The DeKalb County High School Tigers football team finally got on the win column last week during an away game against White County. Before the game, White County prayed and asked for a good game with sportsmanship on both sides of the ball, but as the players took to the field, the AAA team found it hard to practice what they preached.

The mid-September game felt more like October, with cool evening temperatures and low humidity for the first time all season. In the Warrior’s minds, the game with the Tigers was a mere formality, and the trash talking began just after the coin toss. But the Tigers had come to play, and play they did.

The Warriors received the ball first and promptly began moving it down the field. On the kickoff, White County returned to the Warrior’s 47-yard-line, but a personal foul penalty moved them to the DeKalb 39. The Warriors went eight plays, but found real estate hard to come by. With a fourth and two, on the DeKalb 22, White County went for it. Joey Moon broke up the pass play, and the Tigers took over on downs.

DeKalb also found that gaining ground in the game would be a battle. Keeping mostly to the air, the Tigers managed one first down before the drive stalled at their own 40, and they were forced to punt.

The Tigers’ defense played with an intensity that was missing from previous games, and looked to hold the Warriors to a three-and-out, but on the punt, A.J. Mooneyham touched the ball but could not secure it. The live ball was recovered by White County at the DeKalb 22.

White County wasted no time, with a running play setting them up at the DeKalb one-yard-line. The next play, a quarterback keeper by Trenton Hodges, was in for six. The extra point was good and the Warriors were up 7-0, with 2:33 left in the first quarter.

The Tigers were not about to just roll over however, and mounted a scoring drive of their own. The kickoff had DeKalb starting their possession with the ball on their own 23. Moving into the second quarter, Quarterback Steven Jennings used his entire arsenal on the drive, with runs by Mooneyham and Luke Boss, and passes to Lane Ball, Dalton Halfmann, and Aaron Patterson.

From the White County 42, Jennings threw a long pass to Jonathon Munoz. The pass was incomplete, but the Warriors were called for pass interference, and set the Tigers up at the 27. Two plays later, Jennings found Halfmann in the end zone for six. Matthew Poss’ kick was good for the point after and the score was tied 7-7, with 11:15 left in the half.

The Tiger D-line was up for the challenge again, and held the Warriors to another three-and-out on their next possession. DeKalb would not capitalize on the stop however, and after six plays the Warriors took over on downs at their own 34.

Again, White County made a quick move for points. The Warriors went four plays to the Tiger 43. Then the ball was handed to the hard-running Seth Davis, who ran it all the way in for a touchdown. With the extra point, White County regained the lead, 14-7 with 4:25 left in the half.

On their next possession, the Tigers moved to their own 41 before being forced to punt. The Warriors were backed up to their own 16 and looked to increase their lead before halftime. Another first down moved White to the 27, then a big sack by Devin Zaderiko backed the Warriors up, third and 26 from their own 14. The Warriors got back to the 20, but would be forced to punt.

With 1:09 left in the half, the Tigers then showed some real fire and that they were there to play football. Led by Jennings, the team worked the clock to move down field. Starting at their own 26, the Tigers looked to go three-and-out. With a third and 10, Jennings called his own number and got a first down at the 38. A pass to Boss was good to the 47, then a pass to Munoz was complete to the White County 48. The following play, a pass to Patterson, was good for a first down at the one-yard-line with only seconds left on the clock. After spiking the ball, another pass to Mooneyham was good in the end zone as the halftime buzzer sounded. Poss’ extra point was good, and again the game was tied at halftime.

The Tigers got the ball to start the second half, and they picked up right where they had left off. Poss returned the kickoff to the Tigers’ 27, and from there DeKalb hit the Warriors with a ground attack. On the legs of Boss, coupled with keepers by Jennings, DeKalb went nine plays to the White County 10-yard-line. Then, a chop block backed the Tigers up to the 26, but a pass to Munoz got the yards back, setting up a second and goal from the 11. A pass to Ball gave the Tigers a third and goal from the five, then an option to Boss was good for a touchdown. The extra point was good and DeKalb took the 21-14 lead with 6:37 left in the third.

The next series of possessions was a game of defense on both sides. The Warriors started their next drive from their own 28, and the D-line was good for another three-and-out. The punt gave the Tigers the ball on their own 32, but DeKalb would go only three plays themselves before having to punt. Starting at there own 31, White County went three plays to the 50, then coughed up the ball with a fumble. DeKalb recovered at their own 46, but would not be able to move the ball, going only two yards before again having to punt.

White County’s next possession took them into the fourth quarter, and with a first down, moved to the DeKalb 43. Going for it on a fourth and seven, a pass fell incomplete and DeKalb took over on downs.

It was on this drive that Jennings made a mental error for the Tigers. After two runs by Boss set the Tigers up at the White 32, an ill-advised pass was thrown by Jennings, and intercepted by the Warriors at the one.

The Warriors looked to take advantage, and moved 13 plays to the DeKalb 45. There a delay penalty backed them up to midfield, and facing a fourth and 12 the Warriors again went for it. Joseph Pack made a big defensive play, getting a sack and giving the Tigers the ball at the 43.

Crippled by a holding penalty, the Tigers could not move the ball, and were forced to punt. White County returned to their own 11, three plays later came the most controversial play of the game. On a third and seven from their own 13, Warriors QB Hodges threw a long pass that was intercepted by Munoz. But as Munoz came down, officials said that he fumbled the ball, which was recovered by the Warriors and run in for a touchdown. A successful two-point conversion put White County up 22-21 with 2:01 left in the game.

It was then that the poise and skill of the Tiger offense really came through. The kickoff gave DeKalb the ball at their own 22, and from there Jennings opened up the air attack. Jennings connected with Michael Hale and Munoz before a keeper took the Tigers to the Warriors’ 21. A run up the middle by Boss pushed the Tigers to the 10-yard-line, then another to the three. A Jennings keeper gained a yard with only seconds left in the game, then a pass to Austin Brown was good for gold with 15 seconds left on the clock. The extra point kick was deflected, but DeKalb was up, 27-22.

The kickoff left only seven seconds on the clock, and a desperation throw by the Warriors ended the game with an interception by Jennings. The Tigers took their first victory of the season.

"Our guys came out with a chip on their shoulder," Coach Steve Trapp told the Review. "We came out with more intensity and mental focus. This was a great game for us to pull out in the end. It’s going to do so much for our psyche. The first few weeks have been tough. It was a good ball game, against a good opponent."

The Tigers travel to Cannon County next Friday to take on the Lions. Game time is at 7 p.m.