoring run with 8:55 remaining in the fourth quarter that put the Vandals up, 49-28.
Tucker’s fourth touchdown of the night — a 56-yard run — briefly gave the Bulldogs reason for hope. But Calhoun’s 44-yard touchdown run with 6:28 to play ensured the Van win.
The first half was full of big plays, with Van using three big-gainers to go up 21-0 in the second quarter.
Calhoun put the Vandals on the board with a 25-yard run, Emanuel Hayes busted loose on a 40-yard touchdown run and was on the receiving end of a 53-yard touchdown pass from Calhoun.
Van attempted an onside kick, but Chapel Hill recovered and took over at the Vandals’ 46. On the first play, Tucker sprinted to a 46-yard scoring run, cutting the deficit to 21-6 with 7:15 remaining in the half.
Chapel Hill attempted and recovered an onside kick of its own, but failed to move the ball.
Calhoun finished off the first-half scoring with a 7-yard run, giving Van a 28-6 lead.
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Van 56, Chapel Hill 34
At Memorial Stadium, Van
Chapel Hill 0 6 22 6 — 34
Van 7 21 14 14 — 56
First Quarter
VAN—Jermie Calhoun 25 run (Blake Pennington kick), 2:31
Second Quarter
VAN—Emanuel Hayes 40 run (Pennington kick), 9:33
VAN—Hayes 53 pass from Calhoun (Pennington kick), 7:28
CH—Matthew Tucker 46 run (pass failed), 7:15
VAN—Calhoun 7 run (Pennington kick), 1:51
Third Quarter
VAN—Calhoun 15 run (Pennington kick), 8:38
CH—Tucker 8 run (Tucker run), 6:32
CH—Tony Riley 6 pass from Chris Mass (Landon Rodgers kick), 3:51
CH—Tucker 78 run (Rodgers kick), 1:21
VAN—James Whatley 53 pass from Calhoun (Pennington kick), 1:06
Fourth Quarter
VAN—Calhoun 8 run (Pennington kick), 8:55
CH—Tucker 56 run (run failed), 8:06
VAN—Calhoun 44 run (Pennington kick), 6:28
EST. ATT.—4,500
CH VAN
First Downs 20 20
Rushes-Yards 38-299 45-363
Passing Yards 123 120
Comp.-Att.-Int. 10-28-2 3-7-0
Punts-Avg. 5-36.2 2-46.0
Fumbles-Lost 2-1 2-2
Penalties-Yards 10-109 4-20
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Chapel Hill, Matthew Tucker 24-308, Ray Lydia 7-18, DeKerrian Cooper 2-4, Chris Mass 5-(minus-31). Van, Jermie Calhoun 24-207, Emanuel Hayes 10-68, Matthew Goode 2-49, Blake Pennington 3-23, Clayton Kendrick 1-11, Chase Rabe 2-5, Howard Love 3-0.
PASSING—Chapel Hill, Mass 10-26-1—123. Van, Calhoun 3-7-0—120.
RECEIVING—Chapel Hill, Tony Riley 5-57, Cooper 3-35, Kenson Tave 2-31. Van, Hayes 1-53, James Whatley 1-53, Pennington 1-14.
