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Dalton: Crutchfield typifies Catamounts tradition

By: Lindsey Young
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DALTON, Ga. — In a way, the Carter Crutchfield story is the story of Dalton High School football.

The senior free safety and receiver grew up in this football-crazy city, where little boys wear over-sized red-and-white jerseys and dream of the day they get to play on Harmon Field in Bill Chappell Stadium. It’s a dream built on tradition, where 48 consecutive seasons of winning football make it more than just a prep sport.

Carter Crutchfield, the son and grandson of former Catamounts, puts on his uniform each week and feels a sense of duty, a certain responsibility to those who played before him to maintain that tradition. But it’s not pressure the two-way star and former team water boy feels when he leads the Cats through the gates and onto the hallowed playing field.

“I’m proud to play for Dalton. It’s something I always dreamed about,” said the team’s leading receiver and one of its defensive captains. “I really learned early the tradition and the importance of football around here. When we take the field, we feel we’re playing for more than just this season. We’ve got a tradition to uphold.”

At 3-0 heading into tonight’s Region 7-AAAA opener against rival Murray County, the Catamounts appear well on their way to making it 49 consecutive winning seasons. Crutchfield, however, wants more than a plus-.500 year. He’s well aware that Dalton has won just one playoff game since reaching the state championship game in 2001.

“We haven’t done anything yet, but if we stick together and play together in all areas of the game, we can have a great season,” said Crutchfield, who is averaging nearly 24 yards per catch. “We have one of the best coaching staffs in the state, so everything is in place to do what we want to do. But we have to stick together.”

It’s that last part where Crutchfield, according to coach Adam Winegarden, may be as important as any player on any team.

“Carter is so valuable for us because he’s a great leader,” the first-year head coach said. “He’s a hard worker, an excellent student and a great young man. The guys listen to him because they know he cares about them. He also works his tail off, which sets a good example. To be honest, he does so many things for us that it’s hard to mention them all.”

The 6-foot-2, 175-pounder is a three-year starter who seems to be always in the middle of the biggest plays of any game. He will play somewhere on Saturdays next fall and is being recruited by several Southern Conference schools.

“He’s got the best ball skills of anyone on the team,” Winegarden said. “He can do so many good things. He plays every defensive snap and has played as many offensive snaps as any of our receivers. He also returns punts and is our backup quarterback. That’s a lot of responsibility for one person, but he can handle it. He does a lot of film study, but a lot of what he does is from pure natural ability.”

Wherever he ends up next year, Crutchfield knows he can leave with the knowledge that Dalton football will continue to thrive until another Crutchfield comes along.

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