It’s playoff time in Smithville as the DeKalb County Tigers took care of business Friday night by capping Cumberland County’s woeful season at 0-10 while ensuring a home playoff game by blasting the Jets in Crossville 41-6.
With the win, the Tigers take a second place finish in the region, finishing with a 6-4 overall record and at 3-1 in the region, losing only to top-seeded Livingston Academy, 31-0 earlier in the season. Livingston capped their undefeated regular season Friday night, blowing out Macon County 42-6, leaving Macon third in the region. DeKalb claimed second by topping Macon two weeks ago with a come from behind 26-13 win.
Their foe Friday night in the first round of the playoffs at VanHooser Stadium will be the 7-3 Tullahoma Wildcats. The Wildcats claimed third in their region by crushing Maplewood, 35-0 Friday night, plunging the Nashville – area team to fourth in the district, condemning them to play Livingston Academy in the first round. Meanwhile, Macon will be playing Nolensville in their first round while Stone Memorial, who took the last spot in the region will play Marshall County to open and likely close their playoffs.
The Tigers secured second in the region and their home playoffs game in dominant style as they followed up on their 42-0 crushing of Cumberland last season. The Tigers struck first and held the lead from start to finish. Their first touchdown came last in the first quarter when quarterback Axel Aldino hit Evan Jones in the end zone with a 14-yard touchdown pitch. The Jets then fumbled on their own 29, giving the Tigers a short field. Running back Nathaniel Crook did the honors with a one-yard touchdown dive to make it 14-0 at the end of one.
Cumberland had their lone score midway through the second quarter when Ronald Martin dashed 27 yards on his home field for a touchdown. The elation quickly disappeared as the Jets failed on an onside attempt, again giving the Tigers a short field. Crook again did the honors with a nine-yard run last in the second.
The next Tiger score came in the second thanks to another special teams miscue by the Jets when they had a punt blocked. The short field allowed Aldino to take a shot to Tyzaun Ladet, the two connecting for a 29-yard touchdown.
The hits kept coming in the fourth as the Tigers went on a long drive, culminating with a 17 yard touchdown toss from Aldino to Isaac Knowles. Aldino then did it himself for the final score of the night, scampering 43 yards to fix the final at 41-6.
Kickoff for Friday night’s game in Smithville as they play host to Tullahoma is 7 p.m.