DMS Saints Fall in Opener

By Chris Tramel

It was a tale of two halves at the DeKalb Middle School Saints season opener last week in Smithville. The team faced off against a tough Cannon County team, keeping it close in the first half, then letting it run away in the second.

 Keeping with Covid-19 regulations, fans were required to wear face masks and have their temperatures checked at the gate as they entered.

 The Saints won the toss and decided to receive, and with the kickoff returned to the Saints' 49, they started with great field position. Runs by Axel Aranda and Ty Webb, then a pass to Webb, netted the Saints to only one yard, on going for it on fourth down a pass to Webb went incomplete.

 The Lions took over at the 50, but a fumble was recovered by the Saints and taken to the Lions' 12. The Saints would push down to the Lions' four yard line, but on a fourth down a bad snap sent the ball over quarterback Jordan Parker's head. The Lions recovered at their own 15.

 This time the Lions would make them pay. On a second and seven, from their own 17, Cannon County's Dylan Gunter ran it in for a touchdown. The two-point conversion was good, giving the Lions an 8-0 lead with 1:52 left in the first quarter.

 On the kickoff, the Saints took the ball at the 50, and mounted a drive of their own. Aided by a roughing the passer penalty, the Saints pushed down to the Lions' 20. A false start moved them back five yards, then Parker threw a pass to Andrew Dakas in for a touchdown. A quarterback keeper on the two-point conversion was good and the score was tied, 8-8. That's where the score would stay at the end of the first half.

 After the kickoff, the Lions started at their own 44. Then, on the second play of the drive, Cannon  County QB, Kolby Miller kept the ball and ran it in for a touchdown. The two-point try was no good, but the Lions were up, 14-8.

 An onside kick resulted in the Lions getting the ball right back, and they wasted no time taking advantage. The drive pushed down to the Saints' 16, where Gunter was again handed the ball and run for a touchdown. A pass to Xavier Odom on the two-point try was good, and the Lions were up, 22-8.

 On the Saints next drive, the team couldn't get any traction.  Plagued by false starts, the Saints were backed up and forced to punt.

 The Lions began their drive at their own 38, then a run by Miller set them up at the Saints' 18. An off sides penalty gave them five more, and as the fourth quarter began, Miller ran it in for a TD. The two-point try was no good, but the Lions were up 28-8, with 7:45 left in the game.

 The Saints were in do or die mode on their next possession. Their drive began on their own 44, and it looked as if the team would not be able to move the ball. After three runs, resulting in a loss of yards, the Saints faced a fourth and 14, at their own 40. Then Parker connected a pass to Dakas, who ran it down to the Cannon 34.

 There, the Saints were again pushed back to the 45, then a carry by Webb got them to the 32. Facing a fourth and 8, Dakas was handed the ball and ran it in for a touchdown. A pass to Aranda was good for the two-point try, and the Saints cut the Lions' lead, 16-28, with 2:46 left in the game.

 An onside kick was unsuccessful, and the Lions took over at the 38 yard line. Two plays later, a quarterback keeper had the Lions back in the end zone. The extra point attempt was no good, but the Lions had sealed the 34-16 win.

 After the game, Head Coach Justin Poteete told the Smithville Review, "We got undisciplined on the defensive side.  We're not going to bring anybody down with arm tackles. We're definitely going to have to pick up the physicality."

 "Every year we try to rest our hat on the physicality side. At the end of the day, that team was more physical than us, and wanted it more than us. That's why they got the victory that they did."

 When asked what he saw that he liked on the field, Coach Poteete had praise for the quarterback. "I know that our quarterback is a first-year player and he's a tough little guy. I was hoping that he would be a gamer when he came out here. I've seen him on the basketball floor, and he gets after it. He definitely filled that role for us. He got after it today. Ty Webb also played a heck of a game. We're just going to have to get all eleven to play with that same intensity."

 The Saints next face Cumberland County at home, Thursday, at 6:30.