It can be hard to translate regular season success to the playoffs, but the Cedar Grove Saints had no problem doing just that on Friday. They walked away with a 49-42 victory over the Cavaliers. Cedar Grove's victory was all the more impressive since Calvary Day was averaging only 8.71 points allowed on the season.
When it comes to explaining why Calvary Day lost, one person who can't be blamed is Jake Merklinger. Despite the final result, he threw for 305 yards and five touchdowns.
Even if they lost, Calvary Day's defensive line sure didn't make it easy: Cedar Grove's QB was sacked five times before it was all said and done. Walter Mathis Jr. was particularly dangerous to the passing game, picking up two sacks himself.
The win (which was Cedar Grove's seventh in a row) raised their record to 9-5. Those victories were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 36.0 points per game. As for Calvary Day, their defeat dropped their record down to 13-1.
Cedar Grove will have some time to savor their win since their next game is a little ways off: they'll take on Savannah Christian at 1:00 p.m. on December 13th. Savannah Christian knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with flashy point totals in its past nine matchups -- so hopefully Cedar Grove likes a good challenge. Calvary Day does not have any more games scheduled as of now.
