Dunwoody and Brookhaven football fans get two early-season outings in three days this August. The Wildcats open their 2026 campaign Thursday, Aug. 20, at 4:30 p.m. against Centennial at Blessed Trinity High School in Roswell as part of the Corky Kell Classic. Two days later, the 2026 DeKalb County High School Kickoff Classic brings six teams to James R. Hallford Stadium in Clarkston for a full day of county football.
A single $20 ticket covers all three Kickoff Classic games, with tickets available on GoFan. The schedule:
- 2 p.m. — Columbia vs. Tucker
- 5 p.m. — Lithonia vs. MLK
- 8 p.m. — Stephenson vs. Southwest DeKalb
The DeKalb County School District announced the lineup on Aug. 5.
https://x.com/DeKalbSchools/status/2085107826725179508
Neither the Wildcats nor the Chamblee Bulldogs are among the six teams competing, but the all-day showcase gives local fans a chance to scout county competition before region play begins.
The 8 p.m. game carries an emotional backdrop. Southwest DeKalb takes the field weeks after legendary former coach William "Buck" Godfrey died in early August at age 83. Godfrey coached the Panthers from 1983 to 2012, compiling 273 wins, as we reported Aug. 5.
Closer to home, head coach Matt Schmitz enters his second year leading Dunwoody with nearly 100 players on the roster, according to the What's Up Dunwoody football podcast. Players to watch include Grant Pearch, the team's most-recruited lineman with Division I interest, and sophomore defender Duke White, who earned All-Region honors last season. The Wildcats will eventually christen Seacrest Stadium, their new on-campus home field funded by a roughly $2.5 million campaign anchored by a lead gift from 1992 Dunwoody alum Ryan Seacrest.
The Chamblee Bulldogs boast a staff that includes Pro Football Hall of Famer Ed Reed as offensive coordinator and former Baltimore Raven Jamal Lewis handling college recruiting. Both have sons in the program.
DeKalb County's football pipeline keeps producing. The district's 2026 signing class reached 92 scholarship players, the highest total since 2014, according to DeKalb County School District athletics.
Hallford Stadium seats 15,600. It's located at 3789 Memorial College Ave., Clarkston.
Up next: The Wildcats open at the Corky Kell Classic on Thursday, Aug. 20, at 4:30 p.m. The Kickoff Classic follows Saturday, Aug. 22, starting at 2 p.m.
