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The Callaway football team just wins in the playoffs. It’s a yearly tradition. The team has made it to at least the state quarterfinals for the last eight seasons and the Cavaliers had no troubles in the first round on Friday night, dismantling Miller Grove 38-0 at Callaway Stadium.

“This is the time of the year where the west gets cooler and the teams you play get better,” Callaway coach Pete Wiggins said. “Playoff wins are special, so to get to this point in this season is something we don’t take for granted.”

Senior running back Tyren Buggs had himself a day. He went well over 100 yards on the ground while finding the end zone on four different occasions.

“The offensive line was giving me some holes and when I see green grass I’m going to run into it,” Buggs said, flashing a big smile. 

“It’s special man, I’ve put in a lot of work in rehab to get back for games like this,” Buggs added. The senior tore his ACL at the beginning of the year playing basketball. 

Buggs got the Cavaliers off to a hot start, scoring a touchdown on each of the first possessions for the Callaway offense. The only slight blemish on the senior’s record on Friday night was the fumble he lost inside the 15-yard line in the first quarter as the Cavaliers were looking to go up by three touchdowns.

Miler Grove took that ensuing possession all the way into the red zone, but Jeffrey Ellis played the hero, jumping a route for his first interception of the night.

“I saw the slant was coming and knew I could jump the route,” Ellis said. “I’ve been waiting two weeks for a moment like this.”

The offense paid off the defense’s effort when Blake Harrington rumbled down the field for a 72-yard touchdown run to put the Cavaliers up 24-0. 

Ellis would come up big for the Cavalier defense again, intercepting his second pass of the game with 5:25 left to go in the first half.

“I think Jeffrey has gotten so much better as the year has gone on,” Wiggins said. “Anytime you can create a turnover it’s going to swing momentum in your defection.”

The second half was more of the same as Buggs got his third and fourth touchdowns of the game in the third quarter to put the Cavaliers up 30-0.

BreShun Hall would get in on the fun too with a 2-yard rushing touchdown with just a minute to go in the third quarter.

The Callaway defense never gave an inch even with the reserves in the game. On the final play of the third quarter, JD Strong intercepted a pass that had the Callaway sideline screaming with joy. 

“Our defense forced three turnovers tonight, so it was a really special effort by the guys on that side of the ball tonight,” Wiggins said. “Really proud of our defensive effort tonight. Anytime you hold a good football team scoreless in the playoffs, it takes a selfish effort.”

Callaway has now won at least one playoff game for 13 straight seasons. The Cavaliers will return to action in the second round of the state playoff next Friday at Callaway Stadium. The Indians of Stephens County will be making the trek to Troup County for next Friday’s showdown.