The DeKalb Middle School Saints football team had a rare two-game week last week, playing on the road in Macon County on Tuesday, before taking on Warren County during a day game in front of their schoolmates on Friday afternoon. The boys would fall in a tough defensive struggle against Macon, but would bounce back to claim their first win of the season on Friday.
The Saints traveled to Lafayette last Tuesday night to take on longtime foes, the Macon County Tigers. Annually the game seems to be a physical, defensive struggle and this year’s edition proved to be no different. DeKalb’s defense was stellar throughout the contest, but one big play for the Tigers proved to be the difference as the Saints’ offense seemed to be stuck in neutral all night.
Both teams were stingy in the first half as both teams were stymied offensively. Both teams’ front 5 held the offenses in check throughout the first half, highlighted by a Cooper Odom interception for the Saints to snuff out a Macon County drive.
It would take until just 43 seconds on the first half clock, and a Saints misfire, before either team could broach the scoreboard.
Deep in its own territory, DeKalb muffed a punt snap and turned the ball over to the Tigers on DeKalb’s 25-yard line. Macon County would break free on a 24-yard scamper before scoring on the next play to put the Tigers up. Their 2-point conversion was good, and the Saints went into the break, down 8-0.
Macon County would take its first drive of the second half down to the DeKalb 10-yard line, but the Blue and Red Defense would bow up and force a turnover on downs. Unfortunately though, Quarterback Preston Cantrell would get tackled in the endzone three plays later for a safety, putting the Tigers up 10-0.
Macon County looked like it might be wearing the Saints Defense down, driving all the way to the 2-yard line. However, on first and goal, Saints linebacker, Reed Midgett, forced and recovered a fumble to put the Saints offense back on the field to start the fourth quarter.
The Saints were able to get a first down on runs by Cantrell but could manage nothing else. DeKalb would get the ball one more time in the game but couldn’t score and Macon County was able to run out the clock, shutting DeKalb out, 10-0.
On Friday, the Saints hosted the Warren County Pioneers during a mid-day game with the student body in attendance. The Saints would get the ball first, starting at midfield, and looked to be set up for a scoring drive, but things soon fell apart.
Sticking to the ground game, the Saints would drive down to the Pioneer 27, where they would face a fourth and seven. Rolling the dice, QB Preston Cantrell attempted the first pass of the game, but it fell short of receiver Cooper Odom.
The Pioneers took over on downs and on their first play, a run broke loose for a 73-yard touchdown. Another carry was good for the 2-point conversion, and just like that the Pioneers were up 8-0 with 2:33 left in the first quarter.
The Saints would once again start the next drive in good position, at their own 45, and would drive to the Warren 40 before a couple of sacks would doom the possession.
A punt return to the Saints’ 48 had the Pioneers set up for more points on the board. They would drive down to the Saints’ 42, where a fumble ended with a Saints recovery at the 41. From there, it looked like DeKalb would finally get things going.
Runs by Domminic Williamson, Collin Donnell, and keeps by Cantrell, drove the ball deep into Pioneer territory. On a first and goal play from the 3-yard line, Cantrell called his own number and fumbled with Warren recovering at the three.
There, the Saints D-line stepped up and got DeKalb in the game. A Pioneer run was stuffed at the line, then another run was caught in the end zone for a safety. DMS was on the board, 8-2, with just 8 seconds left in the half.
With the safety, the Pioneers had to drop kick to the Saints, and Williamson would return the ball to the Warren County 20, with 6 seconds left in the half. There, Hayden Quarles hurled a pass and connected with Preston Taylor for the touchdown with 1 second left on the clock. Donnell took the ball in for the 2-point conversion and the Saints had flipped the game, 10-8.
In the second half, the Saints defense stepped up. Warren would get the ball at their own 44, but after a block in the back penalty, a pass was intercepted by Cantrell at the 50. DeKalb would not be able to do anything on the drive and would end up punting from the 46, but the air had been seemingly knocked out of the Pioneers. They would go three and out on their next possession.
It became a defensive struggle throughout the rest of the game. Each team would have three more possessions, but the Pioneers would have one last shot with 1:33 left in the game.
A Saints punt gave the Pioneers the ball at their own 17. With the clock as their enemy, Warren stuck to an air assault and after an incomplete, the Pioneers connected to the 41 yard line. From there another pass was thrown, but this time it was Reed Midgett who would come down with the ball, affectively ending the game with 43 second left to play.
The Saints would claim their first win of the season, 10-8, going 2-1 so far. They travel to Smith County this Thursday, August 24, to take on the Owls. Game time is at 6:30.
