By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Saints Fall to Owls
Saints
Quarterback Jesse Foutch shows some stiff arm action as he weaves through the Smith County defense.
Saints
Running back Cecil Ketchum hurdles an Owl as the Saints faced Smith County during homecoming.
Saints
The Saints faced the Owls during their homecoming celebration last week.

It would be a tough night for the DeKalb Middle School Saints football team last Thursday, despite the celebration of homecoming before the game. The team was hosting the Smith County Owls, and would fall behind late in the second quarter and never recover.

The Owls won the toss but elected to receive to start the game. With a kick out of bounds, Smith would have good field position, but hindered by a false start right off the bat, they would actually lose a yard before being forced to punt.

The Saints wouldn’t do much better. Starting at their own 25, a bad snap on the first play backed the Saints up to their own 17. A keeper by Jesse Foutch would get back to the 24, then a pass to J.T. Summers was good to the 28. Facing a fourth down, they would also punt.

Neither team would find a first down through most of the first quarter. The Owls would start their next possession at their own 45, but go to a fourth down with no gain.

After a punt, DeKalb started at their own 11, where a Foutch keep took the Saints to the 13, then a Cecil Ketchum run was good to the 19. A keeper on the next play was good to the 24, but a holding call negated the run. On a third and 11, Ketchum ran to the 28, gaining the game’s first first down. Summers would carry next for a run to the 40 as the first quarter came to an end.

A keeper on the next play had the Saints in Owl territory for the first time in the game, down at the 46. A Summers carry was stopped at the line, then another Foutch keep netted only one yard. On a third and nine, Foutch called his number and was good to the 37, but a hold killed the gain. Now with a third and 20, another bad snap ended with Foutch falling on the ball back at the DeKalb 35. The Saints would again have to punt.

This time the Owls would make them pay. The punt gave Smith the ball at their own 49, then a keeper was good to the DeKalb 35. A pass play was good to the 31, then a run gave the Owls a first down at the 20. A holding call backed Smith up to the 30 on the next play, but then a quarterback keep took the ball to the end zone. A flea flicker play resulted in a two-point conversion and with 2:53 left in the half, the Owls took the 8-0 lead.

Things would only get worse for the Saints. Starting their next possession at their own 43, Foutch was nearly sacked before being able to throw the ball away. A Ketchum run on the next play was stuffed at the line, then another keeper was caught back at the 40. Facing a fourth and 13, again the Saints punted.

It wouldn’t take long for the Owls to take advantage. Starting at their own 29, a passing play took the ball to the DeKalb 46. There, a keep was good to the 25, then a run was good to the 20. A passing play was broke up by Ketchum, then a false start backed the Owls up to the 25. There, another pass was good in the end zone, with only 24 seconds left in the half. Ketchum would break up a pass for a two point try, but Smith was up, 14-0.

The Saints would receive to start the second half, but their woes would continue. Starting with good field position at their own 48, a keeper was stopped in the backfield at the 46. A Ketchum run took the ball to midfield, then another Foutch keep was good to the 38, but an unnecessary roughness call put them back at the Owl’s 49. Foutch would again run it himself on the next play, taking the ball to the 38, but then a fumble by Ketchum resulted in Smith falling on the ball at the 42.

Again, it wouldn’t take long for the Owls to add to the scoreboard. A run was good to the DeKalb 48, then another was stopped back at the Smith 45. The next play saw the Owls’ QB run it in for six. Another two-point try failed, but the Owls were up 20-0 with 4:14 left in the third.

The Saints just could never get going and a false start and a hold on their next possession doomed the drive.

After a punt, the Owls would start again at their own 49, where three runs in a row would get them down to the DeKalb 33. As the fourth quarter began, a pass on the next play was good to the 24, where another pass was caught in the end zone. A fumbled snap on a two-point try ended with no points, but Smith held a 26-0 lead with 7:32 left to play.

That’s where the score would stay. DeKalb would have a couple more possessions but false starts and incomplete passes would doom the drives. The Owls would take the 26-0 win.

The Saints travel to White County next Thursday, playing at the same time as the DCHS Tiger’s rare Thursday game against Macon County.