Stone Mountain, GA – Southwest DeKalb turned opportunistic defense into points Thursday night, capitalizing on six Lithonia turnovers to secure a 31-14 Region 5-4A victory at Hallford Stadium. The Panthers converted four of those miscues into 24 points, including two decisive takeaways in the game’s final minutes. With the Bulldogs (5-1, 3-1) trailing just 21-14 late in the fourth quarter, Christopher Nunn came up with a pivotal interception at the Southwest DeKalb 32-yard line with 5:28 remaining. The Panthers (5-2, 4-1) drove to the Lithonia 23 before stalling, but kicker Kelvin Saturday drilled a 40-yard field goal to extend the lead to 24-14 with 2:24 to play. On Lithonia’s next possession, Southwest DeKalb’s defense delivered the knockout blow. Myson Perry intercepted a third-down pass and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown with 1:48 left. Saturday’s extra point sealed the 31-14 win and set off a celebration on the Panthers’ sideline.
Bulldogs Strike First
Lithonia entered the game undefeated and looked poised to stay that way early on. The Bulldogs opened with a methodical 14-play, 89-yard scoring drive, mixing runs and short passes. Albert Gooding broke loose for a 23-yard gain, while quarterback Jamon Coggins connected with Anthony Flournoy and Gooding for key 15-yard completions.
Xavier “Deuce” Butler capped the drive with a direct-snap two-yard touchdown run up the middle. Zachary McCalla added the extra point to give Lithonia a 7-0 lead with 3:31 left in the first quarter.
Panthers Respond
The Panthers tied the game midway through the second quarter after Zyeed Conwell recovered a fumble deep in Bulldog territory. Although a penalty erased his return for a score, Southwest DeKalb cashed in when quarterback Braylon Carter found Jordan Christie on a 10-yard touchdown pass. Saturday’s PAT tied the contest at 7-7 with 6:25 left in the half.
Momentum swung firmly in the Panthers’ favor late in the half when Amir Ferguson pounced on a muffed punt at the Lithonia 20-yard line. Just two plays later, Carter connected with Joshua Jones on a 20-yard strike down the right sideline to give Southwest DeKalb a 14-7 lead with 43 seconds before halftime.
Second-Half Control
Southwest DeKalb opened the third quarter with another sharp drive, going 66 yards in just over three minutes. Carter again delivered, hitting a wide-open Taron Essex over the middle for a 26-yard touchdown that stretched the lead to 21-7.
Lithonia fought back with a 70-yard march of its own, as Coggins hooked up with Butler on a 36-yard touchdown pass with 4:44 left in the third. McCalla’s extra point made it 21-14, setting up a tense fourth quarter.
But the Bulldogs’ turnovers in crunch time proved costly. Two interceptions in the final 5:28 ensured the Panthers would walk away with the crucial region win.
Region Standings Impact
The victory pushes Southwest DeKalb into sole possession of second place in the Region 5-4A standings, while Lithonia drops into a tie for third with St. Pius. Southwest DeKalb will look to carry its momentum into next week’s region matchup, while Lithonia must regroup after its first setback of the season.
