Football schedule loaded with all-DeKalb games

The DeKalb high school football schedule for week seven features six region games and six all-DeKalb games as teams work on earning state playoff berths in their respective classifications.

Four of the games have DeKalb County rivals meeting head-to-head as the games count for more than just a win the rest of the way.

The first all-DeKalb matchup of the week is under the lights on Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. when the Martin Luther Jr. Lions (1-4) host homecoming and take on the Chamblee Bulldogs (2-3) in the two teams’ region 4-5A opener.

Chamblee football dates to 1950 and the Lions opened play in 2002 but the two DeKalb programs are meeting for just the second time over the past 22 seasons. Chamblee won the first and only meeting 45-7 last season.

The Bulldogs lost some top players from last year’s team that reached the class 5A second round.  Chamblee has seven state playoff appearances including two semifinal runs. The Bulldogs have two region titles with the last coming in 1982.

The Lions are under new leadership in alum Joel Kight and have only had one winning season (2019) in the past nine years on the gridiron. King has 13 playoff appearances and four region titles in its history, the last coming in 2012.

In other Thursday night action, the Stephenson Jaguars (4-1) play Hapeville Charter (2-3) at Banneker High School at 7:30 p.m. Stephenson (224-87 all-time) is going for its 225th win as a football program and leads the series with Hapeville 3-1.

Friday Night Lights

Five all-DeKalb meetings are set for Sept. 29 in DeKalb, including the 10th meeting between the Redan Raiders (1-4, 0-1) and the Towers Titans (0-4, 0-0) in a region 5-3A matchup.

Redan lost its region opener and will travel to Avondale Stadium for the Towers Titans’ homecoming game at 7:30 p.m. The Redan Raiders own a 6-3 mark against the Titans and have won the last three meetings, including last season’s 25-14 victory. Both programs are under new leadership this season as Damien Wimes leads the Raiders and Henry Garrett is at the helm of the Titans’ program.

Dunwoody will also put its undefeated record, and DeKalb’s only undefeated record, to the test on Sept. 29 when the Wildcats host the Marist War Eagles for homecoming. Marist lost its first game of the season but has won four straight – including a 31-14 win over previously unbeaten Blessed Trinity on Sept. 15.

Dunwoody has a perfect record so far this season and has only given up more than seven points in a game once this season. Marist holds a 7-2 lead in the series with Dunwoody last winning in in 2010 (20-0).

Neighborhood rivals the Arabia Mountain Rams (4-1) and the Lithonia Bulldogs (1-4) open region 4-5A action with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff at Godfrey Stadium in a series that is tied 4-4. The Rams are looking to go 5-1 for the first time since 2016’s region title season.

Lithonia is vying for its first region win since 2021 and a playoff berth for the first time since 2021.

Hallford Stadium hosts Miller Grove’s homecoming game when the Wolverines (4-1) host the Southwest DeKalb Panthers (2-3) in the region 6-4A opener for both teams with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m.

The two programs are meeting for the 16th time in the 19 seasons Miller Grove has fielded a team. The Panthers hold a 12-3 advantage in the series. Miller Grove won last year’s meeting 26-21 to break a four-game losing streak to the Panthers.

Adams Stadium is hosting another homecoming game as the Tucker Tigers (2-3) entertain the Decatur Bulldogs (2-3) in a region 4-5A meeting. Tucker owns a 2-1 mark against the Bulldogs. Decatur won last year’s game 53-28 at Decatur in the programs’ first meeting since 1969.

The full DeKalb football schedule for week seven is below:

Sept. 28
Godfrey Stadium

Chamblee (2-3) vs. M.L. King (1-4), 7 p.m.

Away (Banneker High School)

Stephenson (4-1) vs. Hapeville Charter (2-3), 7:30 p.m.

 

Sept. 29

Adams Stadium

Decatur (2-3) vs. Tucker (2-3), 7:30 p.m.

Avondale Stadium

Redan (1-4) vs. Towers (0-4), 7:30 p.m.

Godfrey Stadium

Lithonia (1-4) vs. Arabia Mountain (4-1), 7:30 p.m.

Hallford Stadium

SW DeKalb (2-3) vs. Miller Grove (4-1), 7:30 p.m.

North DeKalb Stadium

Marist (4-1) vs. Dunwoody (5-0), 7:30 p.m.

 

Away

Columbia (3-2) at Callaway (2-2), 7:30 p.m.

Lakeside (3-2) at Johnson-Gainesville (1-4), 7:30 p.m.

McNair (2-3) at Landmark Christian (0-5), 7:30 p.m.

The Champion Editor Jay Phillips contributed to this story.