The winner of the Southwest DeKalb-Marist game Friday night will be the front-runner in Region 6-AAAA. That’s important because Region 6 produced the state champion and runner-up in Class AAAA a year ago.
Marist (6-1, 6-0) won a rematch of the AAAA final against Tucker earlier this season and is tied with Southwest DeKalb (6-1, 6-0) in the region standings.
Here are five more reasons this game Friday night at Hallford Stadium is intriguing:
The coaches: Southwest's Buck Godfrey is the all-time leader in coaching victories in DeKalb County schools with 246. Marist's Alan Chadwick has 278 victories and the highest winning percentage of an active Georgia coach.
History: These are the most successful football programs in DeKalb over the past 25 years, though they resumed playing each other only in 2004 because Southwest had been in a higher classification. Both teams are going to make the state playoffs, but one will emerge as the more serious state contender. Southwest DeKalb is ranked No. 3, and Marist is No. 5.
Private vs. public: Marist is the most successful private school football program in Georgia. Southwest DeKalb is a public school in the heart of one of Georgia's most football-rich counties. Both are bragging points for DeKalb County football.
Type of players: There's a stereotype that Southwest DeKalb is a factory for college football players while Marist is not, but both send several players to play college ball. Southwest has 21 alumni on college rosters this fall, while Marist has 18. But this season, Southwest is loaded with Division I-A prospects, including running back Ken Malcome (committed to Georgia), defensive end T.J. Stripling (Georgia) and defensive backs Jonathan Mincy (Auburn) and Sharrod Golightly (Vanderbilt). Malcome, who leads DeKalb County in rushing, is foremost in Chadwick's mind. "He's the real deal,'' Chadwick said. "We've got to cut him off before he gets to the secondary because when he gets going, he gets going. He's certainly the best back we've seen this year.''
Style of play: Southwest DeKalb runs its offense and defense out of multiple sets, but its core philosophy is old-fashioned physical, aggressive football with an emphasis on running and stopping the run. Marist has run the wishbone for over 30 years. "When playing against an option team, you've got to play assignment football, and it takes away things you can do defensively, things like blitzing,'' Godfrey said. "Your preparation has to be much more complete. And their kicking is always outstanding, so you have to start from your 20. You have to work on things you don't for anybody else.''
Produced by Georgia High School Football Daily
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When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Hallford Stadium, Clarkston
Records, rankings: Marist is 6-1 overall, 6-0 in Region 6-AAAA and No. 5; Southwest DeKalb is 6-1, 6-0 and No. 3.
Last meeting: Marist won 27-21 in 2008.
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