Southwest DeKalb scored 21 unanswered points to pull away from Banneker for a 35-10 Class 5A playoff victory at Godfrey Stadium on Saturday night.

The Panthers last playoff victory came in the 2009 season 40-3 over Northwest Whitfield in a Class 4A playoff game. This year’s victory came in the stadium named for Southwest DeKalb’s legendary coach Buck Godfrey.

Senior Preseason All-State quarterback Justin Tomlin returned from a shoulder injury that kept him out of two-plus games showed no ill effects as he threw for three touchdowns and ran for another to lead the Panthers in the win.

Banneker had trimmed the Panthers’ lead to 14-10 with a field goal with 6:44 to play in the first half after a big defensive stand by Southwest DeKalb at its own seven.

The Panthers answered by marching down the field with Tomlin hitting his second touchdown pass of the game on a 20-yard toss to Myles Litt to start the 21-point run. The Panthers took the 21-10 lead into the half.

Banneker drove down for another field goal attempt but missed with six minutes left in the third quarter. Tomlin struck quickly hitting D’won Mason for a 60-yard touchdown pass play with 4:00 left in the third to push the Panthers’ lead out to 28-10.

Starks made his presence known on offense with a seven-yard touchdown run with 8:08 left in the game for the final margin of 35-10.

The Panthers’ defense made another big stand at its own five as Eris Walker recovered a fumble and returned it 48 yards to end Banneker’s last real threat of the game.

The game was a scoreless tie with 5:26 to play in the first quarter when Tomlin dropped back and connected with receiver Michael Pace for 11 yards for the go-ahead touchdown and a 7-0 lead.

Banneker answered running back the kickoff to knot the game at 7-7.

The game was still tied at 7-7 when Jamel Starks intercepted a Banneker pass and returned it to the Banneker one. Tomlin did the rest going in from a yard out to make it 14-7 with 9:09 left in the first half.

The Panthers (8-3) advance to go on the road at defending Class 5A state champion and No. 1 ranked Rome (11-0) on Friday at 7:30 pm. Rome defeated Cedar Shoals 63-13 to advance to the second round.

In other Class 5A playoff action, the Arabia Mountain Rams advanced to the Sweet 16 for the second consecutive year with a 35-21 victory over North Springs at Hallford Stadium on Friday night.

A 41-yards touchdown pass from Bryson Williams to Silas Butler got the Rams (9-2) rolling to a 35-0 lead in the game. Williams finished 21 of 25 passing for 198 yards and three touchdowns in the game.

Joshua Campbell carried the football 11 times for 107 yards and touchdown including a 28-yard run for the score. Linebacker Chandler Martin had 5 solo tackles, 5 assists and 2 tackles for a loss to lead the defense.

Arabia Mountain hosts Carrollton (9-2) on Friday at 7:30 pm at Hallford Stadium. Carrollton defeated Clark Central 35-16 to advance to the Class 5A Sweet 16.

Columbia and Miller Grove did not fare as well in Class 5A first round action. Columbia (5-6) fell 36-0 to Carver of Atlanta (10-1) to wind up the Eagles’ season. Miller Grove trying to win the program’s first playoff game came up short in a tough 14-0 to Jackson of Atlanta (9-2) on Saturday night to finish the Wolverine’s season at 5-6.

Tucker 55, Lakeside-Evans 7
Taurean Taylor rushed for 112 yards and three touchdowns on 10 carries as the Class 6A No. 1 ranked Tucker Tigers rolled out to a 55-7 victory over Lakeside-Evans on Friday night at Adams Stadium.

Gerry Vaughn got the Tigers rolling to what would be a 55-0 lead with a pair of first quarter touchdowns, the first with just 1:07 gone in the game, as Tucker dominated from the beginning.

Taylor got into the act with just 46 seconds left in the first quarter with his first touchdown to make it 21-0 heading into the second quarter.

Malik Ransom’s fumble recovery for a touchdown with 10:15 left in the half made it 28-0. Tyler Hughley who ran for 124 yards in the game scored with 6:02 left in the half to push the lead to 35-0.

Taylor sent the Tigers into the half up 42-0 with his second touchdown of the game. Tayler added a touchdown early in the third and Christopher Whitaker added another as the Tigers (10-1) made it 55-0 heading into the fourth quarter.

Tucker moves on to host Northside (8-3) of Warner Robins, on Friday in a 7:30 pm contest at Adams Stadium. Northside defeated Brunswick in a 24-21 thriller to advance to the second round of the Class 6A playoffs.

In other Class 6A action, the Stephenson Jaguars (7-4) dropped a tough 20-7 decision to Heritage of Conyers (8-3) at Avondale Stadium. The Jaguars fell behind 10-0 at the half and could never get going on offense despite limiting the high-powered Heritage offense.

Cedar Grove 48, Adairsville 13
Quarterback Xavier Dennis threw three touchdowns and ran for another to lead the Class 3A defending state champions and No. 1 ranked Cedar Grove Saints to a 48-13 Class 3A first round victory at Godfrey Stadium on Friday night.

Dennis got the Saints out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter connecting with receiver Jadon Haselwood for a 34-yard scoring play and getting loose for a 61-yard touchdown run.

Haselwood added a 48-yard punt return early in the second quarter for a 21-0 lead before Adairsville got on the board with a 30-yard field goal.

Dennis and Haselwood hooked up for a second time with the play going 24 yards for the score and a 28-3 lead early in the third quarter. Chevon Wright added a three-yard touchdown run and Dennis connected for 16 yards to Israel Spivey to make it 41-10 early the fourth following an Adairsville touchdown pass that had cut the lead to 28-10.

Quindarius Sterling’s touchdown pass to Mekhi Gilstrap rounded out the Saints scoring.

Cedar Grove (11-0) plays host to Dawson County (8-3) on Friday night at 7:30 pm at Godfrey Stadium in the second round of the Class 3A playoffs. Dawson County advanced to the second round via a 49-14 victory over Hart County.

2017 DCSD FOOTBALL STATE PLAYOFFS
Friday, Nov. 1
Class 6A
Tucker (10-1) 55, Lakeside-Evans (2-9) 7
Heritage-Conyers (8-3) 20, Stephenson (7-4) 7

Class 5A
Arabia Mountain (9-2) 35, North Springs (6-5) 21
Carver-Atl (10-1) 36, Columbia (5-6) 0

Class 3A
Cedar Grove (11-0) 48, Adairsville (6-5) 13

Saturday, Nov. 11
Class 5A
Jackson-Atl (9-2) 14, Miller Grove (5-6) 0
SW DeKalb (8-3) 35, Banneker (8-2) 10