DALTON DERAILS CALHOUN
Catamounts use explosive start to drop Jackets
DALTON, Ga. — A lightning delay nearly ended the Calhoun-Dalton game early. In reality, it was over well before Mother Nature came calling.
Dalton’s Catamounts, losers of seven consecutive games in this matchup of northwest Georgia’s most successful high school football programs, came out swinging at Harmon Field at Bill Chappell Stadium and didn’t let up in earning a 28-13 win Friday night.
Senior receiver Zeke Cobb, who missed all but the first series of last season after tearing an ACL, returned with a vengeance in his team’s season opener. The 6-foot-4 Cobb caught a pair of touchdown passes, including one to end an innovative opening drive, and had a long run to set up another as the Cats backed up their preseason hype.
The game’s opening drive highlighted the explosive potential of the Dalton offense, which was boosted in the offseason when transfers Ahmaad Tanner, Nassir Love-Porter and John Henry Whiteside joined an already strong team.
Starting at Dalton’s own 35, Tanner took a handoff from J.P. Tighe and rolled right. Instead of turning upfield, however, he fired a pass downfield where Kyric McGowan hauled it in and raced to the Calhoun 10. Two plays later Tighe hit Cobb over the middle in the end zone for a quick 6-0 lead.
“We played well in the first half and we used our athletes in space,” winning coach Matt Land said. “Hey, Calhoun has had our number lately and it’s nice to get that monkey off our backs. I wouldn’t be surprised if that team goes on to win another championship.”
The Jackets (1-1), who had wholesale graduation turnover following a 13-win season, used hard running by new
quarterback Baylon Spector and returning tailback Olico Dennis to move to the Dalton 12, but a penalty helped stall the drive and they settled for a field goal.
Dalton, often spreading out four receivers early, picked right up where it left off. Tighe converted a third-and-7 when McGowan, the Northwestern University commitment, made a one-handed catch down to the Calhoun 42. Later in the drive, facing third-and-11, Tighe hit the lanky Cobb on a post pattern for a 28-yard touchdown and a 14-3 lead, an advantage the Cats took into halftime.
Calhoun, which forced three turnovers, took advantage of one early in the second half to get within 14-10 on Dennis’ 1-yard run, but a Calhoun personal foul on the point-after and two more after the same play on the ensuing drive helped propel Dalton to the Jackets’ 14. McGowan made the visitors pay with a darting 14-yard run and quick TD answer to push the lead back to 11, 21-10.
Following a Calhoun field goal after stalling at the Dalton 15, the Cats iced the game with a 53-yard drive in just seven plays, the big one a 34-yard Cobb run on third-and-8. Two plays later Tanner scored from 7 yards out for a 28-13 lead.
It was also the final drive before lightning in the area caused a 45-minute delay, and though the game resumed the outcome had been sealed.
Tanner topped Dalton with 103 yards rushing on 21 hard carries, while Cobb had 100 total yards and McGowan ended with 90. Spector led Calhoun rushers with 100 on 20 carries, with Dennis adding 64, though the Catamounts did not let the senior break any long runs.
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@ timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296; follow on Twitter at youngsports22