Sonoraville coming off win, but have tough task ahead against 2-0 Cats
A week after a big rebound win at Cass, the slate doesn’t get any easier for Sonoraville… in fact, the level of competition ramps up even more.
The Phoenix welcome Dalton on Friday at 7:30 p.m. for possibly the biggest non-region test they have ever had at The Furnace. The traditional power Catamounts come in unbeaten after wins over rivals Calhoun and Northwest Whitfield as they aim to continue their early-season momentum.
Sonoraville coach Jim Kremer said he expects a big-game atmosphere for the non-region showdown.
“This is one of those games that pays the bills,” said Kremer. “We know they’ll bring a bring a big crowd, and our home fans always show up and support so it should be a great atmosphere.
“I’m anxious to see us step up and play a very good team like Dalton. I think our kids are looking forward to it and looking forward to the challenge. Dalton is very talented. You can’t find many weaknesses no matter where you look at them on either side of the ball or in the kicking game.”
Sonoraville ( 1- 1) enters the game coming off their gritty 28-25 win at Cass last Friday to bounce back from a disappointing 22-0 loss at home to Model in their opener. The Phoenix leaned heavily on their running back Tristan Key in the win over the Colonels as the junior ran for 126 yards and two touchdowns and caught a 69-yard touchdown pass. Quarterback Patrick Moore had a solid night as well, throwing for two touchdowns and 139 yards and running for 73 more.
The Sonoraville defense forced four turnovers and was also able to hold their ground in tough spots to limit Cass to just three points off the three turnovers the Phoenix offense had. Kremer said the win was a big confidence boost after the opening-game loss.
“Cass has some really good players, but we came in last week and had a good week of practice, and the kids were ready to play,” said Kremer. “We got a stop on defense and then threw a touchdown pass on our first play from scrimmage, and that really gave us a big lift. We moved the ball pretty consistently after that except for a stretch where we had a few turnovers in a row. But the defense stepped up and handled sudden change really well.
“We faced some adversity in that game, but we kept plugging and got the win. I thought we played pretty well in all three phases.”
The Phoenix now turn their attention to a Dalton team that has started 2-0 for the first time since 2008 and boasts a lot of talent on both sides of the ball. They have a couple big playmakers at receiver in Zek Cobb and Kyric McGowan, a solid running back in Ahmaad Tanner and a very capable quarterback in JP Tighe, which all operate behind a big offensive line. Defensively, they are led by a stout defensive line anchored by senior defensive tackle John Whiteside, who stands 6foot-2, 305 pounds.
Kremer said his team certainly has their work cut out for them against the Class AAAAAA contender.
“They are a very good team and have a lot of tradition,” said Kremer. “They’re well-coached and have excellent players all over the field. We’re going to go in and compete as hard as we can and try to win. We’ve got to have a great week of preparation and practice and play our best game to have a chance to compete in the game.”
This will be the first meeting ever between the two programs as Sonoraville will attempt to pull what most would consider a huge upset. Kremer said his team needs to accomplish several keys in order to stay in the game, but they mostly need to go out and play with no pressure with the game being a non-region contest.
“We’ve got to start with being good in the kicking game, which I think we can match them in,” said Kremer. “We’ve also got to stay away from turnovers and get some first downs to control the clock. We want to keep it close going to the fourth quarter and see what happens from there.
“This is one of those games where not many people think we can win. But our kids believe. There’s really no pressure on us. It’s one of those fun games where we get to go out and challenge ourselves against a really good team.”
The Phoenix are high in confidence after the win last Friday over a formidable Cass team, but Dalton is an even more physical and talented team.
Sonoraville needs to once again lean heavily on their running game and sustain some long scoring drives to keep the Catamounts off the field. The Phoenix should be able to keep it close, but eventually Dalton’s size and depth will wear on them. 20.
Score: Prediction:
Dalton wins, 27-