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BLOG: DeKalb County Football Predictions
By Matt Nascone
mnascone@neighbornewspapers.com
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The past week has flown by and it is now time to predict the winners of DeKalb County's second full week of football games.

We will again start with Class AAAAA and work our way down the classifications briefly previewing each of the area schools.

Class AAAAA

No. 5 Stephenson (1-0) vs. Cedar Grove (1-0) - Quarterback Jordan Tarver, a member of the Neighbor Super Seven, rushed in from two yards out to give Stephenson a 21-14 double overtime victory over Parkview last week. Tarver will join Super Seven running back Willie Davis to keep the winning going against Cedar Grove this week. The Jaguars were ranked No. 5 in the inaugural GACA AAAAA poll this past week, and they should live up to that ranking in week two facing the AAA Saints.

Cedar Grove opened with an impressive 44-10 over Veterans, but the Jaguars will be too much for the Saints Friday.

Neighbor Pick: Stephenson

Class AAAA

Chamblee (0-1) vs. Douglass (0-1) - James Soza did not get a win in his Chamblee debut, but Soza will have the Bulldogs ready for the Astros this Friday. Demarcus Copeland gained 87 yards on only seven carries for the Bulldogs last week in a 38-10 loss to Carver-Atlanta, but given time to work, Copeland could produce even better numbers against Douglass.

The Bulldogs will prevail on the legs of Copeland and the arm of quarterback Landon Loaiza.

Neighbor Pick: Chamblee

Dunwoody (0-1) at Miller Grove (0-1) - The first ever meeting between the two programs provides much intrigue. The Dunwoody senior running back duo of Dwayne Brown and Tracey White could provide the Woverines with several matchup problems. Brown and White combined to rush for nearly 100 yards in a 21-13 loss to Mays last week, and the duo should be ready to dominate the Miller Grove defensive front line.

Neighbor Pick: Dunwoody

Lakeside (1-0) at Lithonia (0-1) - The Vikings opened the season with a big win over Miller Grove with a dominant second half, and the Vikings will look to continue their winning ways against Lithonia.

Lithonia lost a defensive struggle to Redan last week 12-6 and will be looking to get more going on offense.

Running back Marc Kanada led the Vikings with 81 yards rushing and one touchdown. Look for Kanade and athlete Quentarius Figures to push the Vikings past the Bulldogs in a hard-fought battle.

Neighbor Pick: Lakeside

No. 8 Marist (1-0) vs. No. 2 Tucker (1-0) - For the second consecutive week, the Tucker Tigers hit the road for a heavyweight battle. Last week Tucker senior running backs Bashir Coles and N’Quan Maggett combined with senior quarterback Norman Hayes to score all the points in a 50-19 dismantling of Southwest DeKalb. Coles had three rushing touchdowns, Hayes passed for one and rushed for one and Maggett rushed for one, caught one and returned a kickoff for one.

There is no reason to think the Tigers are ready to stop scoring points, but Marist created its own mismatch last week in a 48-12 win over Douglass.

This game may be the earliest region title game known to man, but anything can happen in a high school season.

Neighbor Pick: Tucker

Redan (1-0) vs. Mays (1-0) (Saturday) - Both teams in this one squeaked by their region opponents in the opening week of the season. When the teams come out Saturday evening, it should be interesting to see what each has to offer.

Neither showed much in the opener, so this could be a close, tight game or it could end up being a blowout. The best guess would be close game based on last week's results.

Neighbor Pick: Mays

Class AAA

Druid Hills (1-0) at Greater Atlanta Christian (1-0) - Foluke Gordon Lamar showed why he is the featured back for Druid Hills, as he rushed for 243 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries in a 33-0 win over Avondale last week.

The Red Devils opened with a win for the first time in three seasons, and Gordon-Lamar could be the reason the team grabs its first winning season in 16 years. GACS has already matched its win total from 2009, so this should be a game that shows spectators which program is for real.

Neighbor Pick: Druid Hills

No. 9 St. Pius X (0-1) vs. Benedictine (0-1) - The Golden Lions dropped yet another game to rival Westminster last week. St. Pius dropped to 3-23 in the rivalry that renewed after an 11-year hiatus. This week, the Golden Lions have what should be an easy game in the Benedictine Cadets. The two teams have never met, but the Cadets lost 44-0 last week to Blessed Trinity, and the Golden Lions should help them run that record to 0-2.

Logan Rosborough and Cleve Kellogg each had a rushing touchdown against Westminster and Geno Smith led the Lions with 72 yards rushing. Smith looks to run all over Benedictine this week in a huge win for St. Pius.

Neighbor Pick: St. Pius

Stone Mountain - bye week

Class AA

Avondale (0-1) at Morgan County (1-0) - The Blue Devils suffered a defeat in first-year head coach Byron McCall's opening game with the team, but McCall should have Avondale ready to face Morgan County this week. McCall will look to right the ship, as Avondale could not get anything going against Druid Hills last week in a 33-0 loss. McCall will have his team ready for the upset, and they will pull it off in the fourth quarter this week.

Neighbor Pick: Avondale

Cross Keys (0-2) vs. Strong Rock Christian (0-1) - Neither of the first two games of the season have been pretty for Cross Keys. The Indians have not scored more than 18 points and have not allowed less than 37 points, but David Radford should have his group ready for the challenge against a fellow winless team in Strong Rock Christian.

Diego Gaytan has rushed for 87 yards and three touchdowns in the opening two games for the Indians, so look for Gaytan to have a breakout game against Strong Rock Christian. The Indians will make it a tight game, but Strong Rock Christian may still be too strong for Cross Keys.

Neighbor Pick: Strong Rock Christian

Decatur (1-0) at South Atlanta(0-1) - Decatur got a big game from its big back last week when Quandarius Hall rushed for 183 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries in a 25-12 victory over North Springs last week.

The Bulldogs draw South Atlanta in a road contest this week, and Decatur is primed to pull out another victory on the legs of Hall. Look for another stout defensive effort from the Bulldogs led by D.J. Metz.

Neighbor Pick: Decatur

Last week: 8-4

Season total: 8-4

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