For the second week in a row the DeKalb County High School Tigers football team was on the road facing another Tigers team. Last week DeKalb traveled to longtime border rival Watertown to take on a tough Purple Tigers team. The black and gold had high hopes before the game, but things wouldn’t go their way.

Things started out well, and it looked as if DeKalb had the momentum early. Watertown would get the ball first, and starting from their own 25 they would fall one yard short of a first down before having to punt.

DeKalb would start at their own 30 and would soon be driving down the field. However, the first play of the drive would foreshadow things to come. A bad snap resulted in Quarterback Briz Trapp being sacked back at the 24. A pass to Isaac Knowles on the next play gained the yards back, then another pass to Knowles, coupled with a pass interference call, gave DeKalb the ball at the 45.

Another Knowles reception was good at the Watertown 47, then another high snap ended with Trapp down at the 45. With a third and inches, Colby Barnes was handed the ball up the middle to the 44 and a first down. Barnes would gain four more on the next play, then after yet another high snap Barnes managed to move the ball to the 34 and a first down.

A pass to Knowles took the ball to the 14, then Barnes powered his way down to the nine. A Trapp keep gained one more yard, then a pass to Knowles was stopped back at the 10. Deciding to go for it on fourth down, Trapp was caught back at the 19, turning the ball over to Watertown.

Fired up over the stop, this time Watertown gained momentum and quickly moved down the field. After an incomplete pass, Lance Fripp caught the ball down at the 21, then a pass to Bret Price was good to the 39. An Adam Cooper run took the ball to the DeKalb 47, then another was good to the 35. Kwame Seay was handed the ball for a run to the 30, then another was good to the 26. On a third and one, a pass was tipped at the line giving Watertown a fourth down, but an off sides penalty gave them new life.

A Brayden Cousino keeper was good to the 14 as the first quarter came to a close, then a pass to Kaiden West was good to the two. Cooper was handed the ball next, in for the touchdown. The PAT was good and with 11:40 left in the half Watertown was up 7-0.

DeKalb seemed flustered on their next possession and mental mistakes doomed the drive. Starting at their own 37, a pass to Austin Nicholson was good to the 41, but then Trapp had to run for his life in the backfield and would be caught with an intentional grounding call at the 28. A pass to Nathaniel Crook was only good to the 30, and DeKalb decided to punt. On the punt a false start would back the Tigers up even more. The punt was finally off, and Watertown would start their next drive at their own 43.

The DeKalb defense held strong and Watertown would only gain eight yards before having to punt themselves. DeKalb would return to their own 29, but again penalties plagued the drive. On the first play a hold would back the Tigers up again, then a pass to Knowles was good to the 25. Another throw to Knowles would go over his head, but a pass to Barnes was good to the 37. Facing a fourth and two, a false start backed the Tigers up five more and DeKalb punted.

It was then that DeKalb looked to have some good luck. On the first play, a pass to Kaiden West was complete, but fumbled with Knowles recovering the ball and taking it down to the five yard line. With a first and goal, Knowles was handed the ball and was in for six. The PAT went wide right, but the Tigers were on the board 7-6 with 6:13 left in the half.

Watertown started their next drive at their own 35, and after a stuffed run and an incomplete, a deep pass to Brady Watts was good all the way down to the DeKalb five. There the DeKalb D-line toughened up and held Watertown to a field goal try. The kick was good, and with 2:45 left in the half Watertown was up 10-6.

DeKalb started their next possession at their own 24, but like before, bad snaps would disrupt their momentum. On a fourth down they would punt, giving Watertown the ball at their 37.

With only 30 seconds left in the half, Watertown mounted their hurry-up offense and quickly moved down the field. A Cooper run was good to the 50, then another was good to the DeKalb 29. There the drive stalled and with only 3 seconds left the Purple Tigers attempted a long field goal try. The kick was up and hit the goal post cross bar, bouncing backwards. The score remained 10-6.

DeKalb got the ball to start the second half, and began from their own 22. A Trapp carry, along with a chop penalty on Watertown, put the ball on the 37, then a Crook run was good to the 49. Another high snap was managed by Trapp, with Crook running to the Watertown 42, then yet another high snap disrupted the play with Crook gaining only one.

The Tigers got fancy on the next play with a reverse handoff to Knowles giving DeKalb a first down at the 39. A Crook run took the ball to the 25, then a pass to Silas Cross fell incomplete. Crook was given the ball again, but a fumble resulted in DeKalb falling on the ball at the 36. On a fourth down play, a pass to Knowles was broken up, giving Watertown the ball.

It would take only one play to make DeKalb pay. Adam Cooper was handed the ball, who ran it all the way down for a touchdown. With the extra point Watertown was up 17-6.

DeKalb started their next drive at their own 38 and mental mistakes continued. A false start backed them up five, then Trapp was sacked back at the 20. A low pass to Knowles was complete to the 32, then another pass intended for Knowles was intercepted by Lance Fripp. Fripp fumbled the ball but Watertown fell on it at the DeKalb 30.

Again they made the Tigers pay. A pass to Kayden Seay was complete to the 25, then another was good to the nine. Kwame Seay ran the ball to the five, then Cousino kept the ball himself for a touchdown. The PAT was good and Watertown took a 24-6 lead with 4:15 left in the third.

The DeKalb Tigers would get back in the game on their next drive. Starting at their own 29, a pass to John Ellis was deflected, then a carry by Crook was good to the 42. Trapp took a sack at the 39 on the next play, but another Crook carry was good to the Watertown 49. Next, Crook gained a first down at the 47, then a Trapp keeper, aided by a personal foul on the Purple Tigers, gave Dekalb the ball at the 29. Another high snap ended with a keeper to the 25, then another high snap went over Trapp’s head to the 35. Another bad snap ended with a targeting call against Watertown, then a pass to Knowles was good to the 24.

As the fourth quarter began, a pass to Knowles was good to the 0ne, then Crook took it in for a touchdown. A high snap doomed a conversion attempt, but DeKalb cut the lead 24-12 with 11:40 left to play.

Watertown would start at their own 40 on the next drive, and would push down to the DeKalb 28 before being stopped. There another long field goal attempt was tried, with the ball going wide.

DeKalb would start to move downfield after they took over, driving to the Watertown 40, where on a third and eight a Trapp pass was intercepted by Kayden Seay and run all the way in for a touchdown. With the PAT, Watertown took a 31-12 lead with 6:36 left to play.

DeKalb wouldn’t give up however, and on the kickoff Cross returned to the Tigers’ 34. There, a Crook run was good to the 38, then a perfect deep pass to Knowles was good down to the end zone. Knowles was given the ball again on the two-point attempt and was once again across the line. DeKalb cut the lead again 31-20 with 5:53 left on the clock.

Any celebration would be short-lived however. After an onside kick, Watertown began at their own 48. Kwame Seay was handed the ball and went all the way. The extra point was good, and just like that Watertown was up 38-20.

DeKalb would get the ball at their own 38, but the clock was against them. They took to the air to try to make a quick score, and would push to the Watertown 39, where the drive would stall. On a fourth down play, Trapp was sacked at the 50.

Watertown would run down the clock and take the 38-20 win.

The Tigers will return home this Friday, to take on the Cumberland County Jets.