Dunwoody High Reversing Football Fortunes

After starting the season 0-2, Dunwoody High football coach Jim Showfety perhaps questioned his players' ability to return to the state playoffs.

But how fortunes change.

After consecutive wins over Redan and Lithonia, and potentially a third Friday against still winless Lakeside at Adams Stadium, the Wildcats feel they've clawed back into contention for one of Region 6-AAAA's four state playoff spots. Increasingly, there's a sense they can surpass their second-round playoff appearance against Gainesville two years ago.

"We've got a long way to go, but we're playing well the last couple of weeks," Showfety said. "We've got a long way to go to get back in the thick of things. We have to continue to improve in a very tough overall region."

In Friday's 34-3 homecoming victory over Lithonia, the Wildcats (2-2) continued their stellar defense, but found the offense they'd been searching for. The defense allowed only 111 yards rushing, but the offense ran for 351, led by Joseph Farrar's 167 and three touchdowns. Justin King and Tim Nelson also ran for second-half touchdowns that broke open Dunwoody's 7-3 lead at halftime.

"We ran the ball well and our defense played well again," Showfety said. "Our kids played hard and responded well in the second half. We came out and scored on the first drive of that second half, which was very important."

The Wildcats stand a good chance against 0-4 Lakeside, which is coming off Friday's 55-0 loss to Redan. The shutout was the third against the rebuilding Vikings, who also were blanked by Miller Grove (33-0) and Mays (62-0) and have been outscored 178-6.

The Wildcats are 7-11-1 against the Vikings in the teams' 37-year rivalry and 3-2 against them in their last five meetings. Last season's 33-7 defeat of Lakeside was Dunwoody's second consecutive and among six victories in the Wildcats' final seven games, following their 0-3 start.

Increasingly, Dunwoody feels this season is shaping up like last year's, when the Wildcats' slow start was vanquished by a strong final two thirds of the season. Showfety cautioned, however, against overlooking Lakeside or anyone else.

"We just have to stay focused on the moment or the task at hand," Showfety said. "We can't look too far down the road. We don't have the depth to get too far ahead of ourselves.

"We realize we dug ourselves a whole starting 0-2," he added. "But we're determined to improve each week and get back in the hunt."