Dalton coach Matt Land will be looking to build upon the Catamounts’ strong finish to the 2012 season.Dalton Catamounts
Coach: Matt Land (19-14 in three seasons here and overall)
Last year: 8-4, 4-1 in 7B-AAAA; lost 35-13 to Sandy Creek in the second round of the playoffs
’13 dreams: The second half of last season featured a revival of the proud Dalton program, including an upset of Atlanta’s Carver in the playoffs. The Catamounts hope to carry that over to this season, but Land and his experienced coaching staff will have to replace some key losses. Payton Veraldi or Jase Chastain needs to step forward at quarterback and produce right away, but there’s also need for a new fullback, two wideouts, a tight end and a center. Dalton’s run game is in good hands, though, with speedy tailback Kelvis Rhodes and elite lineman Jake Roberts.
13-for-13 contenders: Rhodes is the kind of home-run hitter who keeps defensive coordinators up at night, though he needs to stay healthy. Junior Eder Mora, a returning all-state player, is a ball hawk who likely will move around all over the field. Senior linebacker Lyle Durham is a physical presence in the middle of the field, while cornerback Chris Childs has had a great offseason, according to Land