The GHSA high school football state playoffs get underway on Friday and Saturday with eight DeKalb teams vying to advance to the Sweet 16.

Five of the DeKalb teams earned first round host roles including Friday night opening round playoff teams Arabia Mountain (9-1), Cedar Grove (5-5) and Tucker (6-4).

The Arabia Mountain Rams won their third-ever region title in the 15-year history of the program with a thrilling 24-23 overtime win against the Tucker Tigers when defenders Seth Keene, Brandon Scott and Malcolm Snipes stopped Tucker’s two-point attempt to end the game.

Arabia earned a host role in the Class 5A state playoffs with the No. 1 seed and plays Jenkins (3-7), the No. 4 seed out of Region 1-5A, at 7:30 pm on Friday at Godfrey Stadium. The Rams are 2-6 in their previous playoff trips.

Coach Julian Washington has turned his team from a 3-7 squad in his first year at the helm in 2021 to 5-6 a year ago and a school best 9-1 record in the regular season this year.

The Rams have done it with a defense led by seniors Daniel Turpin (LB, 73 tackles,15.5 TFL, 1 sack, 2 INT), Malcolm Snipes (LB, 52 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 7 TFL) and Daniel Ndukwe (DL, 41 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 1 sack, 2 INT). The group leads a defensive squad that has allowed just 12.2 points per game and 152.1 yards per game of total offense.

Turpin leads the offense in touchdowns with 12 on the season while Laron Jones (515 yards rushing, 4 TDs, 2 KO return TDs) leads the ground game. Quarterback Julian Shanks (88-127, 1,021 yards passing) has 12 touchdown passes spread out to five different receivers.

In the other Class 5A game at home on Friday, the Tucker Tigers (6-4) are making their 17th consecutive playoff appearance and vying to move on to the second round for the first time since a 12-2 season in 2017 when they reached the semifinals.

Second-year head coach Wayne Jones has flipped a 4-7 mark in 2022 to 6-4 in 2023 for the Tigers’ first winning season since going 6-5 in 2019.

Tucker hosts Statesboro (3-7), the Region 1 No. 3 seed, who broke a three-game losing streak to defeat Jenkins 35-0 to get the No. 3 slot from the Blue Devils’ region.

Averaging 37.8 points per game on the season the Tigers use a potent rushing attack led by senior Jordan McCoy (200 carries, 1,667 yards, 25 TDs) who has 2,817 yards rushing and 39 touchdowns in just 17 games for the Tigers over the past two seasons. Tucker also looks to senior quarterback Jamar Graham (84-169 passing, 1,432 yards, 14 TDs) and receivers Christian Whitmore (26 receptions, 519 yards, 6 TDs) and Reshard Martin (17 receptions, 346 yards, 3 TDs).

Senior linebacker Dallas Kelly (59 tackles, 13 TFL, 2 sacks, 1 INT, 3 FR) and senior defensive lineman Antez Starks (23 tackles, 13 TFL, 3 sacks).

The Chamblee Bulldogs (4-6) clinched a playoff spot on Friday night with a 49-14 win over Lithonia and go on the road to face Region 1 champion Coffee (10-0) in the first round of the Class 5A state playoffs.

Chamblee is led by quarterback Ashton Bolston and receiver Tristian Sizemore who both play both ways. Bolston ran for four touchdowns and threw for another in the win over Lithonia while also collecting six tackles (1 TFL) and blocked punt. Sizemore sat out due to illness but has 49 catches for 641 yards and 7 TDs to go with 36 tackles (1 TFL) and three interceptions on defense.

CLASS 3A
The Cedar Grove Saints (5-5) host the third game on Friday as they take on Hebron Christian (6-4) who just upset second ranked and previously undefeated Stephens Co. to get the playoff berth.

Cedar Grove won 24-14 over Carver-Atlanta on Friday night to complete their Region 5-3A schedule undefeated at 3-0 and earn the No. 1 seed heading into the Class 3A state playoffs.

The Saints are led by the junior offensive duo of quarterback EJ Colson (125-204 passing, 1,764 yards, 23 TDs; 526 yards rushing, 4 TDs) and running back Bo Walker (167 carries, 909 yards, 16 TDs; 32 receptions for 375 yards, 1 TD). Colson is just six yards shy of 5,000 career passing yards and has 60 TD passes. Bolden is 42 yards shy of 2,000 career rushing yards and has 26 touchdowns.

Sophomore receiver Devin Carter has 37 receptions for 668 yards and 10 TDs on the season as a key piece in the offense.

Defensively, the Saints got big games from Javon Beckford (12 tackles, 3 sacks, 3 TFL, 1 FC) and Wesley Brown (13 tackles, 2 sacks, 3 TFL, 1 FR) in the win over Carver.

CLASS 6A
The No. 3 seeded Dunwoody Wildcats (8-2) have enjoyed their best season since 2008 and are making their first appearance in the state playoffs since 2009 (14 seasons) as they go on the road to play Region 1 No. 2 seed Lee County on Friday.

Dunwoody’s dangerous passing attack is led by junior quarterback Matt Pearch (130-210 passing, 1,481 yards, 15 TDs) and the receiving the junior duo of Danny Boden (58 receptions, 577 yards, 4 TDs) and Porter Allison (33 receptions, 453 yards, 8 TDs). Malachi Cranshaw (119 carries, 796 yards, 7 TDs) leads the ground attack.

Senior defensive lineman Luke Cole (88 tackles, 33 TFL, 12 sacks, 6 FC) leads the Dunwoody defense along with junior defensive lineman Noble Butler (34 tackles, 12 TFL, 5 sacks) and senior Jackson Wilcox (64 tackles, 7 TFL, 1 sack)

SATURDAY
CLASS 2A
The Columbia Eagles (7-3) open the first of two Class 2A contests as they host Athens Academy (6-4), the No. 3 seed from Region 8, in a 2:00 pm game at Avondale Stadium.

Columbia, the Region 5-2A runner-up, features a strong running game led by seniors Jadan Baugh (81 carries, 1,024 yards, 15 TDs) and Lamaze Williams (132 carries, 947 yards, 6 TDs) who have combined for 1,971 yards rushing and 21 touchdowns on the season.

The defense is led by sophomore linebacker Charles Harris (85 tackles, 4 TFL), senior defensive lineman Edwin Moore (57 tackles, 22 TFL, 6 sacks) and junior defensive end Cain Jefferson (51 tackles, 20 TFL, 11 sacks) in stats through nine games.

In other Class 2A action the Redan Raiders (4-6) are making their first appearance in the state playoffs in 16 seasons as they travel to Fellowship Christian (8-2) on Saturday at 7:30 pm.

Senior running back Jamir Brown (86 carries, 790 yards, 12 TDs) leads the Raiders offensive attack along with sophomore Tyheim Behling (54 carries, 339 yards, 5 TDs) and senior Jackie Bowdry (36 carries, 307 yards, 4 TDs).

Brown is also a force on defense with 82 tackles (64 solo, 10 TFL, 1 sack, 1 INT) and teams with junior linebacker Jatron Griffin (44 tackles, ( sacks).

CLASS 4A
The Stephenson Jaguars (8-2) defeated the Southwest DeKalb Panthers 41-32 in an offensive display by senior running back Devin Ingram to clinch their first region title since the 2019.

Stephenson plays host to e Northwest Whitfield (6-4), the Region 7 No. 4 seed, in a 7:30 pm contest at Hallford Stadium on Saturday night.

Ingram (177 carries, 1,877 yards rushing, 26 TDs), who went over 3,000 yards rushing (3,162, 44 TDs) for his career, rushed for 264 yards on 23 carries with five touchdowns (broke school season record for rushing touchdowns) and returned a kickoff 80 yards for another score in the region clinching win.

Quarterback Marte Barton has thrown for 913 yards (78-117) and six touchdowns with Trent Fields (20 receptions, 345 yards, 3 TDs) and Tyler Bercy (25 catches, 253 yards, 1 TD) as his primary targets.

The Jaguar defense is led through nine games by senior linebacker Kaleb Bristow (86 tackles, 7 TFL, 6 sacks, 2 INT), junior defensive lineman Romando Craddock (45 tackles, 5 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 2 FR), senior defensive back Andrew Parry (45 tackles, 4 INT) and senior defensive end Kyris Hight (38 tackles, 11 TFL, 5 sacks).

DCSD FOOTBALL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE – 1ST ROUND
Friday, Nov. 10
CLASS 5A
GODFRY STADIUM
Jenkins (3-7) at Arabia Mountain (9-1), 7:30 pm
ADAMS STADIUM
Statesboro (3-7) vs. Tucker (6-4), 7:30 pm
CLASS 3A
HALLFORD STADIUM
Hebron Christian (6-4) vs. Cedar Grove (5-5), 7:30 pm

AWAY
CLASS 6A
Dunwoody (8-2) at Lee Co. (8-2), 7:30 pm
CLASS 5A
Chamblee (4-6) at Coffee (10-0), 7:30 pm

Saturday, Nov. 11
CLASS 4A
HALLFORD STADIUM
Northwest Whitfield (6-4) vs. Stephenson (8-2), 7:30 pm
CLASS 2A
AVONDALE STADIUM
Athens Academy (6-4) at Columbia (7-3), 2:00 pm

AWAY
CLASS 2A
Redan (4-6) at Fellowship Christian (8-2), 7:30 pm