Fresh off a bye, Stockbridge looks to remain unbeaten in sub-region 4A-AAAA when Dutchtown visits Tiger Stadium on Friday.

On Oct. 5, the Tigers (5-1, 1-0) began league play with a 34-7 victory over Eagle’s Landing and stretched their winning streak to five games.

Malik Bryant, Maetron Thomas and Trenton Earl, who threw for 150 yards, all rushed for touchdowns.

“We just try to get better everyday and fortunately for us, things have been going well,” Stockbridge football coach Kevin Whitley said. “We’ve been playing good defense and taking care of the ball. Special teams have been solid. We will try to keep that formula.”

If the Tigers keep this momentum going, they will earn their second straight win over Dutchtown (5-2, 1-1), which responded after a forgettable loss to Locust Grove with a 52-22 rout of Eagle’s Landing last week.

Donovahn Jones threw six touchdown passes for the Bulldogs, who led 38-22 at halftime.

“I’m just glad we are not playing them this week,” Whitley said. “I’m sure coach [Jason] Galt and his staff will have them ready to play after losing that big lead.”

Whitley also expects Dutchtown to try to win this battle in the trenches.

“Coach Galt has a very similar philosophy to me,” he said. “It’s boring to a lot of people, but we are going to run the football. Coach Galt has been very successful, and I don’t think he’s going to change a whole lot.

“I’m sure he will have a few wrinkles and things of that nature but when you play Dutchtown, you are going to play a team that likes to run the ball.”

Last season when Stockbridge and Dutchtown crossed paths, the Tigers came away with a 28-12 triumph, ending a three-game losing streak in the series.

“It was the first game of the year so neither one of us were hitting on all cylinders,” Whitley said. “But I think the big thing for us was they scored on their opening drive and we ran the kickoff back to kind of hit them right back in the mouth.

“I think that let them know we were ready to play and it gave our kids confidence. I think from that return our kids just believed we could get it done.”

These teams have played once each year since 2004 and Stockbridge leads the all-time series 5-3.