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The Callaway Cavaliers are in the win column. After starting 0-2 the team put together a strong showing on Friday night to defeat Cook 36-23 in their home opener.

“You know, we played a really good team in Cook and coach Byron Slack does a phenomenal job,” Callaway coach Pete Wiggins said. “I’m proud of our guys. This was coming off two tough losses, and to keep grinding and keep working and keep staying focused on what we got, what our plan is makes me super proud to be their coach.”

It was a back-and-forth affair until the very end. It was far from a clean game for either team as the rain was off and on all night, but the Cavaliers did more than enough to take down a team that was in the state semifinals last season.

Callaway trailed 23-22 when the Cavaliers got the ball back in the fourth quarter. The defining play of the game came when Blake Harrington rolled out and uncorked a bomb to Bryceton Sanders, and the latter went up and grabbed for what would be the game-winning touchdown with just over six minutes remaining in the game.

“He’s the first guy I look at,” Harrington said. “I see he’s got him beat. I trust my guy. We work all week and I know the timing and I was able to put it in his hands.”

“He trusts me and I trust him,” Sanders added. “I knew he put the ball in a good position and I just had to go up and make a play.”

The Cavalier offense was rolling from the off. A big run by Harrington on the first offensive possession of the game for Callaway got the team down inside the 10-yard line. Harrington found Xae Anderson on a short touchdown pass to break the deadlock.

“It feels great to finally get out here at Callaway Stadium, this is my first start here, and me and my guys, we stayed after practice every day this week,” Harrington said. “We stayed after practice every day, working together to get that connection right, get that timing down. And respond like we did tonight.”

In a wild sequence of events, Cook tied the game on the ensuing kickoff and then Bryceton Sanders returned the following for the Cavaliers to give them a 14-7 lead.

“I told the team even before they kicked it that I was going to respond and take one to the crib,” Sanders said. 

The game was locked in at 14-7 until a poor punt for the Cavaliers set up the Hornets in good field position. Cook took advantage of the short field and tied the game up at 14. The Hornets had a chance to take the lead before the halftime break after blocking a punt, but the Callaway defense came through with a big stop and Cook missed a 40-yard field goal.

The Callaway offense came out of halftime inspired and Antavius Reeves scored on a 45-yard rush to give the Cavaliers a 22-14 lead after a successful two-point conversion. 

The Hornets would not go quietly into the night and scored a safety when a fumble by the Cavaliers rolled through the end zone and then took the ensuing possession down the field and into the end zone to take a 23-22 lead on the first play of the fourth quarter.

”There was never any hesitation from our kids and you could feel the confidence in them when the offense went out there and took the field,” Wiggins said. 

The Cavaliers of course followed the advice of their long-tenured coach, who returned to the sideline after coaching the box for the first two games of the season after a major health scare in the offseason. 

“It was unbelievable tonight to be able to be back with our team, our coaching staff, and just the whole atmosphere at Callaway stadium is so special. And I want to thank so many people personally that have sent many messages and supported me and just kept giving me great encouragement that meant a lot. That’s why I’m so proud to be back tonight,” Wiggins said.

Callaway is now 1-2 on the season. The Cavaliers will be back in action next Friday away to Columbia.