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Monsoon forces delay of Saints game
DMS loses in 26-20 tilt Saturday
monsoon run
Running back Ari White pushes for the endzone through blinding rain as a monsoon descended on the DeKalb Middle School Saints’ season opener Thursday night. - photo by Duane Sherrill

The DeKalb Middle School Saints kicked off their home opener Thursday night with a huge 50-yard dash by quarterback Briz Trapp which saw the defending conference champions take an early 6-0 lead. . However, the lead and the game under the Thursday night lights was short-lived as the skies opened up just minutes into the contest, the resulting monsoon forcing postponement of the contest against Trousdale until Saturday evening.

Part two of the game was not as good to the Saints as they fell to Trousdale 26-20 to drop their record on the season to 1-2. They now look at a must-win conference game against Overton County tomorrow night if they plan to make a run at back-to-back titles, the key matchup coming on homecoming evening.

“We came back from the delay on our heels and they made us pay,” Saints Coach Justin Poteete admitted of his team’s performance once the game resumed Saturday evening under much better weather conditions.

monsoon coach
Coach Justin Poteete yells out instructions through the wind and rain. - photo by Duane Sherrill

The Saints had traded scores with Trousdale Thursday night with the guests answering DeKalb’s early score even as the wind and rain pounded VanHooser Stadium, prompting fans to run for cover. Lightning in the area eventually prompted postponement of the contest.

While digging themselves a whole in the early going Saturday, the Saints stepped up in the latter stages of the game. “We started showing more physically in the fourth quarter,” the coach said, noting there was a chance to tie or take the lead late in the game. However, the Saints were unable to punch into the endzone from the 7-year-line.

Despite the loss, Poteete is proud of his team’s resilience. “The kids didn’t give up and kept fighting,” the coach said.

Poteete noted that the two conference losses now on the table after their loss last week to Smith County, means the Saints will have to play complete games if they want to be around in the playoffs.

“At the end of the day we have to play hard and physical the entire game,” he said. “We can’t turn it on and off if we want to be in contention at the end of the season.

Homecoming kickoff is at VanHooser Stadium at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Homecoming festivities begin before the game at 6 p.m.