VARSITY FOOTBALL: Dawgs rock – Dalton rolls over Plymouth in Round 1
PHOTOS BY LISA McGINTY | LMc Photography
Tate Geiser was responsible for all three Dalton scores Friday.
Dalton’s Adam Jarrett breaks free for a touchdown run against Plymouth. The touchdown was called back for a penalty.
Dalton’s Lucas Oswald with the tackle assisted by Max Zoldak.
By ZACH McFARREN
DGKN sports writer
DALTON For a Dalton football team looking to make a deep postseason run, the mantra is simple: Win and Advance. It makes no difference if it is ugly or pretty, by 20 points or by three. Just win and get to the next opponent.
Dalton did enough Friday night at McFarren Field to play another week, defeating Plymouth 21-0.
Ground and pound was the theme on both sides of the ball for Dalton, as a stifling defense limited the Big Red to just 150 yards of total offense.
Meanwhile, the Dawgs racked up 279 yards on the ground, led by Tate Geiser’s 132 yards on 26 carries. Geiser was also responsible for all three Dalton scores, with TD runs of 2, 3, and 7 yards. In all, the Dalton defense forced Plymouth to punt the ball seven times. The only real threat the Big Red could muster came in the third quarter when they drove the ball to the Dalton 10 yard line. Down 14-nothing, a score would have given Plymouth life with more than a quarter still to play. However, as they have done all year, the Dalton defense stiffened and handed the ball back to the offense with a chance to put the game away.
“Our young men are reading keys and pursuing the ball,” coach Broc Dial said of his defense. “They have bought into team defense. Coach Triv and the coaching staff have done a great job with teaching fundamentals and creating defensive game plans.”
With the defense holding the line, the offense strung together several sustained drives leading to touchdowns. The first scoring drive spanned the first and second quarters, as the Dawgs went 91 yards in four and a half minutes to take the lead. During the drive, Geiser and Jaden Schlabach punished Plymouth defenders to the tune of 20 yard runs.
Dalton extended the lead to 14-0 on their initial drive of the second half. Geiser capped off a 60 yard drive with his second score of the evening, and with the Dalton defense pinning its ears back, Ply-mouth was in a world of hurt.
After the Big Red turned the ball over on downs deep inside Dalton territory, the Bulldogs slammed the door shut with a 90 yard scoring drive. A Jaiden Malone to Owen Beatty completion on a crucial 4th and 7 led to Geiser’s final score of the night, as the Dawgs walked away with the victory and the chance to host Malvern next week at home.
Win and Advance. At this time of year in high school football, that is all that matters.
