DALTON -- Controversy over a player's eligibility threatens to jeopardize the historic streak of winning seasons built in the last half-century by a northwest Georgia high school football team.
Dalton High School has posted a winning record for the past 51 consecutive seasons, a streak the school claims is the longest in Georgia and one of the longest in the nation.
The Catamounts must forfeit four of its victories this season after the Georgia High School Association ruled one its players ineligible, The Daily Citizen reported. The school is appealing.
If the ruling stands, Dalton's 6-2 record would become 2-6.
At a news conference at Harmon Field Wednesday, Dalton High Principal Debbie Freeman lashed out at administrators of rival Southeast Whitfield High, which filed the complaint.
Freeman said they should have alerted Dalton to the controversy sooner, which could have resulted in fewer forfeits. Instead, the principal said that Southeast Whitfield began collecting information and waited to report it later in the season to inflict maximum damage to Dalton's season, the Chattanooga Times Free Press reported.
"At this point I really don't have any comments because it's still an issue between Dalton and the GHSA and it's under appeal," Southeast High Principal Brian Satterfield told The Associated Press. "Once it's settled, I'd be happy to give you a statement."
The player had been at Southeast Whitfield his first three years, and the association found that he had not properly changed addresses into the Dalton City Schools system, said GHSA executive secretary Ralph Swearngin.
Saturday
August 2nd, 2025
8:40AM
