Football: MLK, Arabia Mountain in Key Games Friday

By Mark Brock

Two key Region 6-AAAAA games with playoff implications this weekend are Martin Luther King Jr. (6-3) against Miller Grove (4-5) at 8 p.m. at Hallford Stadium and Arabia Mountain (6-3) versus Lakeside (2-7) at Panthersville Stadium on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

King needs a win to assure the Lions of a playoff spot while a loss coupled with a win by Arabia Mountain would give the Rams the programs first ever playoff berth.

The No. 1 ranked Tucker Tigers (9-0) travel to Lakewood Stadium for an 8 p.m. date with the Mays Raiders (7-2) with an undefeated regular season and the Region 6-AAAAA championship on the line.

Tucker is 8-0 in region play while Mays is 7-1 after a 13-9 upset of the then No. 4 ranked Stephenson Jaguars last weekend. A win would give the Tigers the region title and also a sixth undefeated regular season in the past nine years.

Region 6-AAAA has its state playoff play-in games set with a pair of DeKalb County teams with playoff berths on the line on Friday night.

Columbia (6-3) can sew up a playoff berth with a win over Banneker (4-4-1) in a game set for Avondale Stadium at 7:30 p.m. The Eagles last made a playoff appearance in 2011.

The Lithonia Bulldogs (4-5) face Grady (7-2) with an opportunity to earn a playoff berth, their first since 2002, in a game set for Grady Stadium at 8 p.m. on Friday.

Cedar Grove (6-3) is coming off a tough 17-14 loss to Region 6-AAA leader Woodward and hosts Blessed Trinity (6-3) at 5:15 p.m. at Hallford Stadium with the opportunity to improve their playoff seeding. A win could force a
three-way tie in the region standings with St. Pius and Blessed Trinity.

Friday, Nov. 8
Blessed Trinity (6-3) vs. Cedar Grove (6-3), Hallford, 5:15 p.m.
McNair (1-8) vs. Towers (4-5), Panthersville, 5:15 p.m.
Stone Mountain (3-6) vs. Therrell (1-8), Grady, 5:30 p.m.
Washington (6-3) vs. Chamblee (5-4), North DeKalb, 7:30 p.m.
Clarkston (3-5-1) at North Cobb Christian (1-8), 7:30 p.m.
Banneker (4-4-1) vs. Columbia (6-3), Avondale 7:30 p.m.
Rockdale Co. (5-4) vs. Druid Hills (4-5), Adams, 7:30 p.m.
Dunwoody (2-7) vs. SW DeKalb (2-7), Panthersville, 8:00 p.m.
Lithonia (4-5) vs. Grady (7-2), Grady, 8 p.m.
Miller Grove (4-5) vs. M.L. King (6-3), Hallford, 8 p.m.
Tucker (9-0) vs. Mays (7-2), Lakewood, 8:00 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 9
Arabia Mountain (6-3) vs. Lakeside (2-7), Panthersville, 7:30 p.m.
South Atlanta/Therrell loser vs. Redan (0-9), Avondale, 7:30 p.m.

Open: Cross Keys (1-9)