Game Preview: Calhoun at Blessed Trinity

We’ve got a big North Georgia matchup in Roswell this weekend as two of the best teams in 5A square off as the 5-1 Calhoun Yellow Jackets travel down to take on the 4-2 Blessed Trinity Titans. Both schools have state championship aspirations and have plenty of D1 talent on the roster. This will be one of the biggest 5A games in the state for the entire regular season. Here are a few top players to know about in the game... &nbsp; <strong><a class="pn-player-link" href="https://prepredzone.com/player/justice-haynes/"><span class="name-pointer">[player_tooltip player_id="34011" first="Justice" last="Haynes"]</span></a> – Running Back</strong> Arguably the top running back prospect in the state, Haynes has been a little banged up this year and has missed a couple games, but he’s back now and running through defenses with ease. Playing against one of their toughest regular season opponents two weeks in Eagles Landing Christian, Haynes rushed for over 300 yards and three touchdowns in the close, 24-21 victory. The junior also had a TD run and just a few carries against Woodland last week. He’s fast and explosive, but he’s also a tough, physical runner. He breaks tackles up top, doesn’t get tripped up easily at his feet, and knows how to keep running after contact. He plays with great footwork, balance, and has the ability to score every time he touches the ball. Now that he’s fully healthy, look for the Titans to take a big step forward this year. They lost to Marist and St. Pius without Haynes, but they’re a completely different team now that he’s back. &nbsp; <strong>Cole Speer – WR – 2022 – Calhoun </strong> One of the biggest playmakers in all of North Georgia, the star wide-out from Calhoun (GA) is committed to the in-state Georgia Bulldogs and he’s expected to have a big night this Friday. The 6-foot-0 180-pounder is a speedster who ran well throughout the camp circuit this off-season. Speer was a 5A 1st Team All-State selection last year after catching 59 passes for 1,151 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. He’s a natural route runner with great hands who dominated last fall as a junior. Look for the Jackets to take some shots deep down the field to Speer on Friday night. &nbsp; <strong>JC French – Quarterback - Blessed Trinity</strong> It’s been a tough go so far this season for the senior QB but look for him to fight hard over the next few weeks. He’s one of the top 2022 QBs in the Atlanta area from a talent perspective, and he might see more opportunities to throw the ball over the next few weeks. With Haynes back, defenses will start to play closer to the line of scrimmage which will open up some lanes to throw to for French in the passing game. They’re still in the mix as a 5A title contender but they’re going to need French to play his best over the next few weeks and into the playoff. If they find a consistent passing attack to go along with their elite rushing attack, the Titans will be tough to beat moving forward. &nbsp; <strong>Christian Lewis - Quarterback - Calhoun</strong> One of the top 2022 QBs up I75, Lewis has led the Calhoun offense to a big season so far, scoring 56+ points in three of their first six games this season. He’s mobile, he can make plays with his legs, and he has a quick release. He gets the ball out quickly to his playmakers and throws a nice deep ball down the field with touch. He’s mastered the Calhoun offense by now and always makes sure his guys are in the correct position. He’s playing great football but he’ll need to continue that Friday night against a tough Titans defense. &nbsp; <strong>Evan Dickens – Athlete - Blessed Trinity</strong> One of the fastest players in the region, Dickens is having a great year on both offense and defense for the Titans. He has 4.47 speeed and can be a game-changer on both offense and defense. The 5-foot-11 180-pounder could play CB at the next level but he’s athletic enough with good enough hands to make big plays on offense this year. He’s one of the more talented players on the team and can make a big play at any point. Only a junior, look for Dickens to see some college interest to come his way sooner than later.