The Tigers knew it was going to be a battle as they traveled to Baxter, and for most of the first half, that was exactly what it was. The Upperman Bees were undefeated on the season, but DeKalb wanted to spoil that with a win on the last regular season game. With the playoff berths already decided, the game was for bragging rights.

DeKalb won the toss and elected to defer until the second half. The Bees would start the game at their own 15, and looked as if they might drive downfield, but their drive would stall at the DeKalb 47 and they would be forced to punt.

The ball would roll dead at the six, and from there the Tigers would find it hard to get moving. A pass to Malachi Trapp would reach the 15, then another pass to Ty Webb would be stuffed at the line. A keeper by Briz Trapp would lose a yard and DeKalb would have to punt.

Upperman would seemingly have good field position, with the ball dead at the Upperman 46, but the Bees would also find the defense standing tough. They would reach the DeKalb 48 before a false start pushed them back five. Two more runs would only reach the 50 and the Bees would punt.

The game would start to get chippy as time went along. DeKalb would start its next drive at their own 27, where a pass to Ryon Lyons had the ball at the 43. A keeper would lose a yard, then another pass to Lyons was good to the 47, but an unsportsmanlike call on the Bees gave DeKalb the ball at the Upperman 38. A Briz Trapp keep was good to the 29, but then a holding call backed them up 10 yards. From the 39, the Tigers would end up losing yards before again having to punt.

The Bees would get the ball at their own 14, and this time they would make the Tigers pay. They would reach the 20, where on third down an offsides by the Tigers gave Upperman a fresh set of downs at the 25. There, they would reach the 29 before a holding call backed them up to the 19. On a third and 16, a pass play ended with a first down at the 35.

Upperman would drive to their own 45, where a running play ended with a personal foul facemask by the Tigers, setting the Bees up at the DeKalb 35. There, a series of runs by Ethan Palk took it to the two, where another run was in for the touchdown.  Sebastian Stanfill came on for the extra point and the Bees were on the board 7-0, with 4:07 left in the half.

DeKalb would start their next drive from the 40, but right away penalties doomed any progress. A holding call backed them up to the 37, where they lose yards before having to punt back at the 31.

The Bees would start at their own 38, and it looked as if they might add points to the board before halftime. They would reach the DeKalb 34 before a defensive hold set Upperman up at the Tiger 24. A Bronzden Chaffin keep was good to the 17, where with 7 seconds left in the half the Bees went for a field goal attempt. The kick was no good. Upperman was up 7-0 at halftime.

Things wouldn’t get better for DeKalb in the second half. DeKalb would receive to start the half and Lyons would return to the 25. There, Malachi Trapp got a first down on an 11-yard run, then the drive stalled. On fourth and 10 from the 36, they would punt.

It wouldn’t take long for the Bees. Starting at their own 44, a series of runs by Palk had the ball at the DeKalb 44, where a holding call backed them up 10 yards. A keep was good to the Upperman 48, then a pass to Branson Turnbow was into the end zone. The extra point kick hit the upright, but the Bees were up 13-0 with 7:21 left in the third.

The Tigers would finally mount a scoring drive on their next possession. Lyons would return to the DeKalb 32, where a pass would fall incomplete and a run by Malachi only gained three yards. A deep pass to Jon Hendrix fell incomplete, by Upperman was called for pass interference. The Tigers had new life at the Bees’ 49.

Runs by Malachi were good to the 37, then 30, and then the 28. There, a pass to Marquez Chalfant was downed at the 10. Chalfant was handed the ball next, and was in for six. With Adrian Prater’s extra point kick, DeKalb was on the board, 13-7, with 4:43 left in the third.

Unfortunately, that would be the last points the Tigers would see. Starting at their own 29, the Bees would move 71 yards in eight plays ending in a Jaxson Rollins carry for a touchdown. A two-point run attempt was stuffed but Upperman commanded a 19-7 lead with 1:34 left in the third.

The Tigers would go three and out on their next possession and once again, Upperman would make them pay. Aided by a personal foul for a late hit on the punt, the Bees would start at the DeKalb 46. From there, on the legs of Palk, they would drive downfield, seven plays where Palk would be in for six points. With the extra point kick, the Bees were up 26-7 with 6:39 left to play.

The Tigers would have one more chance at the ball, but unsportsmanlike penalties and holding calls doomed the drive. They would punt on a fourth and 22 from the Bees’ 39, and Upperman would simply run out the clock.

Upperman finished the regular season 10-0 overall, and 6-0 in the region.

1.       Upperman

2.       Macon County: 9-1 Overall, 5-1 Region

3.       Stone Memorial: 6-4 Overall, 4-2 Region

4.       DeKalb County: 5-5 Overall, 3-3 Region

5.       White County: 5-5, 2-4 Region

6.       Livingston Academy: 3-7 Overall, 1-5 Region

7.       Cumberland County: 3-7 Overall, 0-6 Region

The Tigers will travel to the town of Red Bank, near Chattanooga, next Friday for the first round of post-season play. Game time is 6 pm local time, 7 pm Eastern.