Friday night storylines: Packed slate of pivotal region games includes Northwest-Calhoun, Christian Heritage-Chattooga, North Murray-Ringgold

Published 7:00 am Friday, October 11, 2024

Northwest Whitfield travels to Calhoun for region showdown

After taking its first loss of the season two weeks ago, Northwest Whitfield righted the ship by rolling over LaFayette last week.

Next up? Another huge Region 7-3A test.

Northwest (6-1, 2-1 Region 7-3A) travels to Calhoun (3-3, 2-0 Region 7-3A) Friday night at 7:30.

Calhoun started the season 1-3 against some heavy-hitting non-region competition, but the Yellow Jackets are the only team left unbeaten in the region, having handled both Adairsville and Ridgeland.

Calhoun missed out on the postseason last season for the first time since 1999, so the Jackets are motivated to navigate the region and make another playoff run.

Northwest’s offense will face off against a Calhoun defense that has allowed only seven points total through two games of region play.

The game will be the first for the two programs from adjacent counties since 1985. The two schools haven’t shared a region since 1977. Northwest and Calhoun have scrimmaged each other before both the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

North Murray hosts Ringgold, looking to keep pace in region race

After a Region 7-2A loss to Union County followed by a bye week, North Murray got back on track — and to 3-1 in the region — by eeking out a 26-24 win over Sonoraville last week.

As North Murray tries to keep pace in the region race with North Cobb Christian and Rockmart looming, the Mountaineers host Ringgold.

North Murray (4-2, 3-1 Region 7-2A) hosts Ringgold (5-2, 3-2 Region 7-2A) Friday night at 7:30.

Ringgold’s only two losses on the season have come against the pairing of North Cobb Christian and Rockmart, both of which enter Friday night unbeaten in the region. Ringgold is otherwise unblemished in the region though, and the Tigers shut down Union County 31-0 last week.

That Union County squad is the same one that shut out North Murray 21-0, but that game seems to be proving more the exception than the rule for North Murray. Missing a few scoring opportunities and dealing with an injury to Hudson Hulett that forced him to leave the game, North Murray was shut out for the first time in 13 seasons, but Hulett was back as the Neers bounced back to score 26 points on Sonoraville, led by four touchdowns from running back Layten Myers.

North Murray goes to North Cobb Christian next week.

Christian Heritage travels to Chattooga for important region game

A Christian Heritage team that is on a six-game winning streak is set to meet up Friday with a Chattooga squad that recently had its own winning streak halted.

Christian Heritage (6-1, 4-0 Region 7-A DI) travels to Sonoraville to play Chattooga (5-2, 2-2 Region 7-A DI) Friday night at 7:30.

Chattooga started off 5-0, but have thudded to two straight losses, falling to region opponents Gordon Lee (42-28) and Fannin County (35-7).

The Christian Heritage offense, led by standout quarterback Carter Triplett, may have to match points against a Chattooga squad that has its own player who has an outsized offensive output.

Through seven games, running back Zayden Cook has 1,753 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns.

With Fannin County, the only other team still unbeaten in the region awaiting in the Lions’ next game, Christian Heritage will want to get through with a win to potentially set up a showdown for the region title.

Coahulla Creek searches for first win at Murray County

Two teams will enter Murray Field Friday night battling for a much-needed win.

Only one of Coahulla Creek or Murray County will get it.

The Indians (1-6, 0-5 Region 7-2A) host the Colts (0-6, 0-4 Region 7-2A) Friday night at 7:30.

Coahulla Creek enters at 0-6, with the improvement of the squad showing in everywhere but the win column in the last few games. Creek had its best offensive game of the year last week against LFO and kept the game in reach until a couple of late touchdowns.

Murray, meanwhile, got its feel-good win earlier in the season against Southeast Whitfield, but Region 7-2A play has been tougher sledding. In each region game, Murray has given up at least 40 points and hasn’t scored more than 14 in any.

Dalton to deal with unbeaten Cedartown

After seven games in seven weeks to start the season, Dalton returns from a bye week for another big challenge.

The winless Catamounts host unbeaten Cedartown Friday night at 7:30.

Dalton (0-7, 0-3 Region 7-4A), after a 42-13 loss to Cartersville (another undefeated team) to start region play, Dalton has been more competitive in the last two, taking both into the fourth quarter. Last time out against Hiram, Dalton trailed 20-13 with 6 minutes to play, but two late touchdowns pulled Hiram away for a 34-13 win.

Cedartown (7-0, 3-0 Region 7-4A), however, will be another challenge. The Bulldogs are ranked seventh in Class 4A, the fourth top-10 team Dalton has played in eight games. Cedartown hammered its two common opponents with Dalton so far, Allatoona and Hiram, 45-7 and 56-20.

Cedartown appears headed for a face-off with Cartersville that could decide the Region 7-4A title, but Dalton will look to play spoiler and steal their first win.

The game marks the first time that the two teams have played as part of the same region since 1995. The programs have been on-and-off region rivals dating back to their first matchup in 1925. Dalton and Cedartown played two non-region games in 2022 and 2023, renewing a series that hadn’t been played since 1997.

Southeast on bye

For a third straight week, Southeast Whitfield is idle.

The Raiders last played on Sept. 20 against Mt. Zion, and, after having a game canceled, Southeast had two scheduled by weeks.

The Raiders resume action next week at home against Woodland.