The View from the Booth: September 3

Recap of Week 2 Action

It was a busy weekend for DeKalb County teams, with two neighborhood rivals getting things started Thursday night at Adams Stadium. Here’s a recap of week two action.

Chamblee vs. Dunwoody

A pair of TD passes by Jordan Branch and two more rushing scores from Dezmin Reed were all Chamblee would need – but not all they would get – in a 38-6 romp over Dunwoody Thursday night at Adams Stadium.

Reed got things going in the first quarter with a three-yard scoring run. Chamblee had just blocked a Wildcat punt to go on offense. A John Henry Clay extra point made it 7-0 and the Bulldogs were on cruise control after that.

Branch capped off an 85-yard second quarter drive with a 15-yard strike to Davin Bellamy in the corner of the end zone with 6:02 to play in the first half. Clay’s second PAT made it 14-0.

Clay added a 36-yard field goal with 35 seconds left in the first half and the Bulldogs led 17-0.

The Bulldogs’ Timothy Favors returned the second half kickoff 85 yards to the Dunwoody 5-yard line, setting up Reed’s second TD scamper of the day. Clay’s PAT made it 24-0.

Matthew Simon picked off a Wildcat pass and returned it to the Dunwoody 10-yard line to set up the next Bulldog score. Deonte Boyland ran in from four yards out for the score. Clay again converted the PAT and Chamblee’s lead was 31-0

Dunwoody answered with its best drive of the night going 80 yards in eight plays to score on Tylor Scales 14-yard run. The Wildcats missed the PAT, though, and the score was 31-6.

Branch’s second TD pass came with 9:35 to play in the game when he connected with Favors for a 33-yard scoring strike. Clay’s final PAT of the night made the final score 38-6.

The victory gives Chamblee an 8-7 edge in the series with their neighborhood rival.

Marist at Clarke Central

Marist, ranked #4 in Class AAAA, defeated Clarke Central (0-1) 30-13 in Athens Friday night. The War Eagles (1-0) were led by QB Myles Willis, who carried 26 times for 144 yards and accounted for three TDs. Willis scored on runs of 40 and four yards and threw to Gray King for a 27-yard score. RB Ian Gibson got things going for Marist with a one-yard dive over the goal line in the first quarter. It was the first-ever meeting between two traditionally powerful programs that have combined to win five state championships.

The win gave Marist head coach Alan Chadwick his 300th career coaching victory. Chadwick was low-key about the milestone after the game.

“It’s good to get it out of the way early so we can go on to bigger and better things,” Chadwick said. “What it means to me is just consistency. If you’re in it long enough and you’re consistent, those things come your way. It’s a tribute to so many of our players and coaches over the years that have put so much into the program.”

St. Pius vs. Westminster

The visiting Golden Lions (1-0) defeated Westminster (0-1) 21-3 Friday night. St. Pius won for just the fifth time in 28 meetings between the schools. The Lions, ranked fourth in Class AAA, fumbled twice in the first quarter, but led 7-3 at the start of the second quarter after a 13-yard TD run by senior FB Ryan Braswell. RB Nick Ruffin scored on a 24-yard run just before the end of the first half to give the Lions a 14-3 halftime lead. Braswell scored again on a 32-yard run and had 141 total rushing yards in the game.

Miller Grove vs. Lithonia

Three fourth-quarter Quinton Turner interceptions helped Miller Grove hold off Lithonia in a 27-6 victory Friday.

Playing from behind most of the night, the Bulldogs (0-2) had chances to get back in it late in the game. But all three of their fourth quarter possessions ended in turnovers.

Offensively the Wolverines (1-0) used a three-man backfield to rack up 246 rushing yards. Royal Lee ran for a game-high 103 yards on nine carries, including three TDs that came on Lee’s first three carries of the game.

The second Lee TD was the longest run of the game, following a Jonquavious McBride blocked punt. Miller Grove started at the Lithonia 37-yard line and, after a pair of penalties, were staring at second-and-31 from their own 42.

That’s when Lee burst through the left side for an untouched 58-yard dash that put the Wolverines up 15-0 following a two-point conversion.

Redan vs. Troup

The Redan Raiders (1-0) won Willie Griffeth’s first game as a head coach since 2002 with a 15-12 victory over Troup County (0-1).

Leading by three points with time running out and Troup with one last shot at the win, Redan’s defense held with a pass for the end zone going out of bounds as time expired.

Final Scores

Chamblee (1-0) 38, Dunwoody (0-1) 6

Best Academy (1-0) 64, Cross Keys (0-1) 0

Columbia (1-0) 20, Cedar Grove (0-2) 15

Druid Hills (1-0) 33, Clarkston (0-2) 2

Miller Grove (1-0) 27, Lithonia (0-2) 6

SW DeKalb (1-0) 23, Pebblebrook (0-1) 0

Stone Mountain (1-1) 21, North Atlanta (0-1) 14

Redan (1-0) 15, Troup Co. (0-1) 12

McNair (1-0) 15, Osborne (0-1) 14

Grady (1-0) 18, Decatur (0-1) 6

M.L. King (1-0) 23, Stockbridge (0-1) 0

Stephenson (0-0) vs. Pensacola-Pine Forest, Did not play

Week 3 Schedule

Here’s this week’s schedule of games involving county teams. Check back Thursday for game previews.

Friday September 7

Strong Rock Christian (1-0) vs. Clarkston (0-2), Hallford, 5:15 p.m.

Cedar Grove (0-2) vs. Douglass (0-1), Grady, 5:30 p.m.

Dunwoody (0-1) vs. Lakeside (0-1), Adams, 5:15 p.m.

McNair (1-0) vs. Columbia (1-0), Avondale, 7:30 p.m.

Washington (1-0) vs. Lithonia (0-2), Panthersville, 7:30 p.m.

Redan (1-0) at Shiloh (1-0), 7:30 p.m.

St. Pius (1-0) vs. North Oconee (0-0), Bogart, 7:30 p.m.

Decatur (0-10 vs. Therell (0-1), Decatur, 7:30 p.m.

Marist vs. Thomas County Central, Maris, 7:30 p.m.

Chamblee (1-0) vs. Druid Hills, Adams, 8:00 p.m.

Stephenson (0-0) vs. Arabia Mountain (1-0), Hallford, 8 p.m.

Miller Grove (1-0) vs. Mays (0-1), Lakewood, 8 p.m.

Tucker (1-0) vs. North Atlanta (0-1), Grady, 8 p.m.

Saturday September 8

Towers (0-1) vs. South Atlanta (1-0), Grady, 7:00 p.m.

SW DeKalb (1-0) vs. M.L. King (1-0), Hallford, 7:30 p.m.

Grady (1-0) at North Clayton (0-1), College Park, 7:30 p.m.

Bye Week: Cross Keys (0-1), Stone Mountain (1-1)

John Becker is a 30-year Atlanta resident, currently living in Virginia-Highland. John’s a freelance writer and an avid high school, college and pro football fan (much to the detriment of most other productive activities during the fall). As the Voice of Adams Stadium (public address announcer), John brings a unique perspective to his analysis of high school football in DeKalb County and he looks forward to sharing his insight with fans through his blog.

The writer can be reached at jnbecker@me.com or followed on Twitter at @JNBecker.