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DeKalb County Team Preview
by Robert Naddra
robert@dekalbchmp.com
Arabia Mountain Rams
Head coach: Chris Beal (1st season)
Region: 5-AAA
2008 Record: New school
Outlook: The first-year program has a roster of 68 players without a senior class. The Rams will play a seven-game schedule against other first-year programs in the Atlanta area. The learning curve is sharp because the Rams will jump into region play next season. A pair of sophomores – safety Case Woodard and linebacker/running back Dustin Ingram – are among the team’s top players.
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Avondale Blue Devils
Head coach: Mike Carson (2nd season)
Region: 6-AA
2008 Record: 1-9
Outlook: Eight returning starters on defense gives coach Mike Carson reason to hope for improvement. The Blue Devils lost nine straight before beating Cross Keys in the season finale last year. The team has not won more than four games since 2001. Senior defensive linemen Matthew Hardeman and Kendall Roberson should help a Blue Devils’ defense that allowed at least 47 points five times last season.
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Cedar Grove Saints
Head coach: Ray Bonner (7th season)
Region: 5-AAA
2008 Record: 6-4
Outlook: The Saints missed out on the playoffs by a game last season and look to make the postseason for the first time since 1999. William Pratcher, the county’s leading rusher in 2008, has graduated, but quarterback Willie Favors III has transferred in from Columbia. Vincent Dallas, with seven touchdown catches as a junior, will be Favors’ top target. College prospects Jamel Dobbs and James Hughley will lead the defense.
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Chamblee Bulldogs
Head coach: Mike Collins (2nd season)
Region: 6-AAAA
2008 Record: 6-5
Outlook: The Bulldogs have earned two consecutive trips to the state playoffs for the first time since the early 1980s. The team will be fighting for the fourth playoff spot in one of the toughest regions in the state. Senior defensive end Art Norman anchors a defense that returns five starters and allowed only 8.4 points per game last season. Norman had 10 sacks and 18 tackles for losses in 2008.
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Clarkston Angoras
Head coach: Jay Rollerson (3rd season)
Region: 5-AAA
2008 Record: 2-8
Outlook: The Angoras have not had a winning season since 1988. The defense, with several young players who saw playing time last year, should help the Angoras improve. Sophomore Andrew Kohn led the team with five sacks a year ago and linebacker Joshua Sealey is the team’s top returning tackler. The offense struggled in 2008, scoring more than eight points in a game only four times.
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Columbia Eagles
Head coach: Mario Allen (1st season)
Region: 5-AAA
2008 Record: 5-5
Outlook: Two late-season losses to McNair and Grady by a total of eight points kept the Eagles out of the playoffs in 2008. The Eagles graduated two players who accounted for more than 2,300 yards rushing, but first-year coach Mario Allen has installed the spread offense. The defense will be led by end Tank Sessions, one of the top linemen in the state.
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Cross Keys Indians
Head coach: David Radford (2nd season)
Region: 6-AA
2008 Record: 0-10
Outlook: With the most diverse student population in the county, the Indians face a challenge every year. Students come from 65 different countries and speak 75 different languages. The Indians have lost 29 straight games. Senior quarterback Brandon Hamilton passed for more than 1,000 yards last season, but the Indians’ leading receiver, Richard Feacher, is now at Furman.
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Decatur Bulldogs
Head coach: Price Jones (2nd season)
Region: 6-AA
2008 Record: 3-7
Outlook: The Bulldogs will have plenty of experience as 15 starters return on a roster with 24 seniors. The wealth of experience should help the Bulldogs improve, but getting into the playoffs will be difficult in one of the toughest AA regions in the state. The offense will be led by quarterback Trumon Jefferson, who passed for 1,000 yards. Linebacker Rakim Jefferson is the top defensive player.
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Druid Hills Red Devils
Head coach: Kip Hall (4th season)
Region: 5-AAA
2008 Record: 4-6
Outlook: Kip Hall’s five-year plan turned a corner last season with the most wins since 1999. Now, with 18 starters back, Hall believes the Red Devils are capable of putting together their first winning season in 16 years. Plenty of experience returns in the backfield and on both lines. The team’s top player is receiver Byron Dickerson, who caught 48 passes for 596 yards and five touchdowns.
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Dunwoody Wildcats
Head coach: Mike Youngblood (1st season)
Region: 5-AAA
2008 Record:12-1
Outlook: Only five starters return from a team that posted the program’s most wins since the 1993 undefeated state championship season. Mike Youngblood, who replaces James Teter, has installed a Wing-T offense and a 3-3-5 defensive scheme. Running backs Will Crochet and Dewayne Brown will be asked to fill the void left by the graduation of Treavor Scales, who ran for 1,400 yards and 20 scores in 2008. The Wildcats will have one of the best kickers in the state in Austin Breed, who made all 13 of his field goal attempts.
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Lakeside Vikings
Head coach: Thomas Cox (1st season)
Region: 5-AAA
2008 Record: 1-9
Outlook: Thomas Cox is the Vikings’ third coach in three seasons. The once-proud program, which has claimed three state championships, has won only eight games in the past five seasons. Cox knows about rebuilding, coming to Lakeside after three years as an assistant at Meadowcreek. One of the top returnees is Jonathan Gibson, who had 76 tackles and three sacks as a sophomore last season.
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Lithonia Bulldogs
Head coach: Earl White (2nd season)
Region: 6-AAA
2008 Record: 2-8
Outlook: With 10 starters returning on offense and defense, second-year coach Earl White has the tools to continue the rebuilding process. Last year’s two wins double the Bulldogs’ win total in the three previous seasons. Top players include senior running back Zacchius Sumbry who ran for 623 yards last season. Junior Kierre Isaac is back after leading the team with 85 tackles, including seven for losses and four caused fumbles.
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Marist War Eagles
Head coach: Alan Chadwick (25th season)
Region: 6-AAAA
2008 Record: 13-2
Outlook: The War Eagles’ wishbone offense should be clicking again, as all three starting backs return after piling up more than 2,300 yards rushing. Andy Perez takes over at quarterback. The defense returns six starters, including four-year starter Phillip Wood at nose guard and Keller Carlock at linebacker. The War Eagles are well enough equipped to battle Southwest DeKalb for the region championship.
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ML King Lions
Head coach: Corey Jarvis (5th season)
Region: 2-AAAAA
2008 Record: 8-3
Outlook: Nine offensive starters, and 15 overall, potentially make for one of MLK’s best seasons. Quarterback Cameron Myers will have a slew of experienced receivers to throw to, including Demarco Robinson and Corey Phillips. Florida commit Mack Brown returns after averaging 9.4 yards per carry with 21 touchdowns. Part-time starting quarterback Kevin Byars moves to safety. Patrick Callaway and Dimitri Lane will anchor the middle of the defense at linebacker.
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McNair Mustangs
Head coach: Roderick Moore (5th season)
Region: 5-AAA
2008 Record: 6-4
Outlook: Only five starters return, but the Mustangs are not without a marquee athlete. Linebacker Desdan Hester is getting interest from major colleges. He had 48 tackles last season. Last year’s 6-4 mark ended a run of seven straight seasons where the Mustangs made the playoffs. With so little experience, the Mustangs will need some luck to get back to the postseason this year.
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Miller Grove Wolverines
Head coach: Jasper Jewell (5th season)
Region: 6-AAAA
2008 Record: 5-4-1
Outlook: The Wolverines missed their first playoff appearance by one game, losing 14-0 to Chamblee in a game that decided the fourth playoff spot out of Region 6-AAAA. With 11 starters back, including senior linebacker Jonathan Brooks, a top college prospect, the Wolverines will again likely be battling for the final playoff spot. Roma Fulton, a transfer from Cedar Grove, will start at quarterback.
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Redan Raiders
Head coach: Ronnie Fleetwood (5th season)
Region: 2-AAAA
2008 Record: 2-7-1
Outlook: Quarterback Akil Dan-Fadio is the county’s top returning passer, but he will be surrounded by players who were not on the varsity team last season. The Raiders return on four starters. Dan-Fadio passed for 1,245 yards with 10 touchdowns and three interceptions as a junior. His receiving corps will be inexperienced, but there is talent on both lines, namely Jaques Gholston and Kamalie Matthews.
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St. Pius Golden Lions
Head coach: Paul Standard (9th season)
Region: 5-AAA
2008 Record: 9-2
Outlook: Eight starters on defense and one of the top running backs in the county return from a team that won its first nine games last season. Fullback Cole Moon ran for more than 1,300 yards out of the Wing-bone offense. Linebacker Robert Lucisano, linemen Ryan Northcutt and Andrew Butler, and free safety Brian Gee are among the top players on defense.
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Southwest DeKalb Panthers
Head coach: Buck Godfrey (27th season)
Region: 6-AAAA
2008 Record: 9-4
Outlook: A favorite to win the AAAA state title, the Panthers return 16 starters and coach Buck Godfrey expects more than 20 seniors to sign college scholarships next winter. Top players include running back Ken Malcome, who ran for more than 900 yards and 12 scores despite an injury. The defense is loaded with heavy hitters, including end T.J. Stripling, linebacker Naim Wakeel (the county’s top returning tackler) and defensive backs Sharron Golightly and Jonathan Mincy.
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Stephenson Jaguars
Head coach: Ron Gartrell (14th season)
Region: 2-AAAAA
2008 Record: 9-2
Outlook: The satisfaction of winning a region title was spoiled by a first-round exit in the state playoffs. With 13 starters returning, the Jaguars have the talent to go deeper in the postseason this time. The team has at least five potential Division I prospects in running back Raymond Sanders (committed to Kentucky), defensive lineman Michael Thornton, linebacker Tyrone Cornelius, safety Kenneth Ladler (commited to Vanderbilt) and defensive back Chris Sharpe (committed to Louisville).
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Stone Mountain Pirates
Head coach: Dante Ferguson (1st season)
Region: 2-AAAAA
2008 Record: 3-7
Outlook: Loaded and talented at the skill positions, former Pirates middle school coach Dante Ferguson has designs to take the Pirates to their first winning season since 2004. Michael Gilbert returns after rushing for more than 1,000 yards and nine scores as a sophomore. Receiver DeAntonio Murray (21 catches as a sophomore) and quarterback Jyhree Harris also return.
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Towers Titans
Head coach: Jonathan Sanks (2nd year)
Region: 5-AAA
2008 Record: 1-9
Outlook: Redan transfers Miles Gooch and Demetrius Jones give the Titans some hope on offense. Add seven returning starters on each side of the ball and the Titans have the makings of an improved team. Other top players include lineman Antoine Jackson and linebacker Jimmile Jackson.
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Tucker Tigers
Head coach: Franklin Stephens (3rd season)
Region: 6-AAAA
2008 Record: 14-1
Outlook: The Tigers will be hard-pressed to duplicate last year’s state championship with only six starters back. The majority of starters either played on the JV or scout team a year ago. But the Tigers are not without talent. The graduation of running backs Jonathan Davis and Drayton Calhoun will give Devin Scott a chance to shine. Other top players are defensive end Quenton Brown and tight end James Vaughters.
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