By BAKER ELLIS / Sports Editor

HUNTSVILLE – After Calera gave up an 85-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter, the Eagles fought their way back and scored 25 unanswered points in the second half to spoil the first ever home game for the Mae Jemison Jaguars. Mae Jemison, which opened this fall in place of the old JO Johnson High School, came out of the gate firing in less-than-ideal weather, and grabbed the early 6-0 lead over Calera, which held through halftime.

In the second half Calera received the opening kickoff and scored on all three of its’ possessions in the third quarter, and Mae Jemison was only able to run seven total plays over the entire quarter. Jermaine Ross, in at quarterback on this night for Calera, scored on a 13-yard keeper on the opening possession, which was followed by a Zach Ford extra point that gave the Eagles the lead for good.

On Calera’s next drive, the Eagles drove 52 yards that was capped off by a Jaramy Dozier 22-yard touchdown scamper to give the Eagles a 13-6 lead. JB Brown then promptly picked off an errant Mae Jemison throw, and Ross found senior playmaker Yatil Gant on a screen pass that Gant turned into a 44-yard touchdown romp, which gave the Eagles a 19-6 lead after three quarters.

In the fourth quarter, Trez Harris iced the game for the Eagles with 10:30 left in the quarter on a 22-yard touchdown run, which gave the Eagles a 25-6 lead that Mae Jemison could not come back from.

The Eagles ran a whopping 61 offensive plays compared to Mae Jemison’s 38, and outgained the Jaguars on offense 403 to 152. Harris finished the game with 158 rushing yards and a touchdown while Gant finished with 69 yards receiving, most of which came on his 44-yard score, to lead the Eagle offense.

Calera moves to 1-0 and is back in action next week for its home opener against Bibb County.