Southwest DeKalb and Chamblee are two of the nine teams playing softball in DeKalb this fall. The season gets underway on Monday. (Photo by Mark Brock)
Nine DeKalb County girls’ softball teams set to get 2020 fastpitch softball season underway on Monday (Sept. 28) and Tuesday (Sept. 29) after season start delay due to COVID-19.
The Railroad Rivalry between the Dunwoody Wildcats and Chamblee Bulldogs kicks off the shortened season as Chamblee host its rival on Monday, September 28 at 4:30 pm. Both teams reached the state playoffs but lost tough first round decisions a year ago.
Chamblee hopes to extend its playoff streak to 11 seasons in 2020 while Dunwoody under first-year Head Coach George Hill has a three-year streak on the line. Chamblee last missed the state playoffs in 2008 and sixth-year Head Coach Alan Loper led the Bulldogs to the Sweet 16 in 2017 and 2018.
Dunwoody, which moved from Class 6A to Class 7A this year, had made 10 of the 11 state playoffs only missing out in the 2016 season. The Wildcats last reached the Sweet 16 in 2017 with a 2-0 series sweep of Apalachee.
A pair of teams with six-year playoff streaks meet up on Tuesday at 5:00 pm as Arabia Mountain hosts Cedar Grove in the pair’s season opener as part of three games on the day involving DeKalb teams.
Eric Hoxie’s Arabia Mountain squad reached the second round of the state playoffs in 2016 and 2017 Class 5A state playoffs with wins over Kell and Riverwood, respectively. Arabia Mountain plays in Class 4A this season. Cedar Grove is still looking for its first playoff victory under the guidance of LaRita Hayes.
Lakeside plays host to Druid Hills on Tuesday at 5:00 pm to open the 2020 season for both teams as both missed the 2019 state playoffs.
Brian Granger’s Lakeside team last appeared in the state playoffs in 2018 but has reached postseason four of the last six season. Druid Hills last made the state playoffs in 2017 and is guided by Makeba Reid. Lakeside dropped from Class 7A to Class 6A this fall.
The final season opener on Tuesday has the Lithonia Bulldogs hosting the Tucker Tigers at 5:15 pm. Coach David Hill’s Lithonia team is still searching for the program’s first-ever state playoff appearance. Coach Jonathan Farley’s Tucker squad is looking for its first state playoff appearance since 2001.
Southwest DeKalb opens its season by hosting Lithonia on Thursday, October 1 at 4:30. Southwest skipper Bernice Foreman is 10 wins away from 250 for her career.
See link below for 2020 DCSD revised softball schedule: