Published: October 24, 2009 10:15 pm      

A lot of effort behind 50-year streak

Dalton High School may well be the only high school in the country that can claim 50 consecutive years of winning varsity football. With no “official” national prep record book it’s hard to say for sure but at least one team can document the claim.

The 2009 edition of the Catamounts made it official on Thursday night, rolling to a 35-21 win over a solid Rome team. It was the sixth win of the season and it happened before an appreciative home crowd.

More than a few dads and granddads who had worn Catamount red were in the stands, emphasizing the school’s remarkable multi-generational achievement.

Where does the credit go?

Spread it wide.

The level of community support the Catamount program has enjoyed is impressive. From the aged shut-ins who root for the team via radio broadcasts to the most fanatical fan in the stands, the citizens of Dalton long ago embraced this football team as “their team.” And as important as a roaring crowd is on Friday night, the Cats also have benefited from the financial and logistical efforts of a long line of backers.

Success at this level doesn’t just happen. Luck and a good run of talent might buy you a a few years’ success, but a half-century of winning football can only be made possible by sustained excellence on and off the field.

Dalton has had its critics over the years. At times the desire to win has surely led to excess, but anyone with an understanding of football knows that what’s happened here last Thursday night and what has happened here on Friday nights for the past 50 years is nothing short of amazing.

It’s been a heck of a streak.

Here’s to 50 more!



The Daily Citizen