It was an outstanding year for DeKalb County sports, with teams making history and some outstanding players leaving their mark in the record books.
The DeKalb County High School Tigers football team once again made an appearance in the TSSAA play-offs, marking the 11th consecutive year for the program. The Tigers ended their season at 7-5, and finished in 3rd place in Class 4A Region 4 at 3-2. Their playoff run ended in the second round with a defeat at Upperman, 40-14.
The Tigers marked their 600th game last year in a game against Macon County, and recorded their 250th win against Cannon County.
The Tigers baseball team had a good run last season at 16-13-1. DeKalb would fall in the sub-state tournament with a 3-1 loss to Signal Mountain.
The DCHS Tigers soccer team made history with their first appearance in the sub-state and a win in a Region Tournament game. The DeKalb County School Board voted later in the year to name DCHS’s new soccer field after the only coach the teams have ever known. The field is now known as “Dylan Kleparek ‘Coach K’ Soccer Field.”
The DeKalb County High School Cross Country Boys team made history after it captured its first ever berth to state with a fourth-place finish in the TSSAA Region 4A/AA Men’s Race.
DCHS freshman golfer Alison Poss competed in the Region 4 Large School Tournament at Country Hills Golf Course in Hendersonville, and finished 3rd in the District Tournament. Poss was named 1st Team All District 7.
Some other notable sports stories in 2021 are as follows:
Tiger QB Axel Aldino was named MVP during the annual Football Awards Banquet. Senior Talon Billings, was named Most Valuable Player Football Cheerleader. Aldino later signed with the University of Central Missouri to play quarterback.
DCHS Junior Kadee Ferrell joined the 1,000-Point Club during the 2020-21 season, scoring 27 points on January 8, 2021, at a game in Cannon County to put her over the top. Kadee was presented a 1,000-point game ball and a plaque by Kathy Pugh.
Quarterback Axel Aldino signed with the University of Central Missouri at Warrensburg, Missouri to play quarterback and major in business marketing while
Tyzaun Ladet signed with Bethel University in McKenzie, TN, to play at outside linebacker. Ladet was sidelined for the 2020 football season after suffering a broken leg in a California car crash in July 2020 that killed his mother and injured three of his siblings.
Desmond Nokes signed a letter of intent to play for the UT Martin Skyhawks.
DCHS Football players earned 2021 All-Region honors. Senior Isaac Knowles was named the Offensive Most Valuable Player in Region 4, Class 4A, while Isaiah Harrington was named Most Outstanding Linebacker. Colby Barnes was named Most Outstanding Defensive Lineman, while Diego Coronado earned Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman honors. The All Region 1st Team from DCHS were Tyler Estes, Brady Hale, Silas Cross, and Wil Farris. The All Region 2nd Team was Ean Jones and Shadie Rankhorn.
Several DCHS basketball players received All-District honors for the 2020-21 season. Evans Jones was named to the 2nd Team All-District, while Brayden Antoniak made the All-District Defensive Team. Jordan Young and Elishah Ramos earned Honorable Mention.
Kadee Ferrell made the 1st Team All-District and the All-District Defensive Team, while Ella VanVranken was named the District’s Freshman of the Year, and 3rd Team All-District. Cadee Griffith was named to the District’s All-Freshman Team, while Megan Cantrell and Watertown’s Brittni Allison shared the honor of being the District’s Most Improved Players of the Year.
DCHS Lady Tiger basketball standout Kennedy Agee signed a letter of intent to play for the Lady Knights of Kentucky Christian University.
Kadee Ferrell, a senior and member of the 1,000-point club, signed a letter of intent in November with Bryan College in Dayton, Tennessee to play for the Lady Lions.
Four members of the DCHS Tigerette softball team were honored with All-District Awards. Morgan Walker, Aniston Farler, and Jacey Hatfield were named to the All-District Team, while Hatfield made the All-District Tournament Team. Bri Murphy was selected to the All-District Freshmen Team.
Senior Lady Tiger soccer player Carly Vance, Class of 2021 Valedictorian, signed a letter of intent to play with the Freed-Hardeman University Lady Lions.
Senior Tiger pitcher Patrick Cantrell signed a letter of intent with Freed-Hardeman University to play collegiate ball for the Lions.
Two DCHS basketball alumni were honored with induction to the school’s Basketball Wall of Fame. 1959 Tigerette Helen Lee, and 1970’s star Tiger Rickey Usrey were honored during DCHS’s Alumni Homecoming Week celebration.
