Late touchdown propels Lithonia Bulldogs to 20-7 region win over Southwest DeKalb Panthers

DEKALB COUNTY, GA—Lithonia High School’s Achilles Buchannan’s 50-yard touchdown run with just 3:50 left to play sealed the deal with a 20-17 victory over the Southwest DeKalb Panthers on Thursday (Oct. 15). 

The late winning touchdown in the key Region 5-5A game came on homecoming  night at Hallford Stadium. 

Southwest DeKalb’s Kelvin Saturday nailed a 44-yard field goal with 7:52 remaining in the game to put the Panthers (4-4, 2-2) up 17-14. An offensive pass interference call stalled the Panthers drive, which had gotten Lithonia to 17, and pushed them back. Lithonia came right back with a seven-play, 80-yard drive to regain the lead. Quarterback Drayden Gibbs scrambled for nine yards on a third and seven and then got the Bulldogs to the 50 with an eight-yard pass to Tyreese Jones.

Buchannan rushed for 117 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries to lead Lithonia, while Drayden Gibbs ran for 114 yards and a touchdown on eight carries.

The night ended with Braylon Carter leading Southwest DeKalb with 158 yards passing and a touchdown as he hit 15 of 30 passes.

The Bulldogs (3-4. 2-1) ran out the clock to end a 13-game losing streak to the Panthers. Lithonia last beat Southwest DeKalb in 2002 by a score of 12-7. The 2002 win was the first since the opening game of the 24-game series in 1970, 20-19 victory.

Southwest DeKalb hosts undefeated Mays High (7-0, 3-0) next Friday, while Lithonia hosts Maynard Jackson High (2-5, 1-2) on next Thursday, Oct. 22,  as both teams continue Region 5-5A play with their aim on improving their state playoff hopes.

Stone Mountain 42, Cross Keys 28

The Stone Mountain Pirates picked up their second win of the season with quarterback Marquez Adams leading the way to a 42-28 win over the Cross Keys Phoenix at Adams Stadium on Thursday night, Oct. 15.

Stone Mountain has not won two or more games in a season since 2022, a 4-6 season.

Adams scored the first touchdown of the game on a reverse pass as he tossed to receiver Isiah Samuels who turned and threw back to Adams for a 30-yard touchdown pass.

The Pirates’ quarterback scored four touchdowns on the ground, including one for 70 yards.

Freshman Jewan Rener led the team in tackles on the defensive side of the football.