Miller Grove, Dunwoody continue hot start in slow week for local teams

Miller Grove High School’s football team completed its third 4-1 start in the previous 18 seasons with a 32-21 road win over Central Gwinnett on Sept. 15, headlining a week five football slate that saw only four DeKalb teams win games.

In addition to Miller Grove’s win, Marist knocked off previously undefeated Blessed Trinity on the road in dominant fashion, Southwest DeKalb defeated Redan, and Dunwoody shut out Northview to keep the Wildcats undefeated.

Miller Grove 32, Central Gwinnett 21

Miller Grove was 4-1 in 2021 and the only other season the team won four of its first five games was during a 6-1 start in 2012.

Ta’Jon Corbitt had two rushing touchdowns for Miller Grove, and his effort was aided by a pair of touchdown passes by Amonte Harden to pace the Miller Grove offense. One of the touchdown passes was a 50-yard play to Ali Dargan.

Keyshawn Weathers added a big special teams play for Miller Grove with an 80-yard punt return for a touchdown. The defense had a solid night as a team, and Bryson Craft sealed the game with a late interception to stop a Central Gwinnett drive.

Miller Grove (4-1) takes this coming week off and returns Sept. 29 to take on Southwest DeKalb in a Region 4-6A opener.

Undefeated opponents

DeKalb saw six of its teams play undefeated opponents on Sept. 15, with Marist’s 31-14 victory over Blessed Trinity marking the only win.

Marist never trailed in its win against Blessed Trinity and led the game 17-0 at halftime. Blessed Trinity had previously defeated St. Pius X Catholic, Eagles Landing Christian Academy, and Calhoun. Marist scored 10 more points on Blessed Trinity in week five than Blessed Trinity had surrendered throughout the rest of the season combined.

St. Pius X Catholic, Decatur, Clarkston, McNair, and Cedar Grove all lost to undefeated opponents on the road in week five.

Dunwoody 33, Northview 0 

Dunwoody held its claim as DeKalb’s only undefeated team with a dominant win over Northview at North DeKalb Stadium.

Dunwoody had not been 4-0 since the undefeated regular season in 2008 when they reached the state playoff quarterfinals.

The Wildcats led 11-0 at the half and a 48-yard touchdown run by Malachi Cranshaw fueled a 22-point second half.

Cranshaw had 14 carries for 144 yards and two touchdowns as the Wildcats ran for 350 yards and four touchdowns in the game. Owen Painter finished the night with 15 carries for 99 yards and a touchdown while Cade Celestine added eight carries for 39 yards and a touchdown. Place kicker Christian Lee was 2-2 on extra points and hit a 47-yard field goal.

 SW DeKalb 22, Redan 18

The Southwest DeKalb Panthers jumped out to a 22-0 lead against the Redan Raiders and held on for a 22-18 win at Godfrey Stadium.

After leading 15-0 at the half, Southwest DeKalb (2-3) went up 22-0 with 8:05 remaining in the third quarter when the Raiders (1-3) mounted a comeback attempt.

Redan scored twice in the third quarter, including within a minute of the Panthers going up 22-0, to pull within 22-12 heading into the fourth quarter.

Redan tightened up the game with six minutes to play, closing within 22-18 and got the football back. The Raiders were driving inside the Southwest DeKalb 20 with 1:15 to play with Panther sophomore Torrelt Solomon intercepted a Raider pass to seal the game for Southwest DeKalb.

Freshman quarterback Braylon Carter had touchdown passes of 50 yards to Tre Alexander and 40 yards to Sam Turner for two of the Panthers’ scores; sophomore Josh Jones scored on a two-yard run.

Scores for all DeKalb teams that played in week five are listed below:

Sept. 14
Away game
Riverwood (2-2) 35, Chamblee (2-3) 13

Sept. 15
Godfrey Stadium
Southwest DeKalb (2-3) 22, Redan (1-3) 18
Hallford Stadium
McEachern (1-4) 49, Tucker (2-2) 7
North DeKalb Stadium
Dunwoody (4-0) 33, Northview (0-4) 0
Away games
Mill Creek (4-0) 56, Cedar Grove (2-3) 35
Osborne (4-0) 37, Clarkston (1-3) 7
Heritage-Newman (1-3) 41, Cross Keys (0-5) 6
Flint River Academy (4-0) 17, McNair (2-2) 6
Miller Grove (4-1) 32, Central Gwinnett (2-3) 21
Marist (4-1) 31, Blessed Trinity (3-1) 14
St. Pius X Catholic (1-4) 0, Parkview (4-0) 48
Decatur (2-3) 0, South Gwinnett (4-0) 40

Did not play: Arabia Mountain (3-1), Columbia (2-2), Druid Hills (2-1-1), Lakeside (3-1), Lithonia (1-3), M.L. King (1-3), Stephenson (3-1), Stone Mountain (0-4), Towers (0-4).