Stratford rolls to 37-21 playoff win over Cavalry Christian

For Stratford head football coach Paul Carroll, the final score of the Eagles’ first-round playoff win over the Calvary Christian Knights on Friday night mattered little.

Still, it’s hard to think he didn’t enjoy those LED numbers as the final horn sounded in Macon.

No. 1 Stratford dominated No. 9 Calvary Christian, jumping out to a 30-0 first half lead en route to an eventual 37-21 victory to advance to the semifinals of the GIAA Class 4A state tournament.

“We could win by 1 point, we could win by 2, we can win like we did tonight. I’m just so happy we came out for the first playoff game and got it done,” Carroll said.

Stratford quarterback Tucker Johnston picked the right night to have his sharpest game of the season. The passer started off slow before exploding in the second quarter for two touchdown passes and an electric 24-yard scoring run that was perhaps the finest play of the night for the Eagles.

“He’s getting better and better each week every time we play. He’s turning it around as far as starting to see things. He is a sophomore, but he essentially started this season as a freshman since he’d never played quarterback before,” Carroll said. “He’s just gonna keep getting better.”

The Stratford running game was no slouch either, even with running back Tyler Stephens out after an injury in the next-to-last game of the regular season. Aaron Jefferson and Ja’lon Smith bulldozed the Calvary Christian defense regularly for chunk yardage.

The second quarter was so incredible that it was tough for Stratford to bleed clock as the game wound down — Calvary Christian tacked on points in the end because the Eagles kept trying to add on more themselves.

“What surprised me the most was the fact that we don’t know how to play slow on offense. Our offense is in tempo, and we didn’t know how to slow down there at the end,” Carroll said. “I guess I’m gonna have to go back and coach ‘em on slowing down, but I don’t want to slow down. We want to keep going fast.”

Almost as impressive was the Eagles’ defense, which shut down the Knights almost entirely until garbage time. That was thanks in part to Stratford pinning Calvary Christian deep multiple times early with great punts by George Dunn, one of which led to a safety that made it 2-0 early.

“That’s huge, that’s something we told ‘em at the beginning of this playoff run. It comes down to defense and special teams a lot. You have to play the field if you want to beat talented teams in the playoffs.”

While Stratford did beat Calvary 34-7 in the last game of the regular season two weeks ago, the Knights were not playing skilled running back Jamar Williams. The tailback played tonight but, aside from one impressive touchdown catch, was neutralized for the most part.

The Eagles wasted no time making things tough for Calvary Christian. Even after its drive to open the game ended in a punt, Stratford pinned the Knights deep and registered a safety on a sack in the end zone to go up 2-0.

The Eagles converted on the ensuing possession as well, driving downfield thanks to a chunk run from Josh Butts to set up a touchdown for Ja’lon Smith to make it 9-0.

The teams then traded a few empty drives for the remainder of the first quarter, but Stratford came to life in the second. Tucker Johnston completed a touchdown pass that was nullified but scored on the next play anyways, putting together an impressive 24-yard scoring scamper after being flushed from the pocket.

Stratford shut down the Knights with ease yet again, then added onto the lead with a slick pass from Johnston to Butts for the latter’s second score of the day to make it 23-0. 

Another touchdown — this one from Tucker Johnston to his brother Jett Johnston — made it 30-0 with less than two minutes until halftime, but Calvary Christian got off the deck for a much-needed touchdown when Jamar Williams reeled in a 14-yard touchdown grab to make it 30-7 at the break.

The second half was uneventful to start, as both teams traded two empty drives to bleed about 10 minutes of the clock, but when Stratford stuffed the Knights on a fourth down near the end of the third quarter, it felt like a turning point.

The Eagles then pieced together a drive that ended with another rushing touchdown for Johnston, his second of the game, that more or less iced things by giving Stratford a 37-7 lead. Cavalry Christian scored two touchdowns inside the final seven minutes to make things closer on the scoreboard, but Stratford secured the 37-21 win.

The Eagles will face No. 2 George Walton at home next week after the Bulldogs defeated Bulloch 27-17 on the road in their playoff game Friday night.