After their first matchup over a century ago in 1922 that ended in a 6-6 tie, Woodward Academy and Decatur High School have only faced off seven times since. On Friday, the two programs will square off again at Decatur.
Woodward Academy is on a five-game win streak against the undefeated Decatur Bulldogs, this time the team’s will meet in a Class 5A-Region 4 showdown. The game will be broadcast live on the Peachtree Sports Network starting at 8 p.m., and digitally on Atlanta News First, ZEAM and the National Federation High School Network.
The matchup between the two programs will be the 2024 Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame Game where the 2024 induction class for this year’s inductees will be in attendance. Two of this year’s inductees, Trinity-alumni Jack Pitts (Trinity was absorbed by Decatur in 1968) and legendary college football head coach, Frank Broyles will be honored at a point throughout the game, as well as multiple inductees will be interviewed throughout the broadcast on the Peachtree Sports Network.
The War Eagles hold a six-game win-streak against Decatur, winning the last matchup between the two, 34-7 at Decatur to open up the 2015 season for both teams. The teams played for four seasons straight from 2012-2015 before region realignment forced them not to play against each other for almost a decade. Overall, Woodward leads the series 6-1-1 and is looking to extend its win-streak against the Bulldogs to seven games after the will square off on Friday night. Woodward Academy head football coach, John Hunt, is 4-0 in his time at Woodward when facing Decatur, winning the last four matchups from 2012-2015.
For Decatur, this is the first time since 2021 that the Bulldogs are 8-0 and are looking to continue their perfect season against a tough Woodward football team that has won its last five games after losing its first three. The two programs sit at No. 1 and No. 2 atop the Class 5A-Region 4 with the Bulldogs and the War Eagles both sitting at a perfect 5-0 against regional opponents, the only two teams still undefeated in the region.
Hunt is in his 14th season leading the Woodward Academy football program and holds a record of 136-39 with the team. His War Eagles faced a tough opening to the season featuring three consecutive losses against top opponents such as Carrollton, Collins Hill and Marist. After their first three games where they averaged under 10 points, the War Eagles have hit their stride, rattling off five-consecutive victories, averaging a little over 37 points per game.
Leading the way for the Woodward Academy offense is Navy-commit, Landon Walker who has thrown for a little under 1,500 yards through eight games. Walker has been able to spread the ball around to his pass catchers as five of them have accounted for over 10 receptions on the season. The senior has thrown for 17 touchdowns on the season, averaging a little over two passing touchdowns a game while effectively using his legs in the ground game, totaling just under 280 yards and four touchdowns, leading the team in rushing yards.
The passing game the War Eagles have is a huge part of their offense. Senior wide receiver and Virginia-commit, Josiah Abdullah leads the team in receptions, yards per game, touchdowns and yards on the season. His 628 receiving yards through eight games is close to double the next highest, as well as his eight touchdowns have made him someone to keep an eye on in the Woodward offense.
Along with Abdullah, 3-star wide receiver and Notre Dame-commit Jerome Bettis Jr. has been someone to watch for the War Eagles on the offensive side of the ball. Bettis is second on the team in all receiving stats with his five touchdowns and just over 370 receiving yards, creating a consistent option on the outside. Bettis’ father famously earned the moniker ‘The Bus’ during his NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Both Abdullah and Bettis average close to 20 yards per catch, proving their effectiveness down the field for Woodward Academy.
On the defensive side of the ball, junior 4-star cornerback Blake Stewart has been piling up offers from schools all around the country including programs such as Florida, Auburn, Georgia Tech, Missouri and Georgia with plenty more ahead in his future. The junior has totaled close to 50 total tackles on the season, averaging close to six per game along with a tackle for loss, four pass deflections and two interceptions leading the backend for the War Eagles defense.
Along with Stewart in the backend, sophomore strong safety Elijah Lyles has been a huge part of the defense, leading the team in total tackles with 65 on the season to go along with four tackles for loss and two interceptions on the year, tied for highest on the team with Stewart and Bettis. Lyles leads the team, averaging eight tackles a game. Linebackers, Rocco Xerogeanes and Caleb Bell have combined for over 100 tackles on the season with both of them averaging over six tackles a game. The two have combined for four sacks and six tackles for loss, creating mayhem in opposing backfields.
“Decatur is a big team and certainly a physical team on offense,” said Hunt. “There’s not a lot of smoke and mirrors or anything, they just pound the rock and they have a big running back. They just have a tough and hard-nosed team.”
William Felton is in his fifth season leading the Decatur football team where he has led them to the postseason in each season he’s had the keys to the program. Felton has made the second round of the playoffs twice in five years, tied for the farthest a Decatur team has reached in the postseason since 2003. Last season, Felton and the Bulldogs made it to the first round of the postseason where they were eliminated by Ware County. The Bulldogs have been playing with some fire this season as they have remained a perfect 8-0, averaging over 35 points per game during their eight-game win-streak.
The Bulldogs are coming off of a 5-6 season where they were eliminated in the first round but are back with a vengeance and a much more experienced roster.
“We had a bunch of young guys at the time that stayed with the program and have continued to progress year to year,” said Felton. “It has come to a point now where they are now the seniors and they are fully aware and understand what we expect out of them in regards to performance and executing the schemes and things of that nature.”
Senior quarterback Barron Scott, leads a Decatur offense who has totaled close to 2,500 yards on the season through eight games. Scott has thrown for over 870 yards with 11 touchdowns through the air and three by using his legs on the ground. The production from the Bulldogs has come from all over as they have six pass catchers who average over 10 yards a reception.
The receiver-duo of junior Cameron Frazier and senior Jersharius Lawrence have been the leaders in the passing game for the Bulldogs, combining for 478 yards on 27 receptions and four touchdowns. Lawrence is averaging over 21 yards a catch, with a long of 74-yards on the season.
The running game has been a huge piece of the Bulldogs offense, led by sophomore running back Darius White. White has accumulated 845 rushing yards on the season to go along with 13 touchdowns, making himself a threat to reach the endzone every time he has the ball. His 114 carries on the season lead the team by a wide margin, with White averaging over 105 yards per game on the ground. White has been a huge part of the Bulldogs success this season, providing a change of pace for the offense.
On defense for the Decatur, senior cornerback, Duke-commit Kaleb Lanier has been important for the Bulldogs, registering 28 total tackles to go along with a sack and four interceptions. Lanier will have his hands full on Friday night with a Woodward Academy offense that lives on attacking through the air. Lanier and the Bulldogs have allowed just over 13 points per game on average this season.
Senior outside linebacker, Ethan Johnson has a team-leading 59 tackles on the season. His nine tackles for loss to go along with three sacks and three interceptions show how versatile the senior can be on the field. The 3-star linebacker has brought in offers from schools such as Kansas State, Army and Temple with his exceptional play during his final season of high school football.
Leading the front seven for the Bulldogs is senior defensive end Quay Hood who has been a force on the defensive line for Decatur. Hood is second on the team with 41 total tackles, second to Johnson, and has a team-leading 12 tackles for loss with six sacks and an interception on the year. Hood will be someone the Woodward offense has to locate on every play in order to run their offense efficiently before he gets into the backfield to make a play.
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