Dalton hangs on at Ringgold LFO at Gordon Lee
The first game football played at the Don Patterson Stadium in Ringgold ended in heartbreak for the Tigers and their fans as they fell to Dalton on Friday night, 21-19. Dalton needed just two plays to get on the scoreboard as sophomore tailback Kelvis Rhodes scampered 56 yards and Kiko Rodriguez’s extra point but the Catamounts up 7-0 quickly. But the Tigers roared back with a 12-play, 83yard drive, highlighted by a 19-yard pass from Slade Dale to Jarred Spivey. Austin Phelps recorded the first Ringgold touchdown of the season on a nine-yard run, but the extra point was no good. Dalton extended the lead to 14-6 when quarterback Cole Calfee connected with Brandon Dale with a 24-yard scoring pass at the 8:01 mark of the third quarter with Rodriguez again providing the placement. Dale set up the score with a long punt return. Then, on the first play of the fourth quarter, Rhodes found the end zone from four yards out with the extra point pushing the lead to 21-6. However, the Tigers immediately answered as Christian Plott hauled in a 45-yard TD pass, completing a fast three-play, 80-yard drive. Dalton held on the conversion attempt, keeping their lead at nine points. Then, following a fumble recovery, Ringgold went back to work. Another short drive ended on a 10-yard TD reception by Kile Sholl with 7:32 to play. Kale Peters booted the extra point to pull the Tigers to within two. Ringgold who get one final chance in the closing minutes, but Dalton’s Robert Hardaway knocked the ball loose from Dale following a 16yard scramble and Eder Mora pounced on the ball with 2:45 remaining. Rhodes rushed 26 times for 177 yards and two scores in his Dalton debut while Calfee was 4-of-7 in the air for 83 yards and one interception. Dale was 8-of-13 for 92 yards and two picks for the Tigers while rushing 18 times for yards. Ringgold (0-1) will host Heritage on Friday. 176 The Wolverines made head coach John East a winner in his debut with a dominating performance over the Class AA Tigers. Walker (1-0) led 17-0 at the half and 30-0 in the fourth before Temple broke through with two late touchdowns. Senior running back Evan Kasian led the Wolverines with 138 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries. Christian Academy of Knoxville, the reigning Tennessee state champions in Class 3A, broke open a close game in the first half with 21 unanswered points and ran past visiting Darlington on Saturday. Darlington at Cartersville Ranburne, AL at Mt. Zion SACA at North Cobb Christian Trion at Armuchee Christian Heritage at Model Fellowship at Lakeview Acd. Pinecrest at King's Ridge Mt. Paran at Our Lady of Mercy Whitefield Acd. at Pace Acd. Cass at Adairsville Cedartown at Rockmart Fannin County at Gilmer Pickens at Sonoraville Sequoyah at River Ridge Heritage at Ringgold Northwest at Pepperell