Dunwoody and Chamblee meet Friday, Sept. 11, at 7 p.m. for the Golden Spike, the annual rivalry trophy that has gone to the winner since 2014.

Both teams enter at 1-1. Both made the GHSA state playoffs in 2025. And both want the trophy back on their side of the railroad tracks that inspired it.

Dunwoody holds the hardware after the 2025 blowout win in the Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame game, played on statewide television. Running back Bradley Stephens scored four touchdowns that night and earned Player of the Game honors, according to What's Up Dunwoody.

Stephens is back for the Wildcats in 2026, along with senior quarterback Jack Quartararo and Grant Pearch, an offensive and defensive lineman drawing Division I recruiting interest. Second-year head coach Matt Schmitz has nearly 100 players on the roster, described as the highest count in years.

Dunwoody is replacing eight defensive starters from 2025. The early results are mixed: a loss to Centennial in the Corky Kell Classic on Aug. 20 and a 59-17 rout of Riverwood on Aug. 28.

Chamblee's season has followed a similar arc. Miller Grove shut out the Bulldogs 31-0 in the opener on Aug. 21. On Aug. 28, quarterback Miles Boyer scored on a five-yard keeper with 2:34 left to beat Arabia Mountain 15-8. MJ Riley's 56-yard run set up the tying score, and Jake Grieshop's extra point provided the final margin.

Head coach Bob Swank told the Chamblee Blue & Gold student newspaper on Sept. 3 that replacing the 2025 senior class has been the early challenge. "We had a good group of seniors and captains last year who were really tough to replace on the field, but that's the nature of high school football," Swank said.

The Bulldogs went 4-7 in 2025 and lost to eighth-ranked Roswell in the first round of the state playoffs. Dunwoody finished 5-6 and fell to Gainesville in the opening round.

Chamblee's coaching staff adds star power this year. Pro Football Hall of Famer Ed Reed is the offensive coordinator, and former Baltimore Raven Jamal Lewis handles college recruiting, according to What's Up Dunwoody.

The Golden Spike trophy honors the railroad history that once connected the two communities. The game is at Chamblee.