Arabia Mountain quarterback Bryson Williams (with ball) leads the Rams into a Region 5-5A tussle with Columbia after his four touchdown passing and one rushing performance against Miller Grove. (Photo by Mark Brock)
DeKalb County sends 18 of its 19 football programs into action in Week 9 with big Regions 5-5A and 4-6A games to watch on Friday and Saturday.
The Columbia Eagles (4-2, 1-0) are tied atop the Region 5-5A standings with Arabia Mountain (4-2, 1-0) and Southwest DeKalb (4-2, 1-0).
Arabia Mountain and Columbia lineup for a spot at the head of 5-5A with a 7:30 pm contest at Avondale Stadium on Friday.
Columbia is coming off a 26-7 victory over Lithonia (1-5, 0-1) in which quarterback Tremaine Calloway threw three touchdown passes as the Eagles scored 20 unanswered points on the way to the win.
Arabia Mountain got a big performance from quarterback Bryson Williams as he threw for four touchdowns and ran for another in a big fourth quarter comeback against the Miller Grove Wolverines (3-3, 0-1) to win 36-28.
Southwest DeKalb will be trying to keep pace with the Arabia Mountain/Columbia winner at the top of the 5-5A standings as they take on Miller Grove at Godfrey Stadium on Friday at 8:00 pm. The Panthers are coming off a 55-8 road win over the Chamblee Bulldogs at North DeKalb Stadium last weekend.
Miller Grove looks to rebound from a tough 36-28 loss to Arabia Mountain last weekend.
Region 4-6A
The No. 1 ranked Tucker Tigers (5-1, 3-0) travel to Twelve Oaks Stadium in Hampton to take on Lovejoy (4-3, 2-1) in an effort to remain in first place following a bye-week.
Tucker defeated Lovejoy at home in Adams Stadium last year to take the region crown. Tucker is led by All-State receiver Joshua Vann and running back Taurean Taylor.
Stephenson (4-2, 3-0) has a four-game win streak on the line as the Jaguars host Charles Drew (2-4, 1-2) in the second game of a doubleheader at Hallford Stadium on Friday. Deondre Jackson had over 100 yards rushing in the Jaguars victory over Mundy’s Mill before the bye week.
Martin Luther King Jr. Lions (2-4, 1-2) come off the bye week with a chance to move back into the playoff hunt as they host Jonesboro (2-4, 1-2) on Saturday in a 7:30 pm game at Godfrey Stadium. A win evens the Lions’ region mark at 2-2 and puts them back into playoff contention.
Region 5-3A
The No. 1 ranked Cedar Grove Saints (6-0, 3-0) head to Pace Academy on Friday at 7:30 pm looking to extend their consecutive wins streak to 16.
Cedar Grove is coming off a 34-0 shutout of DeKalb rival Towers. The Saints are led by All-State receiver/defensive back Jadon Haselwood, quarterback Xavier Dennis and defensive end Roderic Forts.
DCSD FOOTBALL WEEK 9 SCHEDULE
Friday, Oct. 13
Clarkston (0-7) vs. Cross Keys (0-3), Adams, 5:15 pm
Lovett (3-3) vs. Redan (2-4), Godfrey, 5:15 pm
Towers (2-4) vs. Stone Mountain* (1-5), Hallford, 5:15 pm
Arabia Mountain (4-2) vs. Columbia (4-2), Avondale, 7:30 pm
Cedar Grove (6-0) at Pace Academy (2-3), 7:30 pm
Pope (2-4) at Dunwoody (2-4), North DeKalb, 7:30 pm
McNair (2-4) at Westminster (2-4), 7:30 pm
Tucker (5-1) vs. Lovejoy (4-3), Twelve Oaks, 7:30 pm
Miller Grove (3-3) vs. SW DeKalb (4-2), Godfrey, 8:00 pm
Norcross (2-4) vs. Lakeside (1-5), Adams, 8:00 pm
Charles Drew (2-4) vs. Stephenson (4-2), Hallford, 8:00 pm
Saturday, Oct. 14
Lithonia (1-5) vs. Chamblee (1-5), North DeKalb, 7:30 pm
Jonesboro (2-4) vs. M.L. King (2-4), Godfrey, 7:30 pm
Open: Druid Hills (1-6)
*-Homecoming