Lakeside, MLK snatch first victories of DCSD’s 2024 football season

By Mark Brock

DCSD Athletics Specialist

DEKALB COUNTY, GA–The DeKalb County School District’s Lakeside Vikings and Martin Luther King Jr. Lions grabbed their first wins of the 2024 high school football season with home field victories on Friday(Aug. 30).

At Adams Stadium, the Vikings won a back-and-forth tilt with Macon County 25-21 with a late touchdown and a big defensive stand in the red zone.

Macon County scored a touchdown with 11:39 to play to regain the lead at 21-17 and the Vikings answered right back as quarterback Kyle Davis snuck into the end zone with 8:23 to play to push the lead to 25-21.

The Vikings (1-2) held off Macon County late with a big red zone defensive stand to secure the victory.

Davis finished the night with 20 carries for 95 yards and two touchdowns and threw for 95 yards and a score. His touchdown was a 15-yarder to Daniel Arzabe. Spencer Wise added a run for a two-point conversion and place kicker Wesley Cowden was 2-2 on PATs and hit a 31-yard field goal.

Defensively, North Carolina State defensive line commit Makhi Williams-Lee had 16 tackles (12 solo) including three sacks while linebacker Grady Ellerman added 14 tackles (7 solo, 1 tackler for a loss) and defensive end Daniel Arzabe added 11 tackles (6 solo) with one sack and two more tackles for a loss.

M.L. King 27, Salem 0

Following two losses by a total of three points, the Martin Luther King Lions shut out the Salem Seminoles 27-0 at Godfrey Stadium on Friday night to notch their first win of the season.

The Lions (1-2) scored twice in a four-minute span of the first quarter to take a 14-0 lead at the half. Two more scores in the third quarter pushed the lead to 27-0 heading into the fourth quarter.

McNair 33, Midtown 0

The McNair Mustangs dominated the Midtown Knights in a 33-0 win for their second consecutive win in  game played at Cobb Stadium on Friday night.

McNair (2-1) got a safety on a tackle in the end zone by Emmanuel Clark (12 tackles, 1 sack, 4 forced fumbles) to get things rolling in their favor up 2-0.

Quarterback Jeremy Victor had a 25-yard touchdown and connected on a 28-yard scoring toss to Kayden Patterson. KaMoni King added an 18-yard fumble return for another score. Running back Anterion Theodore finished the night with 128 yards on eight carries to lead the ground attack.

Kobby Kobby was 3-3 on PATs and hit the Mustangs first field goal in at least five seasons as he connected on a 31-yard boot.

Stephenson 21, Dutchtown 20

Anthony Booker played a significant role late in the game on both sides of the football as the Stephenson Jaguars held off the Dutchtown Bulldogs for a 21-20 road victory on Friday night.

Booker gave Stephenson a 21-14 lead with a 39-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter. Booker then clinched the game as he got a tackle in the backfield as the Bulldogs went for the win on a two-point conversion with 14 seconds left in the game.

Stephenson then recovered the onside kick to close out the game. Jayden Johnson (30 carries, 174 yards) put the Jaguars up 7-0 in the first quarter on a one-yard touchdown run. Adam Zalaya hit the PAT. A five-yard touchdown pass from Marte Barton to Romano Craddock gave the Jaguars a 13-0 lead in the third quarter as the two-point conversion failed.

Craddock was a force on defense as well with 14 tackles (13 solo) teaming with Emari Green 10 tackles (7 solo) including 3 sacks and a fumble caused.

Southwest DeKalb 61, Chamblee 7

The Southwest DeKalb Panthers aired it out on Friday night passing for 380 yards in a 61-7 win over the Chamblee Bulldogs at North DeKalb Stadium.

Quarterback Braylon Carter hit on 14 of 18 passes for 303 yards and six touchdowns as three Panther receivers went over 100 yards in the game. Samuel Turner collected four of the touchdowns on four catches for 104 yards and Romique Thomas added four catches for 121 yards and a touchdown (from backup QB Tommie Traylor).

Receiver Jordan Christie accounted for four touchdowns with four catches for 125 yards and two TDs, a rushing touchdown and an 84-yard kickoff return.

The Panther defense accounted for 10 tackles for a loss and four sacks led by Isaiah Oglesby (3 tackles for a loss).

Thursday, Aug. 29

COBB STADIUM

Landmark Christian (2-1) 35, Towers (1-1) 18

Friday, Aug. 30

ADAMS STADIUM

Lakeside (1-2) 25, Macon County (1-2) 21

COBB (AVONDALE) STADIUM

McNair (2-1) 33, Midtown (1-2) 0

GODFREY STADIUM

M.L. King (1-2) 27, Salem (0-3) 0

HALLFORD STADIUM

Rockdale Co. (3-0) 14, Miller Grove (1-2) 0

NORTH DEKALB STADIUM

SW DeKalb (1-1) 61, Chamblee (0-3) 7

AWAY GAMES

Newnan (2-1) 20, Arabia Mountain (1-2) 6

Collins Hill (3-0) 44, Cedar Grove (0-2) 13

Rock Springs (3-0) 48, Cross Keys (0-2) 0

Stephenson (2-1) 21, Dutchtown (1-2) 20

New Manchester (3-0) 56, Stone Mountain (0-3) 6

LAKEWOOD STADIUM

Therrell (1-20) 26, Redan (1-2) 6

OPEN: Clarkston (0-2), Columbia (0-2), Druid Hills (1-1), Dunwoody (1-1), Lithonia (2-0), Tucker (1-1)

Photo via Mark Brock.