DeKalb County stepped out of region play Friday night to renew the Tigers’ annual border rivalry with the Smith County Owls in Carthage. While the Owls are no longer in the same region as DeKalb, the game is always one of the most fiercely fought the Tigers play each season, usually promising a very tightly played contest.
However, as well all have experienced, 2020 is proving to be a very different year.
Axel Aldino shined for the Tigers, rushing for three touchdowns and throwing for two more. The Black and Gold defense was suffocating at times, never allowing Smith County to get into any semblance of a rhythm all night long, while the Tiger offense seemingly could score at will, giving the Tigers a dominating 42-7 win.
Smith County got the ball to begin the game but could muster only one yard before being forced to punt the ball back to the Tigers. DeKalb quarterback, Axel Aldino immediately went to work finding wide out Desmond Nokes on three consecutive throws to drive the ball down to the Smith County 39 yard line before the Tiger drive would fizzle out. Big tackles by Tiger defensemen, Antwan McCoy, Josh May and Isaiah Harrington would force Smith County to again punt on the Owls’ second possession of the game.
This time, however, Aldino would make the Owls pay.
Taking over at the DeKalb 28 yard line, Aldino would drive the Tigers down the field, both through the air and with his feet, before again calling his own number from 19 yards out, scampering in for the games first points. Tiger kicker, Jasper Kleparek’s kick was good and with 4:41 left in the first quarter, DeKalb led 7-0.
The Owl offense would continue to struggle on Smith County’s next possession, as Evan Jones and Colby Barnes would sack quarterback Johnny Lyda back at the Owl 26 yard line, forcing Smith County to punt for the third consecutive time.
Behind a Colby Barnes run and passes to Desmond Nokes, Issac Knowles and Evan Jones, the Tigers would drive all the way to the Owl 10 yard line as time expired in the first stanza.
One play in the second quarter is all former Smith County native, and former Jr High football player, Evan Jones would need to make the Smith County faithful reminisce about what might have been.
On the first play from scrimmage, Aldino would find Jones in the end zone for the Tigers second touchdown in the game. Kleparek’s kick was true and 6 seconds into the second quarter DeKalb led 14-0.
The Tigers would make their only mistake of the night on the Owls’ next drive. The Owls would manage the first, first down of the game on the Owls next possession on a run by Owl running back DJ Burk. Lyda would bootleg around the left side on the Owls next play, fooling the Black and Gold Defense and running 42 yards to put the Owls on the scoreboard. The point after was good and with 9:45 left in the half, Smith County had cut into the Tiger lead, 14-7.
The Tiger Defense would not allow another Smith County point the rest of the way.
A 42 yard Issac Knowles kickoff return would put the Tigers in business near midfield and Aldino would again methodically march the Tigers down the field. Aldino would get his second rushing touchdown of the game with 7:42 left, scrambling in from 22 yards out. Kleparek’s kick was good at the Tigers increased their lead back to 14, 21-7.
Smith County could muster nothing again on offense and TJ Alexander would block the Owls’ punt to put the Tigers in excellent field position at the Smith County 24 yard line. Aldino would find Knowles to put the Tigers’ fourth touchdown on the scoreboard. Again, Kleparek was good and the Tigers would take a commanding 28-7 lead into the break.
DeKalb would pick up where they left off to begin the second half.
After pinning the Tigers back at the 13 yard line, Colby Barnes would rip off a monster 87 yard run, outrunning all of Smith County to the end zone on the first offensive play of the third quarter to put Tigers on the board again. Kleparek’s point-after was good again, and with 11:36 left in the third, the Tigers expanded their lead to 35-7.
The Tigers would force yet another Owl punt on the ensuing possession and the Tigers would take over again. Aldino would drive the Tigers down to the Smith County 35 yard-line but would make an errant throw and was picked off by Smith County’s Caleb Crawford, turning the ball over to the Owls.
Isaiah Harrington was not impressed.
After Colby Barnes sacked Lyda on second down, Harrington would recover a fumble to put the Tigers back on offense near mid-field. Three plays later Aldino would start the running clock, rambling in from 41 yards out to put what would prove to be the game’s final touchdown on the board with 5:29 left in the third. Kleparek remained perfect and the Tigers lead was 42-7.
The final stanza became a workout for the Tigers’ underclassmen as both teams would battle to a draw in the fourth quarter to end the game and give DeKalb the win. While the Tigers looked impressive on both offense and defense, DeKalb did suffer setbacks in the second half, losing both Desmond Nokes and Landon Crips to injuries.
With the win, DeKalb improves to 5-3 on the season and will look to pick up its third conference victory next week when DeKalb travels to Lafayette to take on conference rival Macon County. A win there puts the Tigers in the driver’s seat for the number one seen in Region 3 4A. Game time is 7:00pm.
(PHOTOS BY TENA EDWARDS JACOBS)
CUTLINE 1: Smith Co fumbles the ball, and it was recovered by the Tigers.
CUTLINE 2: Nathaniel Crook is shown running the ball, later to suffer a devastating injury sending him to the hospital and later surgery.
