Martin Luther King Jr.’s Jamarcus Hunter (21) picks up some yardage on the Lions’ opening scoring drive with the help of lineman Jeremiah Blaylock (58). (Photo by Mark Brock)
The Martin Luther King Lions came up just short of a win for the second week in a row dropping a heartbreaking 21-19 decision to the Tri-Cities Bulldogs at Godfrey Stadium on Thursday night.
King (0-2) had taken a 19-14 lead with 11:10 to play on a 26-yard touchdown pass by Mitchell Washington to Zion McDay. The two-point try was stopped on a sack by the Bulldogs’ defense.
Tri-Cities (1-0) was pushed back to its own 15-yards after a personal foul on the kickoff and were facing a third down and four at their own 32 when Nikia Roberts dropped back and hit a wide-open Lonnie Brown down the seam. Brown went on to break a pair of tackles and get into the end zone to complete the 68-yard touchdown play. Joel Ochoa-Miranda hit the extra point to put the Bulldogs up 21-19 with 8:31 to play.
The Lions got the ball with just under eight and half minutes to play and were forced to go for it on fourth and four at their on 39. Washington hit Tyler Lynch for a nine-yard gain for the big first down.
Tri-Cities defense then came up with a big sack for 10 yards and a fumbled snap led to another loss of five to put the Lions in a third and 25. Washington and Lynch hooked up for a 15-yard gain on the left sideline to make it fourth and 10. A sideline interference penalty was called on the Lions and put them in a fourth and 25 with the clock ticking down under four minutes to play.
Washington was forced to scramble and his pass up the sidelines went incomplete, and the Bulldogs got the ball on downs at the Lions’ 33 with 3:26 to play.
Another penalty on the Lions gave the Bulldogs a first down on the King 20-yard line. A run of five yards and first down on a second and five play moved the game clock to under a minute to play. The Bulldogs ran out the clock with a delay of game penalty and kneel down to preserve the win.
Martin Luther King’s Brandon Sutherland (8) and Shemar Clark (
King, which lost a tough 14-15 decision at Heritage in Conyers last Friday, got the game off to a great start driving 82-yards in 13 plays to take a 6-0 lead on a 15-yard keeper by Washington for the touchdown. The PAT was blocked with 5:21 to play in the first quarter.
Tri-Cities answered right back driving 56 yards for the tying touchdown on the back of Arthur Brown who carried the football six times for 49 yards, including the final three for the touchdown with 1:41 to play in the opening period. The Lions blocked the PAT to keep the game tied at 6-6.
The game swung back in favor of the Lions as Lynch set up another touchdown drive by returning the kickoff 34 yards out to the King 45. Eight plays later Washington found McDay open at the two-yard line. McDay hauled in the pass and bulled his way into the end zone with a defender grabbing his jersey. Donald Whiting hit the PAT to up the lead to 13-6 with 10:26 to play in the first half.
Tri-Cities again answered the bell as Roberts and Brown connected on 23-yard touchdown pass to complete a 61-yard drive. Andrew Jones took the handoff around the right end and just got the ball across the line for the two-point conversion to give the Bulldogs a 14-13 lead at the half.
Mitchell Washington threw for 124 yards as he hit on 9 of 15 passes with two touchdowns and two interceptions to lead the Lions. He also rushed for 46 yards and a touchdown. Zion McDay had two receptions for 58 yards and the two touchdowns while Tyler Lynch caught five passes for 55 yards.
Nikia Robers was a perfect five-for-five passing for 125 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Bulldogs.
DCSD FOOTBALL RESULTS – WEEK 2
Thursday, Aug. 22
GODFREY STADIUM
Tri-Cities (1-0) 21, M.L. King (0-2) 19
Druid Hills (1-0) at Midtown (0-1), 7:30 pm
DCSD FOOTBALL SCHEDULE – WEEK 2
Friday, Aug. 23
ADAMS STADIUM
Landmark Christian (1-0) vs. Cross Keys (0-0), 7:30 pm
COBB (AVONDALE) STADIUM
Redan (1-0) vs. Lithonia (1-0), 7:30 pm
GODFREY STADIUM
Therrell (0-1) vs. Miller Grove (0-1), 7:30 pm
HALLFORD STADIUM
Arabia Mountain (1-0) vs. Stephenson (0-1), 7:30 pm
NORTH DEKALB STADIUM
Tucker (0-1) vs. Chamblee (0-1), 7:30 pm
AWAY GAMES
Clarkston (0-1) at Temple (1-0), 7:30 pm
Columbia (0-1) at Carrollton (1-0), 7:30 pm
Dunwoody (1-0) vs. Pope (0-1), 7:30 pm
Lakeside (0-1) at St. Pius (0-1), 7:30 pm
McNair (0-1) at KIPP (1-0), 7:30 pm
Stone Mountain (0-1) at Central Gwinnett (1-0), 7:30 pm
OPEN: Cedar Grove (0-1), Southwest DeKalb (0-1), Towers (1-0)