Chamblee quarterback Ashton Bolston (with ball) scrambles away against Dunwoody. Bolston and his Bulldog teammates look to get back on the winning track this week as they travel to Godfrey Stadium to take on M.L. King on Thursday at 7:00 pm. (Photo by Ken Langley)
The DeKalb County high school football schedule features six region games as teams work towards earning state playoff berths in their respective classifications.
Four of the games have DeKalb County rivals meeting head-to-head as the games count for more than just a win the rest of the way.
The first all-DeKalb matchup of the week is under the lights on Thursday night (7:00) as the Martin Luther Jr. Lions (1-4) host homecoming and take on the Chamblee Bulldogs (2-3) in the two teams’ Region 4-5A opener.
Chamblee football dates to 1950 and the Lions opened play in 2002 but the two DeKalb programs are meeting for just the second time over the past 22 seasons. Chamblee won the first and only meeting 45-7 last season.
The Bulldogs lost some top players from last year’s team that reached the Class 5A second round and are trying to put together a run to the playoffs. Chamblee has seven state playoff appearances including two semifinal runs. The Bulldogs have two region titles with the last coming in 1982.
The Lions are under new leadership in alum Joel Kight as he is trying to rebuild a team that has only one winning season (2019) in the past nine years on the gridiron. King has 13 playoff appearances and four region titles in its relatively short history, the last coming in 2012.
In other Thursday night action, the Stephenson Jaguars (4-1) play Hapeville Charter (2-3) at Banneker High School at 7:30. Stephenson (224-87 all-time) is going for its 225th win as a football program and leads the series with Hapeville 3-1 and the Hornets having won last year’s meeting 13-12.
Towers’ Jaylen Robinson (4) eyes an opening near the goal line in scrimmage action against Dunwoody. (Photo by Mark Brock)
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
Three of the all-DeKalb meetings are set for Friday night in DeKalb including the 10th meeting between the Redan Raiders (1-4, 0-1) and the Towers Titans (0-4, 0-0) in a Region 5-3A matchup.
Redan lost its region opener last week and is looking to get back on track as they travel to Avondale Stadium for the Titans’ homecoming game at 7:30 pm. The Raiders own a 6-3 mark against the Titans and have won the last three including last season’s 25-14 victory. Both programs are under new leadership this season as Damien Wimes leads the Raiders and Henry Garrett is at the held of the Titans’ program.
Neighborhood rivals Arabia Mountain Rams (4-1) and the Lithonia Bulldogs (1-4) open Region 4-5A action with a 7:30 pm kickoff at Godfrey Stadium in a series that is tied 4-4. The Rams are looking to go 5-1 for the first time since 2016’s region title winning squad while extending a four-game win streak this season. Arabia won last year’s meeting 42-16 to tie the series.
Lithonia is vying for its first region win since 2021 in the Bulldogs’ sight as they work towards getting a playoff berth for the first time since that 2021 season.
Hallford Stadium plays host to Miller Grove’s homecoming as the Wolverines (4-1) host the Southwest DeKalb Panthers (2-3) in the Region 6-4A opener for both teams with kickoff set for 7:30 pm.
The two programs are meeting for the 16th time in the 19 seasons Miller Grove has fielded a team with the Panthers holding a 12-3 advantage in the series. Miller Grove won last year’s meeting 26-21 to break a four-game losing streak to the Panthers.
Adams Stadium is hosting another homecoming game as the Tucker Tigers (2-3) entertain the Decatur Bulldogs (2-3) in a Region 4-5A meeting. Tucker owns a 2-1 mark against the Bulldogs. Decatur won last year’s game 53-28 at Decatur in the two longtime programs’ first meeting since 1969.
Rounding out the home schedule this week is a Region 4-6A meeting at North DeKalb Stadium as the Dunwoody Wildcats (5-0), Fox 5’s Team of the Week, hosts No. 7 ranked Marist (4-1) in a region opener for both teams.
Marist holds a 7-2 lead in the series with Dunwoody last winning in in 2010 (20-0). Marist won 42-3 a year ago.
AWAY GAMES
Three teams go on the road including two playing in Region 5-3A action.
Columbia (3-2) heads to Callaway (2-2) in a meeting of teams that won region openers a week ago. McNair (2-3) goes on the road to Landmark Christian (0-5) with both teams looking for their first region victory of the season.
Lakeside (3-2) heads to Gainesville to take on Johnson (1-4) in non-region play.
All the road games are set for 7:30 pm kickoffs.
DCSD FOOTBALL SCHEDULE – WEEK 7
Thursday, Sept. 28
GODFREY STADIUM
Chamblee (2-3) vs. M.L. King (1-4)*(HC), 7:00 pm
AWAY
BANNEKER HIGH SCHOOL
Stephenson (4-1) vs. Hapeville Charter (2-3)*, 7:30 pm
Friday, Sept. 29
ADAMS STADIUM
Decatur (2-3) vs. Tucker (2-3) *(HC), 7:30 pm
AVONDALE STADIUM
Redan (1-4) vs. Towers (0-4)* (HC), 7:30 pm
GODFREY STADIUM
Lithonia (1-4) vs. Arabia Mountain (4-1)*, 7:30 pm
HALLFORD STADIUM
SW DeKalb (2-3) vs. Miller Grove (4-1)* (HC), 7:30 pm
NORTH DEKALB STADIUM
Marist (4-1) vs. Dunwoody (5-0)*, 7:30 pm
AWAY
Columbia (3-2) at Callaway (2-2)*, 7:30 pm
Lakeside (3-2) at Johnson-Gainesville (1-4), 7:30 pm
McNair (2-3) at Landmark Christian (0-5)*, 7:30 pm
OPEN: Cedar Grove (2-4), Clarkston (0-5), Cross Keys (0-6), Druid Hills (3-1-1), Stone Mountain (0-5)