Anybody with a heartbeat appreciates quality band music at a high school football game.

This activity simply adds to the enjoyment for spectators – plus the players, coaches, cheerleaders and others asso-ciated with the action.

Calhoun High’s highly-regarded band last week was doing its usual outstanding job of keeping the people pepped up at Trion. The classic featured two unbeaten power-houses: the visiting Yellow Jackets and Bulldogs (no, not Georgia Tech against Georgia).

Something did happen involv-ing the Calhoun band which many veteran observers never had seen. Its extra music cost the Jackets a 15-yard penalty and led to a late Bulldogs’ touchdown.

According to the Georgia High School Association’s offi-cial handbook, (a) “If, during a football game, a team claims interference with communica-tions due to band noise, the referee shall give a warning to one or both head coaches, and the bands must cease playing.

(b) “If there is a second offense by the same school’s band, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty will be imposed against that school’s team.”

Lamb acknowledged that he received a warning.

“It probably was my fault,” he said. “When I turned around (to warn the band), they already had stopped.”

Moments later, the well-intentioned band started again. Then the official’s flag came flying.

Most of us have witnessed football games where the bands have played throughout the contests – with no warnings.

When noise has been to the extreme, bands – which under-standably are more concerned about their music than the foot-ball rules – usually get more than one warning.

Thankfully, this penalty against the band did not cost Calhoun the game. The Jackets still prevailed on undefeated course with a convincing 35-20 conquest.

I have seen teams penalized 15 yards for excessive amount of time taken in pregame and halftime ceremonies. However, this penalty against the band is new.

With most prep squads at midpoint of this 2002 season, Calhoun appears primed for a Region 6-AA championship. Last year, it shared the crown with Darlington and Car-tersville.

Calhoun, 3-0 in the league, re-ceives a visit Friday from nearby rival Adairsville which stands perfect at 2-0. With for-mer Jackets’ coach Johnny Gulledge now guiding the Ti-gers, this adds extra intrigue to the battle.

All of the other 6-AA squads have lost at least once.

In 7-AAAA, proceedings ap-pear topsy-turvy with perennial power Dalton only 1-2.

Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe, which had been a doormat for so long, is in sole possession of the North at 3-0. Coach John Allen’s rejuvenated Warriors recently won for the second straight year at Rome.

The other sub-region teams all have dropped at least two counting games.

In the South, Paulding County and Hiram share the top spot at 3-0. Both have beaten Dalton.

Talk about quality of a lower class region. Look at 6-A.

That four-team region shows an amazing 23-4 record against outside competition.

Gordon Lee is perfect at 5-0. Trion (only defeat to higher class Calhoun) and Bremen both are 4-1, and Temple is 4-2.

Since four teams qualify from each region for the state play-offs, the entire region is guaran-teed postseason play. They just might all be deserving.