The Tigers are heading to Marshall County this week after dispatching the Tullahoma Wildcats in a shootout Friday night in the first round of the state playoffs, notching their fourth post-season win ever with a 45-34 victory on a frozen evening at VanHooser stadium.

The second round matchup against the top-seeded Marshall County squad comes as they were able to dismantle Stone Memorial 39-8, the same Stone team DeKalb beat on the road 36-0 earlier this season. The winner of that game will take on the winner of the Livingston Academy versus Nolensville tilt as the top seeds on either side of the playoff bracket held served in the first round.

While the game with the Tullahoma Wildcats first appeared to be shaping up to be a defensive struggle as the temperatures plunged into the 20s and neither team able to score in the first quarter, all it took was some priming for both teams to begin ringing up the scoreboard. Tullahoma struck first on the second play of the second quarter with a 3-yard dash by Jakobe Thomas that culminated a 71-yard drive.

DeKalb didn’t wait long to match their visitors as they converted a fourth down on the Tullahoma two when quarterback Axel Aldino lobbed a touchdown pass to Desmond Nokes to complete a 63-yard drive. The connection would be a harbinger of things to come as both players had career nights, both with four touchdowns.

Defense set up the next Tiger touchdown when Tyzaun Ladet out jumped the Wildcat wide out and intercepted a pass to thwart Tullahoma at the Tiger 28. Aldino then hit Nokes for their second TD connection of the night with 2:29 left in the quarter, the bomb going for 70 yards.

The hits just kept on coming; however, it took Tullahoma less than half a minute to knot the score at 14 when quarterback Ben Fulton threw up a jump ball to Thomas which the star wide out hauled in over a DeKalb defender, taking it to the house for a 55-yard TD.

The scoring wasn’t done for the half as Nokes brought out the ensuing kickoff to midfield, setting up a short drive that ended when Aldino found a wide open Ladet in the end zone for a 30-yard strike.

After catching their breath at half-time, they were back at it again with Tullahoma getting the first score with a burst up the gut by running back Brian Nelms.

Two minutes later the Tigers were back in business with another Aldino to Nokes hookup, this time for 30 yards.

Nokes then continued his career day with a one-yard touchdown run to complete an 82-yard DeKalb drive to give his squad a two touchdown lead going into the fourth.

Tullahoma wouldn’t go away; however as they drew to within seven when Thomas dashed in from seven yards out at the 10:53 mark of the fourth.

Then, in something that hasn’t happened all year, the Tigers elected to try for a field goal at the 4:21 mark to make it a two score game. Alan Munoz split the uprights on the 22-yarder. It was on the ensuing kickoff that the game was likely decided as a squib kick by Munoz bounced off a Wildcat and the Tigers recovered. The honors in putting the game out of reach went to running back Nathaniel Crook, who, after rushing for over 200 yards against Crossville last week, pounded his way into the end zone from 16 yards out to make it 45-28 with 2:53 left.

Tullahoma was able to strike quick with Thomas hauling in a Fulton pass just 40 seconds later, but they were unable to recover an on side’s kick which allowed the Tigers to go into victory formation and savor the win.