The X-Factors: Dalton's Colin Pearson, Cade Mullet will play big roles in state title game

DALTON — It's going to take everyone for Dalton to emerge victorious against Marion Local in Saturday's Division VII state championship game.

Dalton will rely on its decorated senior class — 37 wins, three Wayne County League titles and the deepest tournament run in program history — to lead the way in the biggest game of their careers.

Two of those seniors may not put up the biggest stat lines in the game, but they have a chance to be the biggest difference-makers — quarterback Colin Pearson and do-it-all playmaker Cade Mullet.

Dalton vs. Marion Local: How to watch the state title game in-person, at home or on the go

Pearson has blossomed in his second year as a starter in Dalton's run-heavy offense, making smart decisions and taking advantage of the opportunities he does get, throwing for 10.3 yards per attempt. Overall, Pearson has thrown for 1,704 yards and 18 TDs with only five interceptions, while adding another 240 yards and a TD rushing.

"He's been making really good decisions with the ball, whether it's in the run game or the pass game," Dalton coach Broc Dial said. "(He) understands the big picture of what's going on around him on offense."

Meanwhile, Mullet is one of the most experienced players in the Dalton roster, starting since his sophomore year and doing a lot of different things in all three phases for the 'Dawgs, moving all over the field on offense, holding down the secondary defensively and returning kicks on special teams.

"He's got natural ability, he's a very good athlete," Dial said. "He's got lots of experience making plays. You trust that experience. He's a really heady, smart football player. When you watch him, there's some instinctive things that he does naturally, and we try to let him use those instincts."

Marion Local will likely do everything it can to stop Dalton's powerful run game headlined by Grayson Siders and Sammy Tomlinson when things kick off at 10:30 a.m. at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton. So, the ball could very well be in Pearson's hands more often than the rest of Dalton's playoff run, where he's thrown just 43 times in the 'Dawgs five wins.

He's coming off his best game of the playoffs, throwing for 190 yards and two TDs while completing nine of 10 passes and also rushing for a 32-yard score. With 27 career starts, including eight playoff games, Pearson is the type of senior quarterback to lead a state championship team.

"I've definitely gotten more comfortable," Pearson said of his second year as Dalton's starter. "I make sure to trust the (offensive) line, trust what they're doing and making sure that I keep everyone else level-headed too."

Mullet will surely be a big part of the offensive gameplan as well. With No. 1 receiver Brady Hignight sidelined with an injury since the regional quarterfinals, he's taken on an even bigger role in the offense, along with others like senior Jace Eberly and junior Coy Wenger.

What makes Mullet such a weapon for Dalton is his versatility. The Bulldogs line him up all over the field and use him as a ball carrier and pass catcher. It's not a role every player can fill, but Mullet's combination of skill and football IQ makes him the perfect fit to be the Swiss Army Knife of Dalton's offense.

While his overall stats aren't eye-popping — 20 catches for 374 yards and two TDs and 15 rushes for 207 yards and two more scores — what he does when he touches the ball (16.6 yards per touch) provides a major spark for the 'Dawgs.

Defensively, Mullet might be even more impactful, intercepting a team-high eight passes, four of those coming in the playoffs. His football instincts are evident whether he is tracking a pass in the air or to provide support as a tackler.

Mullet and Pearson are just two of Dalton's 16-man senior class, which has clearly made its mark on Bulldog football.

"You don't see any 'I' or 'me' type of kids," Dial said. "They're all great kids, they get along really well, great chemistry. They're all team kids. I think the rest of the team feeds off of that from our seniors.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: OHSAA Playoffs: Pearson, Mullet the X-factors for Dalton