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Region football preview: Dalton joins Calhoun in top-heavy GHSA 7-AAAAA

Staff file photo / Dalton senior receiver Luke Blanchard is among the key players for the Catamounts, who return five starters on offense and as many on defense this season as they move down a classification and into GHSA Region 7-AAAAA.
Staff file photo / Dalton senior receiver Luke Blanchard is among the key players for the Catamounts, who return five starters on offense and as many on defense this season as they move down a classification and into GHSA Region 7-AAAAA. Staff file photo / Dalton senior receiver Luke Blanchard is among the key players for the Catamounts, who return five starters on offense and as many on defense this season as they move down a classification and into GHSA Region 7-AAAAA.

By Lindsey Young 4 min read

Two of the most successful programs in the history of northwest Georgia high school football are about to share a region for the first time – and neither is the favorite to take home the league championship this season.

GHSA reclassification moved Dalton down a class to AAAAA, where the Catamounts will join a top-heavy Region 7 that includes holdovers Calhoun and preseason favorite Cartersville, teams that have combined to win five state championships with 13 finals appearances and 30 region titles since 2000.

The region did lose heavyweight Blessed Trinity, but with the emergence of Cass as a contender, 7-AAAAA is still among the state’s toughest.

“Cartersville is going to be Cartersville again,” Calhoun coach Clay Stephenson said. “They’ve been good as long as we have, and they always coach up players.”

The Purple Hurricanes and Stephenson’s Yellow Jackets both must replace most of their offensive production from last season, with Cartersville losing its quarterback, top running back and receiver. What the Canes have plenty of is size, with six interior linemen at least 6-foot-3 and 275 pounds, and a powerful back in Malachi Jeffries, who had 607 yards and 12 touchdowns in a backup role last year.