The DeKalb County Junior Tigers were bitten by the Fentress County Bulldogs Saturday, their hopes for a youth league Super Bowl title dashed in the waning minutes of the youth league final in Monterey as they fell 12-6.

The junior league team seemed to have everything going its way early as quarterback Jaxen Sherrell hit tailback Ryan Lyons with a short pass at midfield on the third play of the game. Lyons was able to take the one-yard pass and turn it into a 50-yard touchdown run, giving the boys from Smithville a 6-0 lead barely 90 seconds into the game.

Things looked even better when the Bulldogs fumbled near midfield on their next possession. However, the Fentress County defense remained stout, as it did most of the afternoon, the large line not allowing the Tigers to take advantage of the turnover.

The Bulldogs took over during the second quarter of play, pushing the ball down the field on a 60-yard drive that culminated in a touchdown at the 6:13 mark of the quarter, making it 6-6 with the failed conversion.

The Bulldogs again knocked on the door just before half after the Tigers were unable to mount a drive on their next possession. However, bad clock management resulted in Fentress County not being able to get the ball snapped before the half-time whistle blew.

The second half saw the Bulldog defense stymie the Tiger offense, even though Fentress again fumbled the ball near midfield, the recovery made by Cole Bain. The trading of field position continued until the Bulldogs took over on downs at the Tiger 46. They were able to drive the ball to the shadow of the goal posts and finally took the lead for the first time with 3:44 to go in the game after their quarterback split two Tiger defenders in the endzone to give them a 12-6 lead.

The margin would prove to be the final score as a last ditch effort by the Tigers ended with a turnover on downs, allowing Fentress County to take a knee and the title.

The Bulldogs proved to be the only team able to beat the Tigers this season as Fentress County was their lone regular season loss, DeKalb falling that time 12-0. They finished with a 7-2 record, including two playoff games they won on their way to the Super Bowl.