Tucker’s Emory Willis pitched the first Region 4-6A win over Stephenson. (Photo by Mark Brock)
Tucker closed out a memorable regular season with two more impressive triumphs over Stephenson (14-0) April 17 and Newton County (5-1) April 21.
Coach Vince Byams and the Region 4-AAAAAA champion Tigers enter the state playoffs this week on a 20-game winning streak and are 24-6 overall.
Five other DeKalb County squads registered perfect records last week. Coach Brian Ely and the Chamblee Bulldogs established a new school record for most regular season triumphs, rolling past Lithonia (11-0) April 17, Miller Grove (8-5) April 19 and Miller Grove again (9-2) April 20 to improve to 22-8 overall.
Coach Pete Bartlewski’s Druid Hills Red Devils continued their strong close to the regular season, blasting Henry County (15-0) April 17, Henry County again (18-0) April 19 and Henry County a third time (7-0) April 20 to move to 17-10 overall. Druid Hills has won six in a row.
Coach Chan English and the Dunwoody Wildcats may have been the best 13-16 team in the state this year. The Wildcats bested region champion Pope (8-4) April 17 and Centennial (9-4) April 19 to finish in a five-way tied for second in the final 7-AAAAAA standings at 9-7.
Dunwoody, however, fell short of a state playoff berth in the tie-breaker process.
Coach Donnie Bryant’s Lakeside Vikings enter the state Class AAAAAAA playoffs on a six-game winning streak, having defeated Central Gwinnett (6-0) April 17, Berkmar (15-1) April 19 and Berkmar again (12-1) April 21 in a 3-0 week while improving to 18-9 overall.
Coach Tyrus Taylor’s Southwest DeKalb Panthers are also riding a five-game winning streak into the state Class AAAAA playoffs, storming to victories over Clarkston (15-0) April 17, Lithonia (15-0) April 19 and Lithonia again (15-5) April 20 to move to 15-10 overall on the year.
Senior Drashon Walker tossed a no-hitter for Clarkston in a 17-0 triumph over Cross Keys April 20, striking out five. Walker also went 2-3 with two runs scored and one RBI to lead the offensive charge.