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Game time: A look at the schedule for the first night of local high school football

daniel mayes, the daily citizen, dalton, ga.
·3 min read

Aug. 19—The first-ever matchup between Dalton High School and North Murray headline's tonight's lineup of local games. Here's a look at the season openers for other local teams:

Kurt Napier era begins for Murray at Coahulla Creek

Tonight, a Napier will serve as head coach of a Murray County football game for the first time since Nov. 10, 2006.

The late Bill Napier was the head coach of the Indians then, and his son, Kurt Napier, leads the Indians tonight at 7:30 in Varnell against Coahulla Creek.

Napier, who was brought in as head coach after Chad Brewer led the Indians for nine seasons, will try to get his first season started with a win against a former region rival in Coahulla Creek. The Indians went 1-9 last year.

On the other sideline, Brewer is now an assistant for the Colts, and he'll try to help Coahulla to a win over his former program in a season that comes with high expectations in Creek country.

Before last year, Coahulla Creek had never won more than two games in a season. The Colts doubled that total to four wins in 2021, and, with much returning talent, Coahulla Creek is primed for another strong season under third-year head coach Danny Wilson. They'll try to take a first step tonight against Murray.

Coahulla Creek won last season's matchup 28-22.

Christian Heritage begins long non-region slate with former region foe

Christian Heritage starts the season with seven straight non-region games before beginning a two-game Region 7-A Division II schedule.

That starts tonight at 7:30 with a home game against North Cobb Christian, a former region rival that's no longer on the region slate.

Before this year, North Cobb had been in the Lions' region every year since 2016. The Eagles jumped up to Class 2A, but they still should provide a test for the new-look Lions.

Christian Heritage finished last year at 4-7 after two straight nine-win seasons. Star quarterback Christian Thomas and running back and linebacker Solomon Locke are gone after playing a big part in those two seasons, including the school's first region title in 2020.

Tonight's game provides the Lions' first chance to integrate new QB Carter Triplett.

Northwest starts on the road with Pepperell

Northwest Whitfield begins the quest for its eighth straight playoff appearance by hitting the road to Lindale for a game against Pepperell tonight at 7:30.

Pepperell, a Class A Division I school, finished 5-6 last season, but has an electric playmaker in running back DJ Rogers. A Ssenior, Rogers rushed for 1,481 yards last season.

The Bruins have an experienced senior too in quarterback Owen Brooker. Brooker's been a starter since his freshman year, and he enters a senior campaign for Northwest heaped with both individual and team expectations.

Pepperell hasn't been a stranger to local schools in the preseason. North Murray played Pepperell for two quarters in a jamboree earlier this month, and the Dragons played Dalton in a scrimmage last week, with Dalton winning 28-10 after three quarters of varsity action.

Southeast opens schedule with road game against Coosa

Southeast Whitfield returns to playing a region schedule in 2022, but the Raiders first open with a non-region slate.

First up, a road game in Rome against Coosa.

Coosa, a Class A Division I program, finished 1-9 last season. The Raiders have increased in wins in each year under head coach Todd Murray — going from 0-10 to 1-9 to 2-8 — and Southeast hopes to capture a win to open the season.

The Raiders looked impressive in a preseason scrimmage against Murray County, with quarterback Brayden Miles making plays and leading Southeast to a 10-0 score while starters were in the game in the first half.