18 DeKalb County football teams hit the gridiron to open 2024 season

By Mark Brock

DEKALB COUNTY, GA–The Dunwoody Wildcats will have the honor as the first of 18 DeKalb teams to take the field as they open the 2024 season on Thursday, Aug.15, in the match with South Paulding at West Forsyth as part of the second day of the Corky Kell Classic.

Dunwoody is coming off its best season since 2008 and first playoff appearance since 2009 after Coach Mike Nash’s club went 8-3 a year ago. Senior quarterback Matt Pearch (130-210 passing, 1,481 yards, 15 TDs) along with returning senior wide receivers Danny Boden (58 receptions, 577 yards, 4 TDs) and Porter Allison (33 receptions, 453 yards, 8 TDs) along with senior running back Malachi Cranshaw (119 carries, 796 yards, 7 TDs) fuel the offense. Senior defensive lineman Noble Butler (34 tackles, 12 TFL, 5 sacks) returns to anchor the defense.

Kickoff against South Paulding is set for 4:30 p.m.

Arabia Mountain (7 p.m.) and Columbia (7:30 p.m.) both play on Thursday night against Alcovy and Cartersville, respectively. Coach Kenneth Miller makes his DeKalb debut for Arabia Mountain.

There are only three home games this week in DeKalb stadiums with two of the games featuring all-DeKalb matchups.

One of the two all-DeKalb matchups has Druid Hills Red Devils hosting the Miller Grove Wolverines in a 7:30 p.m. meeting at Adams Stadium. Coach Frederick Greene’s Red Devils are coming off an 8-1-1 season, the program’s best since its 8-2-1 record in 1985. It was the Druid Hills’ first winning season since 1993. Miller Grove is coming off a 5-5 season that came up four-points shy of a state playoff berth for Coach Melvin Brown.

A local rivalry is set for Cobb (Avondale) Stadium as the Redan Raiders and Stone Mountain Pirates meet for the 34^th time in a 7:30 pm matchup on Friday. Redan won last year’s meeting 28-21 under then first year head coach Damian Wimes to take a 22-15 lead in the series. Stone Mountain enters the game under first year head coach Marlon Moore.

The final home game of the weekend has McNair entertaining Temple in a 7:30 meeting at Godfrey Stadium on Friday night. The Mustangs are looking to break a three-game skid as they finished 4-6 for a second consecutive season a year ago.

Two other Friday games feature first-year coaches in Lithonia’s Kevin Barnes and Clarkston’s Tavis Jackson both going on the road to Lithia Springs and Heard County, respectively.

Defending Class 3A state champion Cedar Grove under the direction of first year head coach Roderick Moore gets the primetime game of the Corky Kell Classic with a 7 p.m. date against highly touted Douglas County in Mercedes Benz Stadium on Saturday.

DCSD FOOTBALL SCHEDULE WEEK 1 

Thursday, Aug. 15

Neutral – West Forsyth

Dunwoody vs. South Paulding, 4:30 p.m.

AWAY GAMES

Arabia Mountain at Alcovy, 7 p.m.

Columbia at Cartersville, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 16

ADAMS STADIUM

Miller Grove vs. Druid Hills, 7:30 p.m.

GODFREY STADIUM

Temple vs. McNair, 7:30 pm

COBB (AVONDALE) STADIUM

Stone Mountain vs. Redan, 7:30 p.m.

AWAY GAMES

Clarkston at Heard Co., 7:30 p.m.

Lakeside vs. Berkmar, 7:30 p.m.

Lithonia at Lithia Springs, 7:30 p.m.

M.L. King at Heritage (Conyers), 7:30 p.m.

Towers at Heritage (Newnan), 7:30 p.m.

Tucker at Valdosta, 8 p.m.

LAKEWOOD STADIUM – ATL

Southwest DeKalb vs. Carver, 7:30 p.m.

RIVERVIEW SPORTSPLEX

Chamblee vs. Pace Academy, 7:30 p.m. 

Saturday, Aug. 17

MERCEDES BENZ STADIUM

Cedar Grove vs. Douglas Co., 7 p.m.

MORROW HIGH SCHOOL

Stephenson vs. Mays, 6 p.m.

Mark Brock is the Athletics Specialist for the DeKalb County School District.