The Southwest DeKalb Panthers kick start the Week 6 schedule for DeKalb County football as they host the St. Pius X Golden Lions in a meeting of Region 5-4A co-leaders in a 7:00 pm kickoff at Godfrey Stadium on Thursday.

Southwest DeKalb (3-1, 2-0) has scored 70 point in each of its first two Region 5-4A games and the Golden Lions (3-1, 2-0) have put up 47 and 55 in its first region matchups as the teams come into the early key region meeting with identical records.

St. Pius holds a 6-0 record against the Panthers in a sparsely played series that began in the 1970 season between two schools located in DeKalb County. The two teams have not played since the 2021 season.

The Panthers are led by the passing of sophomore quarterback Braylon Carter (776 yards, 15 TDs) who is hitting on 70 percent of his passes (40-57) over the first four games of the season. Receivers Samuel Turner (18 rec, 251 yards, 7 TDs), Ramique Thomas (12 rec, 341, 4 TDs), Jordan Christie (9 rec, 185 yards, 4 TDs) and running back Joshua Jones (13 rec, 189 yards, 3 TDs) give Carter options in the passing game.

St. Pius relies heavily on its rushing game (42 rushes, 460 yards against Druid Hills a week ago). Southwest DeKalb’s defense is led by defensive backs Brandon Gunn (18.5 tackles, 1 INT) and Taron Essex (18 tackles, 2 INTs) in run support and defensive lineman Isaiah Oglesby and Earnest Rankins who have combined for four sacks and 10.5 tackles for a loss.

The only other home game on Thursday is at Hallford Stadium as Clarkston (0-4, 0-2) hosts Region 5-4A opponent North Springs (0-4, 0-2) at 7:00 pm. Redan (2-3) coming off a 32-16 win over Riverdale goes on the road to Class 2A ranked Callaway (3-2) for a 7:30 game on Thursday night.

Friday is headlined by five games in DeKalb stadiums including an all-Region 4-5A, all-DeKalb meeting between Dunwoody (1-3, 0-1) and Lakeside (2-2, 1-0) at Adams Stadium and a big Region 5-3A opener as Cedar Grove (0-3, 0-0) takes on Douglass (2-2, 0-0) at Godfrey Stadium.

Lakeside is coming off a thrilling last minute 51-50 Region 4-5A win over Arabia Mountain last week and holds a slight edge in the series at 15-12-1. The Vikings are led by senior quarterback Kyle Davis who had 144 yards rushing and 269 passing against the Rams last week while accounting for seven touchdowns.

Dunwoody’s defense is led by a trio of linebackers in seniors Preston Cooper (50 tackles, 6 for loss) and Harrison Flynt (44, 4 for loss) and junior Trevor Thompson (38 tackles, 2 sacks, 7 for loss). The Wildcats have won the last three meetings between the teams and this is the first region game since the 2013 season.

The Wildcats are coming off a hard luck 20-21 region loss to Tri-Cities last week as a late really came up short. Dunwoody is led by quarterback Matt Pearch (1,082 yards passing, 10 TDs) and a talented group of receivers in Porter Allison (25 rec, 389 yards, 4 TDs), Danny Boden (28 rec, 338 yards, 3 TDS) and Caleb Hamilton (12 rec, 162 yards, 2 TDs).

Lakeside’s defense is led by North Carolina State commit Makhi Williams-Lee (35 tackles, 5 sacks, 9 for loss) and linebacker Grady Ellerman (41 tackles, 1 for loss).

Cedar Grove (0-3, 0-0) has a tough Region 5-3A opener against an improved Douglass Astros (2-2, 0-0) coming off three games against tough competition including a hard-fought 23-18 road loss to Rockwall-Heath (Texas) this past weekend. Coach Roderick Moore’s club is trying to get the offense going as they head into the region part of the schedule.

In other region games in DeKalb on Friday include Martin Luther King Jr. (1-3, 0-1) hosting Pace Academy (1-3, 0-1) at Cobb Stadium, Arabia Mountain (1-3, 0-1) hosting Decatur (4-0, 1-0) at Hallford Stadium and Chamblee (0-4, 0-1) hosting Woodward Academy (1-3, 1-0) at North DeKalb Stadium.

Teams going on the road include Columbia (0-4) at Kell (3-2, Druid Hills (2-2, 0-1) at Marist (3-0, 1-0), Lithonia (2-1, 0-1) at Northview (0-4, 0-2), McNair (2-2, 0-0) at Putnam County (1-3, 0-0), Towers (2-1, 0-0) at Jasper County (3-1, 0-0) and Stone Mountain (0-5) at South Atlanta (1-4).

Cross Keys (0-4), Miller Grove (3-2), Stephenson (2-3) and Tucker (3-1) all have the week off.

DCSD FOOTBALL WEEK 6 SCHEDULE
Thursday, Sept. 19
GODFREY STADIUM
St. Pius (3-1, 2-0) vs. Southwest DeKalb (3-1, 2-0), 7:00 pm
HALLFORD STADIUM
North Springs (0-4, 0-2) vs. Clarkston (0-4, 0-2), 7:00 pm
AWAY GAME
Redan (2-3) at Callaway (3-2), 7:30 pm

Friday, Sept. 20
ADAMS STADIUM
Dunwoody (1-3, 0-1) vs. Lakeside (2-2, 1-0)*, 7:30 pm
COBB STADIUM
Pace Academy (1-3, 0-1) at M.L. King (1-3, 0-1)*, 7:30 pm
GODFREY STADIUM
Douglass (2-2, 0-0) vs. Cedar Grove (0-3, 0-0)*, 7:30 pm
HALLFORD STADIUM
Decatur (4-0, 1-0) vs. Arabia Mountain (1-3, 0-1)*, 7:30 pm
NORTH DEKALB STADIUM
Woodward Academy (1-3, 1-0) vs. Chamblee (0-4, 0-1)*, 7:30 pm

AWAY GAMES
Columbia (0-4) at Kell (3-2), 7:30 pm
Druid Hills (2-2, 0-1) at Marist (3-0, 1-0), 7:30 pm
Lithonia (2-1, 0-1) at Northview (0-4, 0-2), 7:30 pm
McNair (2-2, 0-0) at Putnam Co. (1-3, 0-0), 7:30 pm
Towers (2-1, 0-0) at Jasper Co. (3-1, 0-0), 7:30 pm
LAKEWOOD STADIUM (ATLANTA)
Stone Mountain (0-5) at South Atlanta (1-4), 8:00 pm

OPEN: Cross Keys (0-4), Miller Grove (3-2), Stephenson (2-3), Tucker (3-1)
*–Region Game