Southwest DeKalb receiver Aquil Muhammad (left) and Stephenson running back Deondre Jackson (5, right) hope to repeat Week 1 big performances as their teams square off. (Photos by Greg White and Mark Brock)
The Battle of the Big Cats featuring the Southwest DeKalb Panthers and Stephenson Jaguars renews the rivalry for the 16th time tonight (Friday) at 8:00 pm at Hallford Stadium as part of a DeKalb County seven home games schedule.
Eighteen teams are playing this week with only McNair (0-1) taking a break. Druid Hills (1-1) dropped a 54-0 decision to South Atlanta (2-0) last night at Lakewood Stadium.
The Panthers (1-0) and Jaguars (1-0) hook up in the second game of a doubleheader at Hallford as they follow the neighborhood rivalry of Lithonia (1-0) and Redan (1-0) with all four teams being victorious in their season openers a week ago.
Southwest DeKalb trails in the series 6-9, but won last year’s matchup 21-14 on the way to an undefeated regular season and Region 5-5A title. Stephenson had won the previous seven matchups.
Stephenson rebounded from the loss to win eight consecutive games to finish 9-1 and as the Region 4-6A champion.
The Panthers are coming off a convincing 39-7 victory over Woodland-Stockbridge in their season opener. Quarterback Rion White threw for five touchdowns and 226 yards in the win. Aquil Muhammad was the beneficiary of five those passes for 148 yards and two touchdowns while Tommy Wright added three receptions for 48 yards and two touchdowns.
Stephenson was powered by the legs of running back Deondre Jackson as he ran for 150 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries in a 27-14 win over county rival Columbia. Quarterback Joseph Jackson threw for 123 yards and a touchdown to add to the offense.
The halftime show will have plenty of fireworks as well as the Marching Panther Band of Southwest DeKalb and the Sonic Sound of Stephenson battle for best of show in DeKalb County.
The opening game of the doubleheader pits the Lithonia Bulldogs against the Redan Raiders as both try to improve to 2-0 on the season in their neighborhood rivalry that Redan leads 18-9 overall despite a 24-8 loss in 2018. The series dates back to 1978 with Redan winning the first eight in the rivalry.
Lithonia and Redan lock horns to see who can improve to 2-0.
Lithonia is coming off a 51-0 road win over Forest Park a week ago led by running back D’Vonte Slaton who rushed for 182 yards and three touchdowns on just six carries. Quarterback Savion Lawson threw for 102 yards and two touchdowns hitting on six of seven passes in the game. The Bulldogs also feature AJC Super 11 pick and Georgia’s top rated offensive lineman Broderick Jones.
Redan and new coach Rahman Sparks got the season off to a good start with a nice 26-19 win over Miller Grove last week. The Raiders are trying to rebound from a 1-9 season a year ago. Running back Jacquez Williams had 14 carries for 130 yards and two touchdowns in the win.
Dunwoody opens its 2019 season against the St. Pius X Golden Lions.
The Dunwoody Wildcats and Martin Luther King Jr. Lions open their 2019 seasons tonight.
Dunwoody hosts St. Pius X Golden Lions (0-1) at North DeKalb Stadium with kickoff set for 7:30 pm. Coach Michael Nash and the Wildcats are looking to rebound from a 2-8 season last year which started with a 45-21 loss to Paul Standard’s Lions. St. Pius is coming off a 28-10 loss to No. 1 ranked Blessed Trinity in their season opener.
Lions open season at Villa Rica.
King travels to Villa Rica for a 7:30 pm kickoff as Coach Deante Lamar’s squad looks to reverse last year’s fortunes in which they lost six games by 10 points or less (4 by 6 or less). One of those losses was a 28-19 decision to Villa Rica. Villa Rica is coming off a season opening 44-7 victory over Campbell.
It’s Georgia vs. Alabama at Lakewood on Saturday!
A big interstate battle takes place at Lakewood Stadium on Saturday as the No. 1 ranked Cedar Grove Saints (1-0) take on Central (0-1) of Phenix City, AL at 8:00 pm.
Central is coming off a tough 17-14 loss to Alabama power Hoover last week while the Saints knocked off Hapeville 26-16 at Godfrey Stadium.
Chavon Wright ran for 135 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries to lead the Saints to the win. Quarterback Austin Smith threw for 175 yards and one touchdown. Janiran Bonner had four receptions for 110 yards and a touchdown.
DCSD FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Week 2
Thursday, 8/29
South Atlanta 54, Druid Hills 0
Friday, 8/30
Adams Stadium
Berkmar (0-0) vs. Cross Keys (0-1), 5:15 pm
Northview (0-0) vs. Lakeside (0-1), 8:00 pm
Avondale Stadium
Columbia (0-1) vs. Towers (1-0), 7:30 pm
Godfrey Stadium
Stockbridge (0-0) vs. Arabia Mountain (0-1), 7:30 pm
Hallford Stadium
Lithonia (1-0) vs. Redan (1-0), 5:15 pm
SW DeKalb (1-0) vs. Stephenson (1-0), 8:00 pm
North DeKalb Stadium
St. Pius X (0-1) vs. Dunwoody (0-0), 7:30 pm
Away Games
M.L. King (0-0) at Villa Rica (1-0), 7:30 pm
Tucker (0-1) at Grayson (1-0), 7:30 pm
Clarkston (0-1) at North Springs (0-1), 7:30 pm
Miller Grove (0-1) at Decatur (1-0), 7:30 pm
Stone Mountain (0-1) at Social Circle (0-0), 7:30 pm
Saturday, 8/31
Central Phenix-AL (0-1) vs. Cedar Grove (1-0), Lakewood, 8:00 pm
Open: McNair (0-1)