Chatham enters homecoming ready to prove doubters wrong

CHATHAM — Chatham coach Malon Dalton stepped under center, took the snap during practice Wednesday and rolled out to pass the ball. He would later joke that since the players hated him so much, they wouldn’t mind going after him like an opposing quarterback.

The Chatham football players certainly don’t hate their coach. Chatham’s players — despite being winless entering Friday’s homecoming game against Nelson County — are hungry to prove that they are better despite the record.

“We’re sticking together throughout the losses and no one has quit,” senior lineman Dominique Foreman said. “We’re going out there trying to have some fun and pray for the best.”

Chatham (0-7, 0-3 Dogwood) enters Friday’s game much like last season, on a long losing streak and near the bottom of the Dogwood District. And like last season, the Cavaliers hosted Nelson (1-6, 0-3 Dogwood) for homecoming and Chatham squeaked out a 29-28 victory on a touchdown pass from Buzz Keel to Brent Shelton as time expired.

This season has been one of growing pains for a young Chatham squad. The team didn’t really hit it’s stride until the fifth game of the season when the defense allowed its fewest points of the year (17) in a shutout loss to Central Lunenburg.

The Cavaliers arguably played their best game of the season the following week, falling in the final moments at home to William Campbell 34-32. That was the first time during the season that both the offense and defense showed glimpses of what they are capable of.

“Everything’s a whole lot easier when you’re winning,” Dalton said. “It is a testament to their character when they stay with it and you still have the bases of the guys you started with.

“We came out in that game and we played well on defense and we played well on offense,” Dalton said of the game against William Campbell. “We made plays on offense that we hadn’t made all year. … We were pretty balanced and when we had that, they were both able to compliment.”

A season that is similar to what the Cavaliers are going through this year is the 2000 season when Chatham also started off the season 0-7. The Cavaliers won their last three games — all at home. That season, eight teams Chatham played had a record of 5-5 or better.

Chatham’s schedule this season has as daunting as it was in 2000. The seven teams the Cavaliers have played have a combined record of 36-18 and only two teams (Tunstall at 3-6 and William Campbell at 3-4) have losing records.

This season’s final three games are much tougher, as a trip to Gretna and the regular season finale against Dan River loom large.

“We just have to be a lot more mentally tough and physically tough,” Dalton said. “…That’s what we have to work on if we want to be successful against Nelson County. I’ve been proud of the way they’ve hung with it and not quit.”

The Cavaliers are led by junior quarterback Cam McClellan, who is second on the team in rushing and is tops in passing. He rushed for four touchdowns against William Campbell and the coaches feel that when he gets going, the offense will start clicking and be able to put up the points — something that will be needed to duplicate the three season-ending wins of 2000.

“We have confidence because we can feel we can come out here and win this game,” McClellan said. “Coming off a big loss last week against Altavista, some people would back down. We’re growing and we’re hungry for a win. Just going to come out and try to get this win.”