The Saints came away with a win last Thursday evening, while hosting the DeKalb Middle School/DeKalb West School Eighth Grade/Homecoming Night. The team needed a victory, after going on the road the previous week and falling in a 36-0 shutout against Macon County. It would be a sloppy game on both sides of the field, but in the end, strategy and clock management would secure the victory.

DeKalb faced off against the Smith County Owls in the game, and the Owls would get the ball first. On the kickoff, the Saints kicked out of bounds, giving the ball to the Owls at the 35.

On the first play, a Smith County run would net nearly 10 yards, giving them a second and inches, but a bad snap would result in a sack back at the 36. After an incomplete pass, Smith County would be forced to punt, with the Saints returning to their own 47.

DeKalb's first possession would see the Saints pound the ball down the field, looking for points. Axel Aranda was handed the ball first, gaining six yards to the 41. Then it was Ty Webb's turn, running the ball down to the Smith County 25. Aranda would gain five more on the next run, then, after an incomplete pass, Quarterback Jordan Parker called his own number and ran it up to the 13. A pass to Andre Dakas on the next play took it down to the seven, then a keeper up the middle was good for a touchdown. A bad snap on the extra point attempt doomed the play, but the Saints were up 6-0 with 3:13 left in the first quarter.

The Saints looked to be in control of the game, but the Owls next possession would show DeKalb was still sporting some bad habits. The kickoff had Smith County at their own 42. On the first play, Owls QB Kaden Powell ran right up the middle, all the way to the end zone. With a successful two-point conversion, the Owls took the 8-6 lead with 2:56 left in the first.

It looked as if momentum was on the Smith County side of the field, and DeKalb's next possession almost confirmed it. On the kickoff, Parker returned the ball to midfield. There, a bad snap resulted in Parker falling on the ball back at the 39. On the next play, Parker bobbled another bad snap before getting a pass off to Dakas, who took it to the 43. A handoff to Aranda would take it to the 47, and then, on a fourth and 13, the Saints decided to go for it. The pass play was intercepted by the Owls at their own 36.

Things looked to be going the Owls' way, but their next drive revealed their own set of mistakes. Smith County's Jaeden Evans ran for nine yards to the 45, then a fumbled handoff Arnoldo Ortiz-Silva was recovered by the Owls, but back at the 39. The next play, QB Powell fumbled and this time the Saints recovered at the Smith County 34.

The Saints were in prime position to take back the lead, but penalties would set them back. On first down, a holding pushed DeKalb back to the 44. Dakas gained some yardage back on the next play, getting to the 41, then three incomplete pass attempts gave the ball back to the Owls.

The game then became a defensive match with neither side able to move the ball. The Owls netted just one yard before punting the ball back to the Saints. Then, the Saints drive would be stalled again by a fumble that would back the team up.

The Owls started their next drive at their own 32, with 2:13 on the clock, and were looking to score again before the end of the first half. A carry took the ball to the 39, then a keeper gave them a first and 10 at the 45. A run by Wyatt Claywell took the ball into DeKalb territory, at the 45, but a sack backed them up to the 48. After an incomplete, another run by Evans had them down to the 28, with 20 seconds left. A keeper pushed the ball down to the 13, then another keeper looked to score, but DeKalb tackled him at the three yard line. It was too little, too late as time expired.

The Saints got the ball at the beginning of the third quarter, but sloppy play was still with them. Starting at their own 42, a run went for no gain, then a keeper got them to the 47. Then, a fumbled handoff resulted in the Owls getting the ball at the Saints 49.

A long pass to Evans looked to be more point for the Owls, but a holding penalty negated the play. They would move to the Saints 45, but a sack backed them up again. On a fourth and nine play, Smith County went for it and the Saints stopped them at the Owls' 49.

The defensive stand seemed to breath new life into the Saints, and the offense would then make them pay. After a Webb carry netted one yard, Parker kept the ball and ran it to the 37. The next play, it was Parker again, this time taking it in for six points. A two-point pass play fell incomplete, but the Saints regained the lead, 12-8 with 2:06 left in the third quarter. 

Smith County was down, but by no means out. On the kickoff, the Owls began at their own 45. A keeper on the first play, swapped the field, taking the ball to the Saints' 45, then, DeKalb looked to have a sack on the next play, but a facemask call resulted in Smith County ball at the 34. A pass to Evans took the ball down to the 12 as the third quarter ended.

As play resumed, a Smith County run took the ball to the eight, but a completed pass to Evans on the next play was stopped for a big loss at the 16. On a fourth down play, the Owls rolled the dice, and the pass play fell incomplete. The Saints D-line held them off.

The Saints took over on downs, but it looked as if disaster was about to strike. On the first play from the 16, a handoff to Webb was fumbled and the Owls recovered at the 15. Just like that, it was back on the Saints defense to hold the line.

DeKalb was up for the task. On first down Evans was tackled for a four-yard loss, then a keep netted just half a yard. Then, Ortiz-Silva was tackled in the backfield, back at the 25. On fourth down, a pass in the end zone was broken up, and DeKalb took over.

The Saints next drive was supposed to be simple, run the ball and milk the clock with under 3:50 left in the game. Parker kept the ball two plays and took it down to the 40. Then, another keeper resulted in a fumble, with the Owls recovering at the 48 with 2:32 left to play.

A carry gained one yard for the Owls, then a keeper gave Saints fans a scare. QB Powell kept the ball and looked to be in for six, but he was hit at the three yard line, fumbling the ball with the Saints recovering.

With the clock running down, the Saints once again went into clock management mode. After running three plays, and taking the clock down to 30 seconds, the Saints purposely took a safety, giving the Owls two points. Smith County would get the ball back at the 45, but would only be able to run two plays before time expired. The Saints took a 12-10 victory.

"I thought our defensive side looked much improved," Head Coach Justine Poteete told the Smithville Review. "They had one guys that could hurt us, the quarterback, and we let him get loose a time or two, but the physicality was much better."

Offensively, we've got to fine tune some things. Our left guard and left tackle, we should be able to run behind them all night against anybody, and at least get three or four. We're not getting that right now. We'll go back to work, it's a short week, and play a good Trousdale team."