The DeKalb County Junior Tigers won the Jr. Pro championship Saturday, shutting Smith County out in a 14-0 contest.

Though the Owls handed the Tigers a 25-7 walloping on Sept. 27, 25-7, DeKalb obviously learned a few lessons from the defeat. The Tiger defense held Smith County to 63 total yards and two first downs, while DeKalb running back Silas Cross rushed 27 times for 119 yards and put two touchdowns across.

The Tigers did not attempt a pass in the game, but the team rushed for 157 yards and gained 10 first downs.

The DeKalb defense forced the Owls to punt in their first possession, and quarterback Kolter Kilgore led the Tiger squad on a 57-yard 14-play drive that ended in a Silas Cross one-yard run into the end zone. A good EP by Cross put the Tigers on the score at 7-0 with 7:56 left in the first half.

The Owls stalled at the Tiger 16-yard line on the next series, and gave up more field position to penalties before a fourth-down tackle by Joel Rader put DeKalb back in control of the ball. Half time arrived with the Tigers still in possession of the pigskin, and the score still 7-0.

Two plays into the second half Kilgore lost control of the water-soaked ball, and the resulting fumble was recovered by Smith County on the Tiger 43-yard line. The Tiger defense shut the Owls down again, however, and both squads were forced to punt on their next two possessions. The third quarter also ended with the score at 7-0.

The Tigers proceeded to put together an 11-play, 40-yard drive to open the fourth quarter, with Cross again dropping in with a one-yard run across the goal line. Another good EP by Cross extended the Tigers lead to 14-0.

To clinch the victory, the Owls fumbled on the first play of the next series, dashing any hope of a Smith County comeback.

Cross rushed for 119 yards on 27 carries in the game, Mason Winter carried twice for 20 yards, Drew Vickers rushed for 12 yards on four carries, and Konner Young ran for 9 yards on two carries.

Diego Coronado led the team defensively with six tackles, and Stetson Agee brought Owl ball carriers down four times. Silas Cross, Conner Close and Tyler Estes had three tackles each, on and Drew Vickers had two. Konner Young, Shady Newport, Joel Rader and Ty Panker each had one tackle for the game.

The Tigers ended the season at 7-1, as well as taking the championship trophy.