CALHOUN, GA — The battle of Clemson commits at Phil Reeve Stadium at Calhoun High School didn’t quite turn out the way either expected.
2028 four-star QB commit Trace Hawkins’ Calhoun team held off a furious second-half rally by three-star LB Max Brown’s Jefferson team, coming away with a 21-18 win on Friday night. However, neither player would factor into the second half, as both left with undisclosed injuries.
“I was so excited,” Hawkins told The Clemson Insider. “I have been waiting for this Jefferson game.”
Hawkins wasted no time showing off his potential, unleashing a long touchdown pass on the game’s opening possession, giving Calhoun an early 7-0 lead. Hawkins would lead the Jackets on two more first-half scoring drives, but just before the third score, late in the second quarter, Hawkins took a hard shot, forcing him to leave the game. A couple of plays later. his team would punch it in to go up 21-0 just before the half.
Hawkins’ poise was on full display before his exit, and it’s crystal clear he is one of the leaders of this team. His energy just resonates with his teammates.
Once the game started, the quarterback worked the Calhoun no-huddle spread seamlessly. He throws a really nice ball, with a nice touch. He is patient in the pocket and processes things quickly. While he’s always looking for a way to push the ball down the field through the air, Hawkins also showed a knack for knowing when to take off. One of his best traits might be his ability to throw on the run. He also serves as the holder on extra points.
However, with Hawkins not available in the second half, Jefferson was able to mount a comeback. To be clear, Calhoun had several starters go down before the start of the second half, which totally changed the complexion of the game. But the Dragons did what good teams do — they took advantage.
After finally getting on the board late in the third quarter, Jefferson missed the PAT. After a second touchdown early in the fourth, a two-point conversion pulled the Dragons to within 21-12. With just under two minutes left, Jefferson scored again on a fourth-down Hail Mary, but could not convert the two-point attempt, making it 21-18. After forcing a three-and-out, the Dragons got the ball back with 50 seconds left, but never got past midfield, as Calhoun picked off a pass to seal the win.
While it was difficult for Hawkins to watch the second half unfold from the sideline in street clothes, that didn’t make the experience any less exhilarating, seeing as Calhoun (4A) was stepping up in classification against 5A Jefferson.
“It was exciting,” Hawkins said. “We worked all week. We have prepared since the summer for Jefferson. And we excelled, and that’s all that matters.”
As for Brown, his night also ended early. After getting the first carry of the game for Jefferson and managing to pick up a few yards, he did not carry the ball again. He did play a lot of linebacker in the first quarter, but his snaps decreased in the next quarter before he finally left, also with an undisclosed injury. Like Hawkins, Brown watched the second half in street clothes.
One thing that stood out about Brown was his temperament. The guy is fiery. He wasted no time getting in the face of a Calhoun player. In fact, there were a couple of instances in the first half alone. Not having him was a big blow, seeing as Brown plays on both sides of the ball.
Whether or not either will be available for next week’s games remains to be seen.
