Coach Steve Dennis (far right) got his final season off to a great start behind this group of returnees.

Columbia and Chamblee led the way among four DeKalb County teams that opened the 2016 season in perfect fashion last week. Coach Steve Dennis and the Columbia Eagles romped to a 3-0 start, out-scoring Salem (32-0) Feb. 14, Mays (16-6) Feb. 15 and Martin Luther King Jr. (5-3) Feb. 18 by the combined margin of 53-9.

The first of three no-hitters by a DeKalb County school in the opening week came in Columbia’s 32-0 triumph over Salem. The Eagles erupted for an amazing 31 runs in the top of the second inning in the season-opening 32-0 triumph over Salem.

Junior Kameron Marshall secured that honor, registering six strikeouts in three hitless innings of work in the starter’s role.
The list of offensive standouts against Columbia featured seven players with at least two hits. Junior Elijah Hammonds (4-5; 7 RBI; 4 RS; 1 HR; 1 2B), junior Brandon Williams (3-3; 3 RBI; 2 RS), junior Tramane Calloway (2-3; 2 RS), senior Jamal Huff (2-2; 3 RS; 2 2B), senior Marvin Lloyd (2-3; 3 RS; 3 RBI), junior Derrick Dennis (2-3; 3 RS; 2 RBI) and Marshall (2-2; 5 RS; 3 RBI) served as the Eagle offensive leaders.

Columbia then erupted for 11 hits in a 16-6 decision over Mays. Hammonds (3-5; 3 RS; 2 RBI) and Calloway (2-4; 2 RBI) shined brightest on the offensive end for the Eagles. Hammonds also turned in a stellar outing on the pitching end, striking out three and allowing three hits over four innings to get the mound decision.

The Eagles scored two runs late to out-last Martin Luther King Jr. by a 5-3 margin to complete a perfect 3-0 week. Hammonds wrapped up a huge week with a 3-4 outing, two runs scored and a triple to lead the way offensively. Williams also collected multiple hits at the plate, finishing 2-2 with two doubles and two RBI. Dennis posted a strong effort on the mound, going the full seven innings and allowing only four hits and one earned run to go along with four strikeouts and two walks.

Coach Brian Ely (far right) and his Chamblee Bulldogs are out to a quick start in 2017.

Coach Brian Ely’s Chamblee Bulldogs proved to be just as imposing while registering road victories over Shiloh (15-3) Feb. 15 and Decatur (7-2) Feb. 17 in a strong 2-0 opening week performance.

Seniors Van Markiton (4-4; 2 RS; 1 RBI; 1 2B) and Adam Dixon (3-4; 3 RS; 2 SB) combined for seven of Chamblee’s 11 hits to key a 15-3 triumph over Shiloh Feb. 15. Junior David Albuquerque walked away with pitching honors for the Bulldogs, striking out three and allowing one walk over three innings to garner the mound decision.

Senior Evan Fletcher (3 IP; 2 ER; 5 HA; 3 SO; 3 BB) started and senior Jack Bennett (1 IP; 2 SO) as the closer ran the overall pitcher strikeout total to eight.

The Bulldogs then relied on a super mound effort in the 7-2 victory over Decatur Feb. 17. Senior Ben Lang tossed five strong innings in the starting pitcher role, striking out four and walking four while allowing two hits and no earned runs to pick up the victory.

Bennett added two scoreless innings of relief, striking out two and allowing two hits and one walk. Markiton (2-3; 2 RBI; 1 2B) and senior Emari Hill (2-4; 2 2B) shined brightest offensively for the Bulldogs in that contest.

Coach Terrence Canty’s Miller Grove Wolverine’s likewise had little trouble bolting out of the gates to a 3-0 beginning. Miller Grove tallied impressive victories over Maynard Jackson (6-1) Feb. 15, Tri-Cities (15-0) Feb. 18 and Tri-Cities (15-5) Feb. 18 in a twinbill sweep by a cumulative count of 36-6.

Coach Eric Hoxie’s Arabia Mountain Rams laid notice that they will also be a team to watch in 2017 while rolling to dominating decisions over Westlake (15-0) Feb. 16 and Mundy’s Mill (10-5) Feb. 18 in a 2-0 start.

Seniors Channing Walker (2 IP; 5 SO) and Javeon Cody (1 IP; 2 SO) teamed up to strike out seven over three innings while nailing down the first no-hitter of the 2017 season in Southwest DeKalb’s 15-0 blanking of McNair Feb. 13. Junior Justin Josey paced a six-hit offensive effort for the Panthers in the contest, going 2-2 with three RBI, two runs scored and one homer.

Josey (2 1/3 IP; 1 ER; 5 SO; 3 BB; WP) followed that up by teaming with freshman Dante Alexander (1 2/3 IP 2 SO) for a second straight no-hitter as Southwest DeKalb edged South Atlanta by a 5-2 margin Feb. 16.

Junior Richard Nixon went 1-2 with a triple and one RBI to lead the Panther offense. Dixon (3-3; 2 RS), Walker (2-4; 1 RS) and junior Jeremy Hatchett (2-2; 1 2B) also came up big for Southwest DeKalb on the offensive end in a tough 8-6 loss to Newton County Feb. 17.