The DeKalb Middle School Saints played their last game of the season last Thursday, taking on Cornerstone in what would become a hard-fought defensive struggle. While the Saints’ hopes for the post-season have long since faded, the team has shown improvement, and is already looking to next year.
Right from the beginning of the game it was clear that defense on both sides were going to be strong. The Yellowjackets got the ball first, and the Saints’ D held them to a three-and-out.
On DeKalb’s first possession things looked promising. The Saints fielded the ball at the Cornerstone 44-yard line and with the running of Paxton Butler and Jessie Smith were able to take the ball into Yellowjackets’ territory. But, from Cornerstone’s 43, a fumble, recovered by the Saints, followed by a sack on DeKalb quarterback Tyler Cantrell, stalled the drive. Things were made worse when during the Saints’ punt, a fumbled snap gave Cornerstone the ball at DeKalb’s 18.
The Yellowjackets would capitalize on the Saints’ miscues. Facing a fourth and three from DeKalb’s 12-yard line, Cornerstone would go for it, and get the first down at the Saints’ four. The next play, Cornerstone would be in for six as the buzzer for the end of the first quarter sounded. A run for the two-point conversion was stopped by the Saints’ defense, but the Yellowjackets took the led, 6-0.
As the second quarter began DeKalb took the ball at their own 37-yard line, but an off-sides penalty backed them up right off the bat. The Saints would drive to the 40, but Cornerstone would hold them to a three-and-out.
The Saints’ D would hold Cornerstone to only one yard on their next possession, and as DeKalb’s offense came back onto the field, once again penalties and dropped passes stalled the drive. The three-and-out defenses would dominate the rest of the half, with neither offense able to move the ball.
As the second half began, the Saints came out with their best opportunity of the ballgame. Starting at the Cornerstone 42, the Saints were finally able to move the ball. Then, a Cantrell pass was deflected by a Yellowjackets’ defender into the arms of Butler, who took the ball down to Cornerstone’s 13-yard line. Runs by Butler and Smith would drive the ball down to the three-yard line, where the Saints would face a fourth and an inch. The Saints elected to go for the touchdown, but a common problem with the team reared its head once again. A bad snap led to a quarterback sack at the seven, and the Yellowjackets took over on downs.
The Saints’ D would again come out and hold Cornerstone for no yards, but the DeKalb offense would not get so close to the end zone for the rest of the game.
The fourth quarter would be more of the same, with three-and-outs by both offenses. The Saints could not get a drive going and a series of dropped passes and fumbled snaps, kept Saints’ QB Cantrell running for his life.
"It goes back to executing," Coach Tadd Webb told the Review after the game. "We didn’t execute when we needed to, when we had the opportunity. Like I told the boys, the 2013 season is over, the 2014 season is just upon us. So, we’ve just got to get back to work."
When asked what kind of preparations the team will be implementing for next year’s season, Coach Webb said the team will take advantage of the weight room. "We’ll definitely be in the weight room. We got the weight room program started last year. We got started kind of late, but it’s something we’re going to instill. I think it’s going to be beneficial to us in the long run."
Coach Webb said he hopes to see many of his eighth-graders back on the field next year, this time in black and gold. "We had seventeen eighth-graders this year that stuck it out with us. I think they’ll end up at the high school, continuing the tradition that’s being built."