The DeKalb County Tigers are going to the playoffs, making their way to the post season by blanking the Cumberland County Jets 42 to 0 in what amounted to a play-in game Friday night. Their reward – a trip to east Nashville this coming Friday to take on the fifth-ranked Maplewood Panthers.

The DeKalb County game was never in doubt Friday night as the Tigers celebrated senior night and their last regular season game by dealing the Jets its ninth loss of the year, their only win coming off a forfeit. The Tigers took the opening kickoff and drove the pigskin down the field, keeping it on the ground during the nine-play, 65-yard drive that culminated with a four yard run by Desmond Nokes at the 6:25 mark of the first quarter. The drive was bolstered by long runs by David Bradford who bulldozed his way for a 15-yard gain and quarterback Axel Aldino who scampered for 20-yard burst.

Cumberland County was unable to move the ball and had to punt it back to the Tigers who would again go on the march after taking over possession at their own 38. It was Aldino who led the drive, hitting Knowles and T.J. Alexander on passes before Bradford did the honors at the 55 second mark of the first quarter with a 15 yard run.

The next drive saw the only real gain the Jets had in the first half as Cumberland quarterback Trevor Parsons scrambled for 40 yards. However, that would be the only significant play and they were forced to punt again.

The Tigers would then use up most of the second quarter clock was a meticulous 13-play drive that saw a mix of runs by Nokes, Bradford and Tre Ladet, the longest rush on the time-consuming drive a 14-yard jaunt by Ladet. Bradford did the honors again with a 21 yard touchdown run at the 2:54 mark to make it 21-0. A last chance at more points in the first half ended with a missed field goal at the gun.

The Tigers continued their run in the third quarter as they took their first possession and pushed it down the field with Tre Ladet capping it at the 6:33 mark with a one-yard drive to make it 28-0. Things would only get worse for the Jets as a big kickoff return backfired when the return man fumbled and the ball was recovered by Alexander. The Tigers made their visitors pay just a couple of minutes later when Tre Ladet went seven yards for his second touchdown of the night making it 35-0 and leading to the running clock. The running clock rule allows the clock to run constantly as a mercy rule once there is a 35 point difference.

The Tigers would add on last score the total with 1:37 left in the game following another long drive capped by an Aldino to Grayson Redmon 14-yard pass.

The Tigers will take on Maplewood after the Panthers defeated the Tullahoma Wildcats in Nashville Friday night. The win gave Maplewood the top seed in the district. The loss means Tullahoma will play Livingston Academy who was upset by Macon County Friday night. Macon County moved to the second seed and will play Nolensville while top-seeded Stone Memorial will play host to Marshall County.