DeKalb County’s Hallford Stadium was the site of a double-header tonight as No. 6 Stephenson “hosted” Newton and Southwest DeKalb met Dunwoody.
In the first contest, the Jaguars got on the board in a hurry as Mike Davis returned the opening kickoff 78 yards for a touchdown, breaking tackles and then breaking away around midfield. After the Rams were forced to punt, it was Willie Davis that punched in a six-yard TD run after a 73-yard completion set up first-and-goal at the seven. In the second quarter, Colin Anderson nailed a 47-yard field goal after missing a field goal earlier in the contest as well as two extra-points.
In the third quarter, two questionable fourth-down calls led to just three points for Newton as the Rams went for fourth down on 4th-and-9 after a penalty, then decided to go for three points on fourth and goal from the down while down 15 points.
In the fourth, Willie Davis capped off a 65-yard scoring drive with a 31 yard scamper for paydirt to stretch the Stephenson lead to 22-3.
Akeem Hunt then took over the Hallford Stadium contest by hauling in an 85-yard scoring pass after the Jaguar coverage broke down. After the Jags punted again, Hunt toasted Stephenson for another TD, this one from three yards out. The lead was cut to 22-16 but Stephenson recovered the onside kick and the Jaguars were able to run out the clock to improve to 6-0.
In the nightcap, Southwest DeKalb got the scoring going with a 65-yard TD after a Dunwoody defensive back gambled and came up empty, leading to Desmond Young finding the endzone.
In the second quarter, John West-Grant hauled in a 16-yard TD strike from Andre Wilson and Wilson found Moses Charles in the third on a 21-yard TD toss. After Dunwoody’s Tracey White plunged in from one yard out, Toran Davis intercepted a last minute gasp and ran untouched 16 yards for a Pick-6.
The final score was 28-6, Southwest DeKalb.
The bottom line from these games: the Stephenson defense, if it stays motivated, could be the best in the state and it has been the best we’ve seen this season on GPB’s Games of the Week. Also, this Stephenson squad, in my opinion, is better than last year’s playoff edition because the offense is a bit more balanced with the two Davises in the offensive backfield.