Going into the football game against Cartersville Middle School on Thursday, Calhoun coach Eric Rigney new his team could be in for a long day.

The Purple Hurricanes, who are the favorites to win the B.G.M.S.A.A. championship again this year, rolled to a 20-0 victory at Phil Reeve Stadium.

Cartersville was led by eighth grade running back Tiamon Pennymon, who scored all three touchdowns in the game.

With 3:45 remaining in the first quarter, Pennymon broke straight through the Jacket defense for a 58-yard touchdown. Cartersville’s kicker connected on the point after for a 7-0 lead.

In the second quarter, Pennymon got loose again, this time for a 41-yard touchdown. The kick was good and the Purple Hurricanes took a 14-0 lead into halftime.

Neither team would score in the third quarter, and the Jackets had not yet crossed Cartersville’s 35-yard line due to penalties and the Purple Hurricane defense, also led by Pennymon, a linebacker.

In the fourth quarter, Pennymon ran the ball in for a score on a 50-yard play with 4:20 remaining. Calhoun managed to block the kick but Cartersville now held a 20-0 lead.

The Jackets got their first chance at a score with just over two minutes to play when Olico Dennis broke free for a 28-yard run, finishing at the Purple Hurricanes’ 23 yard line. However, the ball was fumbled on the next play and Cartersville recovered.

Calhoun got the ball back at the 24 yard line with three-tenths of a second left. The Jackets took one last shot at a touchdown when quarterback Kaelen Riley threw a pass into the end zone but the ball was intercepted to end the game.