2015 Trail to the Title Middle School Football Champions — Cedar Grove Saints
The DCSD Trail to the Title middle school football season begins on Saturday as 20 teams hit the gridiron looking to take the first step to reaching the championship finale on November 5 at Godfrey Stadium.
Two-time defending champion Cedar Grove enters the season on an 18-game winning streak as the Saints try to be the first DCSD middle school to win three consecutive Trail to the Title Championships. The Saints will do with a new coach as Octavius Darby takes over for two-time championship and Coach of the Year Rickey Wright.
The Tucker Tigers are 25-2 over the past three seasons which includes three consecutive trips to the championship winning in 2013 and suffering their only two losses in the three years in the championship finals to Cedar Grove.
Stephenson is the only four-time champion of the Trail to the Title (2004, 2005, 2009, and 2011) and also played in the final in 2012 losing a tough 12-8 decision to Lithonia. The Jaguars went 8-1 a year ago losing to Cedar Grove in the semifinals and want to return to the top of the heap in 2016.
Miller Grove finished 6-2 in 2015 losing to Tucker in the Trail to the Title semifinals. The Wolverines own three Trail to the Title championship trophies and are in search of that fourth title to tie Stephenson.
Other playoff entries in 2015 included Renfroe (4-3), Champion (5-2), Henderson (5-2) and Chapel Hill (3-4).
Decatur’s Renfroe Bulldogs is 1-2 in the playoffs having reached the semifinals in 2014. The Henderson Cougars want to extend their playoff streak to three consecutive seasons and also pick up a playoff win (0-4) in 2016.
Champion has reached the playoffs two of the past three seasons (2013, 2015) and is also in the hunt for a first playoff victory. Champion captured the Middle School All-Sports Award in 2015 as the best overall athletic program.
Chapel Hill holds a 5-5 record in the playoffs with a runner-up finish to Tucker in a nail-biting 22-20 loss in 2013. The Panthers returned to the playoffs last season after missing out in 2014.
There is a change in the Region lineups this season with Renfroe and Freedom swapping spots. Renfroe moves from Region 1 to Region 3 and Freedom moves from Region 3 to Region 1.
DCSD MIDDLE SCHOOL FOOTBALL
WEEK 1 SCHEDULE
Saturday, Aug. 27
Adams Stadium
Tucker vs. Henderson, 10:00 am
Miller Grove vs. Salem, 11:30 am
Avondale Stadium
Bethune vs. Cedar Grove, 10:00 am
Champion vs. Chamblee, 11:30 am
Decatur High Stadium
Renfroe vs. McNair, Decatur, 10:00 am
Godfrey Stadium
Stephenson vs. Chapel Hill, 10:00 am
Redan vs. Druid Hills, 11:30 am
Lithonia vs. Columbia, 1:00 pm
North DeKalb Stadium
Peachtree vs. Sequoyah, 10:00 am
Stone Mountain vs. Freedom, 11:30 am