The DeKalb County Junior Pro football teams played host to the Owls Saturday winning one, and dropping two games to Smith County.
Pee Wee Division
DeKalb County Tigers 26
Smith County Owls 0
The Pee Wee Tigers took off with a strong start, as Tiger Reed Midgett found the end zone on the second play of the first possession for 6. Combined with a good PAT the Tigers led 7-0.
Aggressive defense on the Owls’ first possession created havoc as Eli Jones recovered a fumble returning the ball to DeKalb’s offense. Jaxon Sherrell converted a huge first down on third-and-16 followed by Midgett who ran the ball to the 5-yard line. Hayden Quarles scrambled to the 2-yard line and Sherrell took it in for the 13-0 early lead after the PAT failed.
It wasn’t a good day for the Owls’ offense as on its next possession, Tiger Baus Wood II recovered another fumble for DeKalb, starting a successful drive with running by Midgett, Sherrell and Hayden Quarles. On second-and-goal Midgett scurried into the end zone again and Sherrell added the PAT for a commanding 20-0 lead.
The Tigers weren’t finished scoring in the first half yet as Sherrell scored once more in dramatic fashion, dodging tackles to send the Tigers into the break with a 26-0 lead over the Owls.
In total, the Tigers were 23-for-205 yards in the first half alone, recovering two fumbles. Midgett led the stats board with 12-for-127.
The Owls finally got on the board with a good drive in the fourth quarter. With 3:52 left to play Owl Walter Hackett scored for 6 and Smith County converted for 2-points with a completed pass from Owl QB Collin Rigsby to Hackett for the final score of 26-8.
Junior Division
Smith County Owls 7
DeKalb County Tigers 6
It was a heartbreaking 1-point loss for the Junior Tigers Saturday as both teams battled well defensively in the low-scoring contest. Smith County pulled out a last-second win after a failed PAT earlier by the Tigers was the difference in the final tally.
With 31 seconds left on the clock, Cole Hackett found the end zone for the Owls, tying the game at 6-6. A successful PAT put them over the top for the win.
In a grueling first half, Ryan Lyons and Jon Hendrix played both sides of the field well, going into the locker room at the break knotted at 0-0.
Lyons, Hendrix and J T Summers were successful moving the ball for first downs, but neither team had many scoring opportunities due to stand-up defense like Tigers Cole McMillen sack of Smith’s QB.
Hendrix put the Tigers into scoring position in the third quarter with a big first-down run at the 5:40 mark and a handoff to Nick Murphy proved successful as Murphy put DeKalb on the board for 6.
A penalty forced the Tigers into trying for the PAT from further out and they couldn’t quite break the plane. The penalty would come back to haunt them late in the game.

Senior Division
Smith County Owls 22
DeKalb County Tigers 8
The DeKalb County Senior Tigers had a good start Saturday, scoring early in game play after QB Briz Trapp threw a touchdown pass to Gabe Hollingsworth for 6. Trapp took to the air again finding Malachi Trapp for the 2-point conversion, taking an early lead 8-0 over the Owls
The Owls came back however, and contained the Tigers for the rest of the ballgame, taking the 22-8 victory in the end.
The Junior Pro Tigers take to the field again this Saturday with more home-game action against the Cookeville Cavaliers. Games begin at VanHooser Field at 4 p.m.