Photo by Colin Damms/Dispatch staff
CALEDONIA — As the Friday night lights draw closer, one can find the Cavaliers practicing. The coaches drive home the fundamentals constantly for every position group, spending tedious hours on footwork and positioning. For a team that runs the ball like they do it’s key, and this year is no different – putting in the work and getting new role players up to speed.
“I like what we’ve seen the first two days in pads,” head coach Michael Kelly said. “We have a good group of kids. I don’t know what that’s going to pan out to in a couple of weeks, but I love our group. We’ve had really good groups in the past, but there’s just something about this group. They know how to work hard, they know how to play and have a good time. We’ve got some inexperience and we need to grow up quickly, but that’s what this time of year and non-district is for. I feel like there’s something special with this group and I’m excited for them to get after it.”
The culture of the program at present is a far cry from years past, and even with one of the toughest districts in the state the Cavaliers don’t play with fear. That confidence and focus is the result of six years of work under Kelly, and it’s evident going into year seven.
“We see the fruits of our labor, there’s no doubt,” Kelly said. “I love our football program and it speaks volumes for the staff and our junior high program that they do a great job of setting the culture and setting the standards, getting them in the weight room and learning what it’s like, and you see the fruits of the labor in the 9th, 10th, 11th grade.”
The Cavaliers return a host of experienced players, and this year’s group of seniors have known nothing but playoff runs in their time as Cavaliers. For them, the standard in preparation continues year-round, and they’re embracing their turn to step up as leaders in the locker room.
“Offseason, we lift all year long, summer training, and then fall camp,” senior lineman Tim Farrell said. “We don’t change what we do, we practice our game plan all year long. We lost a lot of good players last year but we’ve got some experience and some depth.”
“The seniors from past years always set the standard for us, they do it every year,” Carson Gorum added. “We come in the offseason and know we have expectations to fulfill or we let down our community. They set the standard and we just put the work in to prove that we can do it. That’s all it boils down to. If you can get the little stuff right the game becomes easier.”
Last season the Cavaliers reached the playoffs for a fifth consecutive season, and those five playoff appearances under Kelly are remarkable, considering the team had only reached the playoffs four times in the previous 60 years. But nothing came easy in 2023, and it took several games for them to get right.
“Last year we had a problem with small things, stepping in the right spot or hitting the right gap,” Senior Jackson Selmon said. “This year we’ve focused on those things to help us achieve success and gain more yards each play.”
The Cavaliers won two close battles on the road against Ripley and Newton County to set up a third-round matchup with undefeated defending 4A champions, Louisville. It was the fourth postseason meeting in as many years for the district rivals and ended with the Wildcats again ending Caledonia’s playoff run.
They never gave up, but the Wildcats were too much and handled their business at home.
After the game, Kelly was a mix of proud and frustrated. Nearly a year later that frustration has turned to motivation, and he and his players know those feelings won’t go away until they prove themselves against the best of the best.
“Let’s just be real, until we go beat Louisville and Houston we ain’t proved it,” Kelly said bluntly. “Until we go beat some of the men, and I don’t have to hide that from these kids, they know what we’ve got to go do, we just have to roll up our sleeves and find a way to get it done. I’ve got some tough young men, let’s hope we’re healthy when we get to that point and let’s roll the football and see where we’re at.”
COACHING STAFF
Michael Kelly: Head Coach
Chris Harlow: Defensive Coordinator/Secondary/WRs
Ray Weeks: Offensive Coordinator/QBs
Cody Cliett: Slots/Defensive Line
Jason Forrester: OL/ILB
Josh Baty: FBs/OLBs
Will Donald: ILBs
Karsten Gullette: Slots/Secondary
Darquez Williams: OLBs
Zack Gorum: WRs
ROSTER
0 Jaxon Shellman SB/CB 5′ 8″ 151 lbs Sr.
1 Conner Black WR/OLB 6′ 2″ 164 lbs Sr.
3 Charlie Sullivan SB/CB 6′ 0″ 170 lbs Sr.
4 Cohen Clark QB/S 5′ 9″ 170 lbs Jr.
5 Alex Beaty WR/OLB 6′ 0″ 155 lbs Sr.
6 Jeramia Smith SB/OLB 5′ 7″ 140 lbs Soph.
7 Micah O’Daniel SB/S 6′ 2″ 180 lbs Sr.
7 Jack McDowell 6′ 2″ 205 lbs Jr.
7 Micah O’Daniel 6′ 2″ 180 lbs Sr.
8 Johnathan Hughes SB/CB 5′ 8″ 150 lbs Sr.
8 Johnathan Hughes 5′ 8″ 150 lbs Sr.
9 Kadarius Shanklin SB/CB 5′ 7″ 141 lbs Jr.
10 Tyler Long QB/S 6′ 0″ 150 lbs Fr.
11 Ethan Robinson WR 5′ 11″ 127 lbs Jr.
12 Brody Watrous QB 6′ 2″ 185 lbs Soph.
13 Ryan Macasek 6′ 0″ 173 lbs Jr.
14 Owen Byrd S 5′ 10″ 154 lbs Jr.
15 Carson Gorum WR 6′ 1″ 169 lbs Sr.
16 Trevor Dennis FB/OLB 5′ 10″ 159 lbs Jr.
17 Xander Tate WR/OLB 6′ 1″ 158 lbs Fr.
18 Sy Rushing S 5′ 8″ 148 lbs Fr.
19 Caleb Lang SB/CB 5′ 9″ 148 lbs Soph.
20 Blake Pennington 5′ 8″ 192 lbs Jr.
21 Reed Baughman WR/OLB 5′ 10″ 143 lbs Soph.
22 Cole Garner FB 5′ 9″ 184 lbs Jr.
23 Holden Counts FB 5′ 8″ 176 lbs Fr.
24 Jakobe Jones SB/CB 5′ 8″ 142 lbs Soph.
25 Julius Wilburn WR/CB 6′ 1″ 135 lbs Jr.
26 Davis Smith WR/OLB 5′ 10″ 170 lbs Soph.
28 Bryson Fountain FB/DL 6′ 0″ 190 lbs 8th
29 Landon Nutter WR/OLB 5′ 10″ 145 lbs Jr.
29 Hayden Jordan DL 6′ 2″ 210 lbs Fr.
30 Jordan Davis SB/CB 5′ 6″ 152 lbs Fr.
31 David Kimball FB 5′ 10″ 157 lbs Jr.
32 Kaiden Pierce WR/OLB 5′ 8″ 154 lbs Fr.
36 Matthew Keene WR/OLB 5′ 10″ 143 lbs Jr.
39 Michael Biller 5′ 5″ 145 lbs Soph.
41 Garrett Chandler WR/OLB 5′ 10″ 150 lbs Fr.
42 Max Starnes 5′ 10″ 151 lbs Soph.
44 Huntley Holliman DL 6′ 1″ 198 lbs Jr.
46 Trenton Carter K 5′ 9″ 170 lbs 2025
50 Weston Holliman OL/DL 6′ 1″ 217 lbs Fr.
51 Thane Shepherd OL 5′ 10″ 183 lbs Jr.
52 Kyler Whitworth OL 6′ 1″ 178 lbs Sr.
53 George Pruitt OL/DL 6′ 0″ 230 lbs Soph.
54 Kolten Walters OL/DL 5′ 10″ 187 lbs Jr.
55 James Claybrook OL/DL 6′ 0″ 225 lbs Jr.
56 Jahiem Shinn OL/DL 5′ 11″ 320 lbs Soph.
57 Landon Clark OL 6′ 1″ 299 lbs Jr.
58 Houston Montgomery OL 5′ 9″ 244 lbs Fr.
58 Walker Ferguson OL/DL 5′ 8″ 180 lbs Jr.
59 Ashton Farmer OL 5′ 10″ 181 lbs Sr.
60 Dylan Dees OL 6′ 0″ 208 lbs Sr.
62 Landen Merchant OL/DL 6′ 0″ 220 lbs Fr.
63 Roy Claybrook OL 6′ 0″ 170 lbs Fr.
66 Mason Carter OL 5′ 9″ 159 lbs Fr.
67 Chris Thompson OL 5′ 9″ 251 lbs Fr.
72 Timothy Farrell OL/DL 6′ 2″ 193 lbs Sr.
73 Jaylon Washington DL 6′ 4″ 319 lbs Soph.
74 Isaiah Bell OL/DL 5′ 8″ 207 lbs Jr.
75 Joshua Rendon OL 5′ 10″ 176 lbs Jr.
76 Grayson Carter OL 5′ 6″ 170 lbs Fr.
77 Duncan Whittington OL 6′ 0″ 268 lbs Jr.
80 Andrew Johns WR 5′ 11″ 153 lbs Jr.
81 Jack Jackson WR 6′ 0″ 140 lbs Jr.
83 Landen Daniels WR 6′ 2″ 136 lbs Soph.
84 Juan Cac WR 5′ 2″ 137 lbs Fr.
97 Woods Gramling FB/DL 5′ 9″ 210 lbs Soph.
Calven Hunziker Fr.
Lawson Brackin 5′ 10″ 208 lbs Jr.
Sawyer Junkin Fr.
Curtis Honeycutt Fr.
Colton Waddell Fr.
Juan Gutierrez Fr.
Elijah Oppedal Fr.
Alexander Randall 5′ 10″ 128 lbs Sr.
Colby Hand Fr.
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