Friday night storylines: Dalton tests undefeated start in showdown with Cedartown; Murray, North Murray start region play

Sep. 22—Dalton tests undefeated start in showdown with Cedartown

The feel-good start for Dalton gets put to the test tonight in the final non-region game for the undefeated Catamounts.

Cedartown comes to town for a showdown tonight at 7:30.

Dalton has already matched its best start since 2019 with a 4-0 record. A win tonight would mark the most wins to start the season for a Dalton team since the 2016 squad won its first 13 games en route to a 13-1 record and appearance in the 6A state semifinals.

To get that next win — and head into a tough Region 7-5A slate — Dalton will need to go through a Bulldog team that is stronger than its 1-3 record indicates.

Cedartown finished 14-1 a year ago, its only loss coming in a 14-13 loss to Benedictine in the Class 4A state championship game. That Cedartown team trounced Dalton 43-9 in Cedartown last year.

Though the Bulldogs come in at 1-3 and losers of three in a row, those losses come against 2A power Callaway, a good 6A team in Sequoyah and, most recently, a 35-21 loss to Calhoun.

The Cedartown win was a 13-12 win over the same Rockmart team that Dalton needed overtime to beat.

Cedartown may not be quite the same team as the state finalists of last season, but Dalton isn't the same one that gave up 43 points in the first half at Cedartown.

Dalton has become the team that does that to other squads, with a newly-powerful passing game pairing with a strong run game and defense to bury opponents. Dalton put up 43 before half on Sonoraville earlier this season and led Lassiter 56-7 last week at halftime as quarterback Ethan Long threw for 322 yards and five touchdowns before the break.

The Cats are already back to doing the kind of winning they haven't done in a few years, but a win tonight keeps the momentum rolling with Hiram, Cass, Calhoun and Cartersville looming later.

North Murray gets region play started at Haralson County

The last time North Murray played a game was the Northwest Whitfield 28-point comeback that ended with the shocked Mountaineers falling 38-35.

After a bye week to rest, recover and rebound, the Neers head to Haralson County tonight at 7:30 for the start of their Region 7-2A schedule.

North Murray (2-2) will look to get back on track quickly against a Haralson (0-4) squad that comes in without a win yet. The Rebels did have to contend with a pair of state-ranked teams in Rabun County and Mary Persons, though.

The Mountaineers defeated Haralson 40-29 in Chatsworth last year.

The North Murray offense will look to keep humming against Haralson. After the 35-14 loss to Dalton to start the season, North Murray has averaged 47.3 points per game in the three since. Quarterback Skyler Williams, who had seven combined rushing and passing touchdowns against Ridgeland earlier this season, led the state in passing yards after four weeks of play with 1,249. Receiver Judson Petty, who set a new state record with 360 receiving yards in a game against Pickens earlier this year, was leading the state with 687 yards, while teammate Hudson Hulett was ninth with 438 yards.

Murray looks to carry momentum from first win into region opener

Murray County took down Chattooga on the road last week, and the Indians hope that first win of the season can give them a jolt as Region 7-2A play gets underway.

Murray County (1-3) hosts Model (2-1) tonight at 7:30.

Model took its first loss of the season last week, falling 31-12 to Trion. In Model's 2-1 start, the Blue Devils defeated Pepperell 29-6 and Woodland 27-21.

Murray County's Braylon Myers provided a spark for the Indians last week. Myers rushed for 151 yards and two touchdowns and caught another touchdown.

After totaling just 35 points in their first nine games last season, the Indian offense has produced much better in coach Kurt Napier's second season. Murray has scored at least 25 in two separate games, and the only time MCHS has been held to single digits was in a 35-7 loss to Gilmer. Murray didn't score more than seven points through the first nine games of last season.

After long wait, Creek opens home schedule and breaks in new turf

Tonight marks the sixth week of high school football in Georgia, but Coahulla Creek is set to finally play its home opener on its brand-new turf field.

The Colts (2-2) host Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe (1-3) tonight at 7:30 in Varnell.

The four-game road trip to start the year came as Creek repaid the benefit of starting with four straight at home last year. Three of those were scheduled home games, and the fourth — at Chattooga — was changed to a home game after flooding in the Summerville area. The Chattooga game this year then became a road game, and the Colts became road warriors to start the year.

The new field is one of three new turf fields in the Whitfield County school system, with Northwest Whitfield and Southeast Whitfield also getting one. The field was finished a few weeks ago, and the Colts practiced on it for the first time on Sept. 4.

The Colts' guests for the christening of the new field are the LFO Warriors. A Region 6-3A opponent, LFO's lone win was a 33-25 victory over Murray County — a team Creek beat 42-13 — but the Warriors have been competitive against some tough competition, falling a touchdown short against 4A Heritage.

Creek, led by quarterback Chase Ward's two touchdowns, defeated Ridgeland 35-0 last week to end a two-game skid and get the Colts to 1-0 in Region 6-3A competition.

Southeast hosts Druid Hills

In their final non-region game of the season, the Southeast Whitfield Raiders (1-3) host Druid Hills (2-1-1) tonight at 7:30.

The Raiders have lost two straight since a 19-16 victory over Gordon Central in the second week of the season.

A 30-17 home win over Druid Hills last season gave the Raiders a 4-1 record at the start of Region 7-4A play, and Southeast hopes to earn a win and get back to .500 before hitting region play this season.

Druid Hills started 2-0, but tied a game against Berkmar before losing to Dunwoody 36-7.

Northwest, Christian Heritage on bye week

After a 4-1 start to the season, Northwest Whitfield isn't in action tonight. The Bruins play Sonoraville on Sept. 29 at home.

Christian Heritage earned its first win of the Frank Barden era last week over Pickens. The Lions, which have only nine games on the schedule, will resume play Sept. 29 at home against Ensworth of Nashville, Tennessee.