Sports

Football Recap: Lions Claim Region Victory

The Martin Luther King Jr. Lions use second-half rally to get past the Arabia Mountain Rams.

By Mark Brock

The Martin Luther King Jr. Lions played tough on defense and got enough offense in the second half to rally past the Arabia Mountain Rams for a 20-6 Region 6-AAAAA high school football victory on Friday night at Panthersville Stadium.

The Rams stopped the Lions on the first series of the game and blocked a punt to set up the first score of the game. Melvin Idelette plunged in from one-yard out on the first play following the blocked punt and the Rams took the 6-0 lead.

The Lions (4-1, 3-1) stopped the Rams (2-3, 1-3) three times on downs in the first half deep in Lion territory to keep the game close. The Rams actually scored once as quarterback Trevous Reynolds connected with Jonathan Slayton for a four-yard touchdown pass only to have it called back due to an illegal substitution penalty (one of 30 penalties in the game).

The Lions would hold on the fourth and 9 play to keep the game at 6-0 heading into the half.

Defense was the game for the Lions in the second half as well as they limited the Rams to just 35 total offensive yards while getting some big plays to take the lead.

The defense held the Rams deep in their own territory to force a punt which Lions’ return man Wesley Green put the Lions in busy at the Arabia one-yard line with a 46 yard return.

One play later Jamel Smith went for the score and the game was tied at 6-6 with 6:30 left in the third quarter.

The Lions marched 71 yards on their next possession for the go-ahead score despite the Ram defense stiffening to force a fourth and goal at the five yard line. Quarterback Roland Rivers kept the play alive and found Presley Bray for the score to give the Lions a 12-6 lead with 9:20 to play.

Rivers sealed the game with a 15 yard touchdown run with 3:24 to play as the Lions finished with the 20-6 win.

Stephenson 35, SW DeKalb 7
The No. 2 ranked Stephenson Jaguars got three touchdowns from Dallas Rivers on the way to a 35-7 win over the Southwest DeKalb Panthers on the GPB Game of the Week at Hallford Stadium on Friday.

Rivers rushed for over 100 yards and scored on runs of two and 12 yards in the first quarter to go with a seven yard touchdown run by quarterback Giovanni Weekly as the Jaguars built a 21-0 lead.

Rivers added a one yard touchdown run and Weekly hit Ari Werts for a touchdown pass to close out the first half with a 35-0 advantage.

Southwest DeKalb (1-4, 1-3) prevented the shutout with a four yard pass from Malcolm Anderson to Jacoby Riley in the fourth quarter. The win helped Stephenson tie the all-time series with Southwest at 5-5.

Dunwoody 20, Miller Grove 6
The Dunwoody Wildcats picked up their first win in four tries against the Miller Grove Wolverines with a 20-6 victory at North DeKalb Stadium on Friday night.

Running back Aaron Alexander scored a pair of touchdowns, including a 37 yard run following a Trevor Scales interception, as the Wildcats took a 14-0 lead at the half. Miller Grove pulled within 14-8 in the third quarter.

Week 6 Results
Thursday, Sept. 26
Lovejoy (4-1) 59, Druid Hills (2-2) 0
Banneker (1-2-1) 24, Redan (0-4) 13

Friday, Sept. 27
Clarkston (1-4-1) 14, Hapeville Charter (0-4-1) 14
Cross Keys (1-4) 47, North Cobb Christian (0-4) 29
M.L. King Jr. (4-1) 20, Arabia Mountain (2-3) 6
Cedar Grove (4-1) 27, Decatur (4-1) 3
Dunwoody (1-4) 20, Miller Grove (2-3) 8
St. Pius (4-1) 45, Towers (4-1) 7
Tucker (5-0) 56, Lakeside (1-4) 7
Stephenson (5-0) 35, SW DeKalb (1-4) 7

Open: Chamblee (3-1), Columbia (2-2), Lithonia (1-3), McNair (1-3), Redan
(1-3), Stone Mountain (2-2)


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