Dalton hosts Rockmart for schools' first meeting in 43 years

Daniel Mayes, The Daily Citizen, Dalton, Ga.
·2 min read
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Sep. 9—The last time Dalton High School played Rockmart in football the parents of many of the current members of the Catamounts roster weren't old enough to even suit up to play high school football.

Dalton and Rockmart have clashed five times on the football field since the first time in 1948, with the last coming in a state quarterfinal game in 1979. Dalton won that one 7-3 on Nov. 23, 1979, before dropping to Redan in the state semifinals the next week.

A lot has changed with the two programs over the years. The two were both in Class 3A then, but 2022's Catamounts are a team trying to find footing in 5A, while Rockmart comes in as a class 2A power.

The schools will meet for the first time in 43 years tonight at 7:30 on Harmon Field in Dalton.

Both teams enter the game at 1-1. Dalton opened the season with a 49-27 home win against North Murray, then, after an idle week, fell 27-21 at Sonoraville last week. Rockmart fell to Class 4A power Cedartown in the first week of the season before dealing a 30-21 defeat to Cass, a Region 7-5A foe of Dalton, the next week.

Rockmart, winners of five straight region championships, hasn't won fewer than nine games in a season under seventh-year head coach Biff Parson.

To try to take down the visitors from Class 2A, Dalton will likely continue to lean on its running game, which is driven by senior Tyson Greenwade.

Greenwade has 597 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns through the two games. The Catamounts continued to rotate between two quarterbacks against Sonoraville, with senior Parker McClurg and sophomore Ethan Long seeing extensive playing time in both games so far.

Rockmart also leans heavily on the running game.

The Yellow Jackets have four players who have rushed between 10 and 20 times through two games. Quarterback JD Davis and running backs Lanear McCrary, Nahzir Turner and Brent Washington have all had multiple touches. McCrary leads Rockmart in rushing yards with 156.

The Catamounts' rushing defense was vulnerable in the loss to Sonoraville. Sonoraville's Zack Lyles had 193 yards on 19 carries.