The Dunwoody Wildcats get the honor of being the first of 18 DeKalb teams to take the field as they open play on Thursday (August 15) against South Paulding at West Forsyth as part of the second day of the Corky Kell Classic.

Dunwoody is coming off its best season since 2008 and first playoff appearance since 2009 after Coach Mike Nash’s club went 8-3 a year ago. Senior quarterback Matt Pearch (130-210 passing, 1,481 yards, 15 TDs) along with returning senior wide receivers Danny Boden (58 receptions, 577 yards, 4 TDs) and Porter Allison (33 receptions, 453 yards, 8 TDs) along with senior running back Malachi Cranshaw (119 carries, 796 yards, 7 TDs) fuel the offense. Senior defensive lineman Noble Butler (34 tackles, 12 TFL, 5 sacks) returns to anchor the defense.

Kickoff against South Paulding is set for 4:30 pm.

Arabia Mountain (7:00 pm) and Columbia (7:30 pm) both play on Thursday night as they get on the buses for tough road matchups against Alcovy and Cartersville, respectively. Coach Kenneth Miller makes is DeKalb debut for Arabia Mountain.

There are only three home games this week in DeKalb stadiums with two of the games featuring all-DeKalb matchups.

One of the two all-DeKalb matchups has Druid Hills Red Devils hosting the Miller Grove Wolverines in a 7:30 pm meeting at Adams Stadium. Coach Frederick Greene’s Red Devils are coming off an 8-1-1 season, the program’s best since and 8-2-1 record in 1985. It was the Druid Hills’ first winning season since 1993. Miller Grove is coming off a 5-5 season that came up four-points shy of a state playoff berth for Coach Melvin Brown.

A local rivalry is set for Cobb (Avondale) Stadium as the Redan Raiders and Stone Mountain Pirates meet for the 34th time in a 7:30 pm matchup on Friday. Redan won last year’s meeting 28-21 under then first year head coach Damian Wimes to take a 22-15 lead in the series. Stone Mountain enters the game under first year head coach Marlon Moore.

The final home game of the weekend has McNair entertaining Temple in a 7:30 meeting at Godfrey Stadium on Friday night. The Mustangs are looking to break a three-game skid as they finished 4-6 for a second consecutive season a year ago.

Two other Friday games feature first year coaches in Lithonia’s Kevin Barnes and Clarkston’s Tavis Jackson both going on the road to Lithia Springs and Heard County, respectively.

Defending Class 3A state champion Cedar Grove under the direction of first year head coach Roderick Moore gets the primetime game of the Corky Kell Classic with a 7:00 pm date against highly touted Douglas County in Mercedes Benz Stadium on Saturday.

DCSD FOOTBALL SCHEDULE WEEK 1
Thursday, Aug. 15
Neutral – West Forsyth
Dunwoody vs. South Paulding, 4:30 pm
AWAY GAMES
Arabia Mountain at Alcovy, 7:00 pm
Columbia at Cartersville, 7:30 pm

Friday, Aug. 16
ADAMS STADIUM
Miller Grove vs. Druid Hills, 7:30 pm
GODFREY STADIUM
Temple vs. McNair, 7:30 pm
COBB (AVONDALE) STADIUM
Stone Mountain vs. Redan, 7:30 pm
AWAY GAMES
Clarkston at Heard Co., 7:30 pm
Lakeside vs. Berkmar, 7:30 pm
Lithonia at Lithia Springs, 7:30 pm
M.L. King at Heritage (Conyers), 7:30 pm
Towers at Heritage (Newnan), 7:30 pm
Tucker at Valdosta, 8:00 pm
LAKEWOOD STADIUM – ATL
Southwest DeKalb vs. Carver, 7:30 pm
RIVERVIEW SPORTSPLEX
Chamblee vs. Pace Academy, 7:30 pm

Saturday, Aug. 17
MERCEDES BENZ STADIUM
Cedar Grove vs. Douglas Co., 7:00 pm
MORROW HIGH SCHOOL
Stephenson vs. Mays, 6:00 pm