Mount de Sales pulls out defensive 7-6 win at home over Calvary Christian

After a low-scoring battle with plenty of defensive stands, the Mount de Sales Cavaliers snagged a hard-fought 7-6 victory over Calvary Christian in Macon Friday night. 

The game, a gritty one for both teams, kicked off with the Cavs receiving and beginning their drive at their own 33-yard line. Although Mount de Sales encountered early setbacks, including penalties, it managed to spark some momentum with a 21-yard pass from quarterback Zavion DeShazier to Davien Williams. 

Despite this promising play, the drive ultimately stalled. Calvary Christian mishandled the punt, however, allowing the Cavaliers’ Kudaishe Tarirah to recover the ball at the Calvary 32-yard line. Mount de Sales was unable to take advantage of the excellent field position and turned the ball over on downs.

The Knights took over and began to move the ball downfield, aided by penalties on Mount de Sales. The Cavaliers defense, particularly the standout play of Bryson Fletcher, who registered a key sack, managed to stop Calvary’s progress and ended the quarter with the score still tied at zero.

As the second quarter unfolded, Mount de Sales struggled offensively and was forced to punt again after advancing to their own 24-yard line. Calvary then orchestrated a drive deep into Mount de Sales territory, culminating in an 11-yard touchdown pass. The extra point attempt was blocked by Horace Sanford, keeping the score at 6-0 in favor of Calvary Christian heading into halftime.

At halftime, MDS head coach Gray Yates delivered a focused message to his team, emphasizing the need to stay “humble and hungry.”

“You gotta fix the mistakes that just allowed them to score, and you gotta be hungry enough to go get enough points to win it,” Yates said, urging his team to respond better in the second half.

The third quarter saw a renewed Mount de Sales team. Though the Cavaliers fumbled away a drive after a defensive stand that forced Calvary Christian to punt, the defense quickly responded by forcing a fumble of their own, recovered by Fletcher. This set up a pivotal moment where DeShazier connected with Eli Fisher for a 5-yard touchdown pass. The successful PAT gave MDS a 7-6 lead.

The fourth quarter was defined by strong defensive efforts from both sides. The Mount de Sales defense, led by the trio of Fletcher, Sanford and Jackson Rowley garnering nine tackles for loss, continued to shut down Calvary’s advances. Fletcher, who finished the game with four sacks, was instrumental in stopping Calvary Christian on crucial downs, including a decisive fourth-down stop that turned the ball over to the Cavaliers late in the game.

With time running down, Mount de Sales’ offense managed to secure a critical first down, effectively sealing the victory on a massive run by Caleb Linder on 4th and 2.

“Every win you’ve got to count your blessings,” Yates said after the tight win. “Celebrate all victories. Hopefully, we get a little more accustomed to it.”

Looking ahead to their next matchup against Terrell Academy, Yates emphasized the need for consistency in the running game and execution in the passing game while also praising his defense for finding successful strategies early in the season. 

“The three guys that stood out to me, Jackson Rowley, Horace Sanford, and Bryson Fletcher — those three guys really carried us tonight,” Yates said after the game.