A likely showdown for the Region 5 title looms Friday when reigning champion Arabia Mountain meets No. 9-ranked Southwest DeKalb at Hallford Stadium.
Arabia Mountain (5-3) has played an ambitious schedule. The Rams have beaten Carver, the reigning champions from Region 6, and M.L. King. The losses have come against No. 6 Stockbridge, Class AAAAAAA Newton and Class AAAAAA Heritage. Southwest DeKalb (8-0) has scored impressive wins over Woodland, rival Stephenson and Lovejoy.
Arabia Mountain set up the showdown with a 38-6 win over Chamblee. Quarterback Bryson Williams threw a pair of touchdown passes and Jordan Barrow returned a punt return for a score in the win.
Williams has completed 58 percent of his passes and thrown for 1,084 yards (second-best in DeKalb County) and 10 touchdowns. Jaylen Burke leads the team with 454 rushing yards and receiver Jordan Barrow has 17 catches, four of them for touchdowns.
Southwest DeKalb survived a scare from Lithonia and won 9-0. The Panthers got their points from a Reano Ramjig 26-yard field goal and a touchdown run from Jamel Starks.
The Panthers are led offensively by Eian Scott, who has rushed for 600 yards and five touchdowns, and Starks, who has rushed for 346 yards and seven scores. Quarterback Rion White has thrown for 714 yards and seven scores, connecting with Aquil Muhammad on 19 occasions for three touchdowns.
The Panthers are the top-ranked defense in DeKalb, allowing just 128 yards per game and only 2.4 yards per rushing attempt. Arabia Mountain allows 209.4 yards and 3.0 yards per run.
Arabia Mountain has gotten the best of SWD of late, winning the last two meetings, including a 27-14 victory in 2017. The Rams lead the series 3-1.
Here are four other games to watch during the regular-season’s penultimate week:
Miller Grove vs. Lithonia (Saturday): While Arabia Mountain and SWD battle for first place, these two teams are duking it out for third place.
Lithonia has one of the top defenses in the region. The Bulldogs have allowed single-digits to five opponents and limited Southwest DeKalb to nine a week ago. Scoring has been the problem; coach David Edwards’ team has been held to 14 or fewer points in four of their last five games.
Miller Grove (2-6) broke a six-game losing streak last week and put itself in playoff contention. The Wolverines need one win to get in and a victory against Lithonia would likely ensure them of a No. 3 seed. Points have been a problem here, too; Miller Grove has not scored more than 18 points in a single game, but it has also played a difficult non-region schedule.
Lithonia’s Shawn Morris leads DeKalb County in rushing with 815 yards and six touchdowns and quarterback Seoul Newton has thrown for 698 yards and five touchdowns. Kevale Brantley averages 21.3 yards on 23 receptions with five touchdowns.
Miller Grove quarterback Jamaal Roach has thrown for 447 yards and two touchdowns. Jalen Perez is the top rusher with 240 yards and two touchdowns. Shawn Collier has 26 catches and one touchdown.
Miller Grove holds a 5-3 edge in the series, but Lithonia has won the last two meetings.
Riverdale at Starr's Mill: A win by Starr's Mill will earn the Panthers the Region 3 title. A Riverdale win would require the Raiders to beat Griffin next week to secure the region or risk a three-way tie.
Riverdale (7-1) has enjoyed a resurgence under coach Rodney Hackney, back for his second term as head coach. The Raiders last won seven games in 2012 and have a shot at their first region title since 1998.
Starr’s Mill (5-3) has put things together after enduring a three-game losing streak. The Panthers are healthy and have their offense in gear, scoring at least 38 points in each of the last four games.
Starr’s Mill leads the series 7-2 and won last year’s game 37-19. Riverdale’s last win in the series came in 2013, when Hackney was serving his first term at the school.
Union Grove at Locust Grove: This could very well determine the No. 4 playoff spot in Region 4, behind Dutchtown, Stockbridge and Jones County. Locust Grove (4-4) is 3-2 in the region, but still has a game against Dutchtown. Union Grove (5-3) finishes the season with Woodland.
Locust Grove quarterback R.J. McDaniel has thrown for 1,756 yards and 22 touchdowns and run for another 267 yards and four touchdowns. Four players have double-digit receptions, led by Billy Ward, Christian DaSilva and C.J. Senter. Ward has 34 catches and 10 have been for touchdowns.
Union Grove prefers to keep it on the ground in its Wing-T offense. The Wolverines average 233.3 yards on the ground, with six players compiling at least 100 yards. Gavin Johnson (512 yards) and Michael Johnson (440 yards) lead the way.
Union Grove leads the series 4-2 and won last year’s game 38-34.
Veterans at Thomas County Central: This game will help sort out the unpredictable Region 1 playoff race. If Veterans (7-1) wins, it will be in the playoffs; the Warhawks will win the region if they win out against TCC and Warner Robins. If Thomas County (5-3) wins, the race won't be determined until the last week.
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