The DeKalb County High School Tigers football team has been training hard and are looking to open their season this Friday Night as they host the Warren County Pioneers. The team was on the road last Friday, taking part in the Gordonsville Football Jamboree, where they played the Clay County Bulldogs.
According to Tigers Head Coach Steve Trapp, the team still has work to do, but is itching to get on the field for some real competition. “We played two quarters last Friday,” Coach Trapp explained. “The first quarter we played our varsity guys, while in the second quarter we played some of our younger guys. The first quarter ended up at 0-0, while our younger guys came in and scored twice with Juan Ortega coming in and making both of his extra points. At the end of the night we ended up winning 14-0.”
While the team is finished with their preseason activities, the players are ready for a real game against a quality opponent. “We’re just ready to play some real football,” Coach Trapp said. “Each scrimmage is different. We don’t do the preparation that we do for a real game. When we go into a scrimmage game, we’re not watching game film of the other opponent. It’s a good time for us to adjust on the fly.”
Coach Trapp said there will be more intensity at the opening season game. “With preparation, it’s a lot different. When we get into that first week, and we’re watching film. There may be things that the other team can throw at you that you haven’t seen, but we’ll get our guys locked in. It’s a process, and we’re getting better each and every day.”
“Our group is a good group,” Trapp continued. “We have a lot of good kids playing, and they’re going to be okay because they are going to work hard for us.”
“Friday night we’ll be ready to open our season. We’re excited, the kids are excited, and we’re ready to play some football that is meaningful. The first game of the year is used as a springboard. If you come out and play well, you can earn a victory base off of how you prepared and how you practiced, it can springboard you with a lot of motivation towards the season.”
“If it doesn’t go your way, it doesn’t mean the season is over. It means you’ve got to continue to work, something you do either way it goes. We expect Warren County to come up and play hard. It’s going to be a great atmosphere. They have a lot of great fans and we do on our side as well.”
Coach Trapp said the Tigers are for the most part healthy, with one minor exception. “We have no major injuries, but Juan Ortega broke a bone in his hand playing as a running back during a scrimmage against Gordonsville. The injury hasn’t affected his kicking game, and he should continue as kicker, but other than that, knock on wood, we’re pretty healthy.”
The coaching staff at DCHS are dedicated to the program, and they, along with some parents, showed just how much they care about DeKalb County Football last week. The coaches and parents had to help repair some storm damage inflicted on the field a couple of weeks ago.
“A couple of Saturdays ago, a storm lifted up our ticket booth and destroyed it,” Coach Trapp explained. “In order for us to get it built back for our home opener, the school was able to get us the supplies for us, and we were able to get it built back for our first game. If we tried to hire it out, it might not have happened in time, so us coaches and some parents got together and were able to get it done.”
The Tigers open their season this Friday at home starting at 7:00 p.m.
