Column: Another Cats QB All-State

Published 10:50 pm Saturday, February 9, 2008

In December 2004, Dalton High’s Logan Coffey was selected as the quarterback on the Class 4A All-State team as chosen by the Georgia Press Association.

Coffey, who eventually received an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, had 2,443 combined passing and rushing yards with 31 touchdowns that season, leading the Cata-mounts to a 6-4 record — but the team missed the postseason playoffs.

Just over three years later, the Cats have another All-State quarterback in Harrison Scott, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound senior who is still debating his college future. Scott had 1,644 yards of total offense with 20 touchdowns in 2007 and led the Cats to the Region 7-4A championship — the school’s first in nine seasons — and into the state playoffs where they were upset by Cherokee in the first round.

Unlike Coffey on the GPA team, Scott has a teammate on the Georgia Athletics Coaches Association Class 4A All-State North squad — teammate Jake McIntosh, a linebacker who on Wednesday signed a letter-of-intent with the Tennessee Tech University Golden Eagles.

McIntosh, who missed some playing time in 2007 due to an ankle injury but still amassed 80 tackles, had his signing party Saturday afternoon. He was selected to The Daily Citizen’s All-Area team for the third consecutive year, the last time by a unanimous vote of area coaches. He was also on the coaches’ All-Region team, as was Scott.

It’s a nice honor for both players, one that caps each’s football career at Dalton.

Tucker’s Jonathan Davis was chosen as the North’s defensive player of the year. No. 2-ranked Tucker thumped Northwest Whitfield in the second round of the state playoffs.

Calhoun quarterback Tre Lamb was the Class 2A offensive player of the year while teammates Adam Urbano, Nick Davidson (defensive lineman) and Andy Elakman (kicker) also earned spots on the team.

— Say one thing for Stephaun Raines, the former Dalton High athlete, he’s blessed with perseverance.

Raines, The Daily Citizen’s All-Area Player of the Year in 2005, kept plugging away at his academics and it appears now that he will finally be eligible to enroll at the University of Tennessee in the summer.

Raines spent time at Dalton State College working to improve his college entrance exam scores and then moved on to Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College to get his grade-point average in order. Succeeding in both endeavors, Raines signed for the second time with the Vols last Wednesday.

In talking with the personable Raines via cell phone, he was asked when the last time he had a chance to visit home.

“Well, I haven’t been to Tampa (Fla.) in a while,” he said. “I don’t leave here (Coffeyville) much at all. I have to save up my money for trips home. I don’t get to Dalton much at all.”

Since leaving Dalton High, Raines returned to his roots in Tampa.

He also said Coffeyville is a perfect place for football stars who came up short on the eligibility measuring stick for whatever reason to concentrate on their academics. There’s not much there other than football and classroom work.

Notable alumni of CCC include actor Gary Busey, boxer James “Buster” Douglas and football stars Ron Springs and Mike Rozier.

Coffeyville is best known for the October 1892 shootout between the bank-robbing Dalton Gang and local citizens. Four members of the gang, and two citizens, were killed but Emmett Dalton survived 23 gunshot wounds and eventually served 14 years in prison before gaining a pardon.

— Well, the basketball regular season is history.

It’s time for the playoffs that start Monday.

The Region 7-4A tournament will be held at Rome High School. It was played at Dalton High last season. The Northwest Whitfield girls (16-8) and state-ranked Rome boys (19-3) are the clear pre-tournament favorites.

Both teams are riding 11-game winning streaks and won’t play until the tournament’s semifinal round on Friday. Each has already earned a state tournament berth on the strength of their regular season showing.

— Meanwhile, Christian Heritage’s Lady Lions and Lions, who have won 37 of their combined 46 games, open play in the Region 4-2A Georgia Independent School Association tournament on Monday and Tuesday, respectively.

The Lions have been on a roll for several years, but the Lady Lions’ 21-2 record is new territory for coach Heather Lowery’s girls. They’ve played in the Lions’ shadow for years, but now they’re making a name for themselves in their first season in GISA competition.