On Sept. 14-15, the DCHS Lady Tigers attended the Franklin County Rebelette Classic Soccer Tournament. The tournament is an invitational event sponsored by Franklin County High School that featured eleven Varsity High Schools. The eleven teams were divided into three groups, with the Lady Tigers placed in group-C, along with La Vergne, Shelbyville, and Ooltewah.
On the first day, the Lady Tigers competed against Ooltewah High School and were able to come away with a 2-1 victory. Angeles Soto would score the team’s first point only six minutes into the game. Twelve minutes later, Jerica Braswell would get a goal with an assist by Soto.
Ooltewah would come closer with a goal 34 minutes into the game, but that was all the team could do, and the Lady Tigers would get the victory. DeKalb’s goalie, Jessica Billings, would have 12 saves during the match.
That same day, the Lady Tigers faced La Vergne in a game that overpowered the young DeKalb team. Soto and Morgan Odom would come away with the team’s only goals, compared to La Vergne’s seven. Billings would have 15 saves in the game. DeKalb would get the loss, 7-2, but the Lady Tigers finished second within their group.
On Sunday, the Lady Tigers competed against the second place team from group-A, which was Coffee County. The game would go back and forth, with Coffee County striking first 18 minutes into the game.
Soto would tie things up two minutes into the second half, but Coffee would take the lead again only five minutes later.
Soto would tie the game once more 15 minutes into the second half, but once again Coffee County would answer, getting a goal with 21 minutes left in the game. Turns out that would be the final score, and after a physical and challenging battle the Lady Tigers were defeated 3 -2. Billings would have 18 saves in the game.
Coach Dylan Kleparek said, "As a young and inexperienced team this tournament provided an opportunity to be challenged by larger AAA teams, and the Lady Tigers stepped up to the challenge and showed exceptional improvement."
On Sept. 17, the Lady Tigers were back at home, this time taking on York in what would turn out to be an impressive victory. The first three goals belonged to the Lady Tigers’ net threat, Soto, with goals coming eight minutes, 13 minutes, and 33 minutes into the game.
Jerica Braswell would come away with a goal just before the half ended, giving the Lady Tigers a 4-0 lead.
Soto would show no mercy in the second half, coming away with a goal with 20 minutes left in the game, and again with 10 minutes left. DeKalb looked to get a shutout, but with seven minutes left in the game, York would find the net. It was too little, too late however and DeKalb would get the win, 7-1. Billings would have seven saves in the game.
The Lady Tigers’ next game will be Thursday at White County.