Streak busters?: North Murray faces Rockmart with hopes for region title, ending Yellow Jackets' region win streak
Nov. 3—North Murray can win the school's second ever football region title with a win tonight.
All that's standing in the way is a school that's won six region championships — and 50 total region games — in a row.
North Murray (7-2, 5-0 Region 7-2A) plays in the de-facto Region 7-2A championship game at Rockmart (7-2, 5-0 Region 7-2A) tonight at 7:30.
The last three of those Rockmart region titles has been at the expense of North Murray. Rockmart won Region 6-3A in 2020 and 2021 with North Murray a contender, and both teams moved to Region 7-2A together two years ago.
North Murray entered this game last season with a chance to take the region with a win, but Rockmart won 66-34.
The good news for the Neers? Head coach Preston Poag has led his program to dethroning a longtime region power before.
In 2019, Calhoun had won 18 straight region championships and hadn't lost a single region game since 2001.
Behind Poag and then-quarterback Ladd McConkey, the Mountaineers climbed the mountain to end that streak, the only other region championship season for the school that's been around since 2009.
North Murray doesn't have a McConkey — now a wide receiver for the University of Georgia who had his jersey retired by North Murray recently — behind center, but the Neers do have a Skyler Williams, who tops Class 2A in passing yards with 2,072. They also have a Judson Petty, who took over and scored a rushing and receiving touchdown to will North Murray to a comeback victory over Model two weeks ago to set up the region title game.
North Murray comes in on a five-game win streak that very well could have been eight without Northwest Whitfield mounting a 28-point comeback on the Neers earlier this season.
The Mountaineers have made strides on defense this season, giving up 14.2 points per game in region play, but the Neers will have to slow down a Rockmart offense that has put up at least 43 points in each of its region contests.
While still a run-first team — Rockmart has 1,765 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns with a stable of backs — the Yellow Jackets have some passing game punch with quarterback Calliyon Thompson, who has tossed for 13 scores and 1,167 yards this season.
With a win, North Murray would be the top seed and host the fourth-seeded team in Region 6-2A in the first round, which will be either Washington or Mount Paran Christian. With a loss, North Murray would be the second seed and host South Atlanta in the opening round of the Class 2A playoffs.
