Greenwade gallops for 4 scores as 2nd-quarter explosion leads Dalton over Hiram in region opener

Published 11:00 pm Thursday, September 29, 2022

Dalton High School was nearly on both ends of a comeback in its region opener Thursday night at Hiram.

After falling behind 24-7, Dalton exploded for 38 unanswered points in the second and third quarters and got to a 52-31 lead.

Hiram scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns, but the Catamounts and running back Tyson Greenwade were able to kill the clock in the fourth for the 52-45 win in the Region 7-5A opener for both teams.

Greenwade galloped for 374 yards and four scores as Dalton (3-3, 1-0 Region 7-5A) got past Hiram (3-3, 0-1 Region 7-5A).

After Greenwade’s first touchdown run answered a Hiram passing score and made the game 7-7, disaster struck for Dalton.

A Dalton fumble was recovered by Hiram and returned to the 6-yard-line, setting up a touchdown run. On Dalton’s next play from scrimmage, a fumbled snap ended up in the end zone, and the ball was recovered for a Hornet score to put Dalton behind 21-7.

After Hiram added a field goal to grow its lead to 24-7, the fireworks started for Dalton.

Greenwade sprinted for his second touchdown to cut the deficit to 10, and, after the Cats pounced on a Hiram fumble, Ethan Long found RJ Storey for a 46-yard touchdown pass.

Hiram fumbled on the ensuing kickoff, and Greenwade was running in for his third touchdown and the third touchdown by Dalton in just over a minute.

That score gave Dalton the lead at 28-24, and Greenwade’s fourth touchdown run put the Catamounts up 35-24. Adrian Gongora knocked in a field goal just before half to give Dalton its 31st point in the second quarter.

Long hit Warner Ross for a 49-yard catch-and-run touchdown to open the third and give Dalton a 49-24 lead before Dalton’s run of consecutive points was halted at 38 by a Hiram score.

Long tossed for 171 yards and two scores while completing 11 of his 12 attempts.

Adriel Hernandez broke loose for a 75-yard touchdown run for Dalton’s final score late in the third quarter.

Hiram’s Samir Wylie threw his second and third touchdown passes early in the fourth, but Hiram was only able to get the score within a touchdown. Greenwade converted a key third down for Dalton, and the Catamounts killed the rest of the clock.

Greenwade is now over 1,000 yards rushing on the season despite not playing in a loss against Cedartown last week. He’s got 1,182 rushing yards in five games.

It’s the first time Dalton has played Hiram since 2009. The teams played five games from 2002 to 2009. Dalton now leads the series 4-2.

The win also marks the first time Dalton has won more than two games since 2019. Dalton won two games in both 2020 and 2021. The Catamounts were granted a third win for the 2020 season when Douglas County vacated a 41-6 win over Dalton.

Dalton returns home next Friday for another region matchup. Dalton hosts Woodland at 7:30 p.m.

Hiram is at Calhoun next Friday.