On Saturday the DeKalb County Tiger soccer team kicked of their season hosting a playday tournament that included four other teams Cannon, Macon,White and Warren counties.
In the tournament each team would face off against each other, the two teams with the highest point total would play for the championship in a playoff round. If a team won they would be awarded two points. If the team tied they would receive one point. And if the team lost they would get zero points. Each team would play for 30 minutes with no half.
DeKalb would finish first with a total of seven point sweeping the tourney with the only blemish coming from White County which ended in a tie.
The Tigers would see White County again in the tournament championship and would walk away with a 2-1 showing and bringing in a well-deserved trophy for the home team.
In the first game for the Tigers, they would take the field against the Cannon County Lions. The Tigers wasted no time getting into the action, scoring a  goal in the opening minute at 20 seconds from a nine-yard,  top-shelf shot from senior Zach Taylor. It was literally seconds after Taylor’s goal that the Tigers struck again at the 45-second mark from Brandon Leiser who would slip a goal past the Cannon County keeper on a cross from Luis Richards, putting the score at 2-0 just a minute into the action.
The Tigers offensive attack didn’t slow down much as Javier Sanchez would add a goal to DeKalb’s lead at the five-minute mark. After the goal the field judge requested Tiger’s coach, Coach “K,” to “call them off” due to such an early onslought of offensive output. Coach K abided by the referee’s request by placing in freshman and reserve team players.
The Tigers’ defense would prove to be a well-coached unit, not allowing Cannon to seek out any opportunities to put the ball in the back of the net. The Lions did however find a small hole in the defense in the 23rd minute of play, getting a shot through the back line and deflecting off  Tiger goalkeeper Ben Driver, and off a few defenders before the Tigers finally punched the ball out to clear them from any chance of giving up the shutout.
The Tigers’ young offense would see more open chances to score as in the 28th minute Dylan Reagan make contact with a shot that the keeper would just get enough glove on to deflect the shot to set up a corner attempt. Reagan would also take the corner kick, but his efforts would come up short, as a Cannon County defender would clear the ball from danger.
With only two minutes to play in the game, the Tigers would pass the ball around until the end of play easily defeating their opposition 3-0. The Tigers would receive two points for the victory and would move on to face their next opponents Macon County.
The Tigers scorers went as followes: Taylor at the one-minute mark; Leisier at the one-minute mark; and Sanchez at the five-minute mark.
In the Macon County game the Tigers again held their opponents scoreless shutting them out 2-0.
The Tigers took control at the whistle breaking downfield and finding the open striker J. Sanchez who missed the goal soaring left looking for the back post.
The Tigers next chance at a goal also coming from Sanchez, this time from a header attempt from Eli Lomas. Sanchez’s shot drifted wide right. Macon County found themselves in scoring range at times but Tiger keeper Ben Driver held strong negating any chance of a goal for Macon County. The Tigers would keep pressing on  in their offensive approach with shot after shot. With 13 minutes to go it was the two strikers for the Tigers who broke away on a through  ball from mid-fielder Eli Lomas. Sanchez and Juan Torres drove down all alone with just the Macon County keeper  the only person in the way of a Tiger goal, all he could do is pick a player. As he chose his player to defend, Sanchez crossed the ball to Torres for the easy goal to make the score 1-0.
The Tigers’ defense stood their ground shutting down every attempt. Macon County would draw up. The Tigers would force Macon into offsides on three straight occasions.
DeKalb’s next goal would come by way of Sanchez with seven minutes remaining. Ben Pafford would make a run down the sideline and work his way through the defense to cross the ball through the middle and find Sanchez in midst of the defenders to put the Tigers up two goals to nil.
The Tigers were  nearly flawless in play and had committed no fouls until four minutes left in play when Luis Richards was given a yellow card. The game ended with a swift kick of the ball as  Mason Merriman cleared the ball one last time to halt extra time and end the game.
With the DeKalb win, they accumulated four total points with two games remaining in the tournament before the playoff game.
The Tigers scorers were Sanchez with one 23-minute and Torres with one 13-minute mark.
The Tigers next game would be against the Warren County Pioneers. The Tigers would again find the net in very little time as Sanchez found pay-dirt just 24 seconds into the action. Play would continue on with the score standing at 1-0  with both teams not allowing the other to get a clean shot off until Warren County found themselves on the wrong end of a fast break and tripping up Torres as he approached the keeper in the box, which resulted in a penalty kick. Torres  sent in a low ball hugging the right side of the goal for a second score for DeKalb, putting them up 2-0. With 15 minutes remaining DeKalb’s defense faltered and broke down allowing a goal to slip in past Driver to pull the Pioneer within one.
During extra time DeKalb had possession and was moving the ball down the field. Ben Pafford saw on open Sanchez and again the duo connected for a goal in the tournament ending the game 3-1.
With DeKalb’s win, they locked a spot in the playoff final against Sparta, also the next opponent to face DeKalb in regular tournament play.
This game would be nothing more than a preview as to what the championship game would look like. The game proved that the championship would be a very close matchup as the first game ended in a 1-1 draw.
DeKalb brought their well-maintained offense on the attack and came very close many attempts, once to be so close that the ball rolled onto the line but never broke the barrier to score. The Tigers also had chances around the six-yard box but could not seal the deal as they were unable to finish their shot attempts.
Sparta struck first just 14 minutes into the game. DeKalb remained scoreless and looked as if they would face defeat for the fist time in the tournament.
The Tigers were running short on time and chances to score, when a defender committed a foul and a free-kick was granted from about 20 yards out. Sanchez sized up the shot and curved the ball into the top shelf  for a game-tying goal. Moments later the field judge sounded the whistle to end the game.
The Tigers and The Warriors were set to play for the championship; knowing each others strengths and weaknesses the coaches adjusted their play to what they believed would best give them a chance to a victory and crown them champs.
If the Tigers had proved any kind of point throughout this tournament it was that they can and will score early. Twenty-five seconds into the game Sanchez for a third time in the tourney blasted in a goal before the one-minute mark.
Sparta  answered back in the 11-minute mark with a goal of their own as they beat the keeper and the defense to tie the game at one. As the game carried on, each team was fighting for what could be the game-deciding goal. DeKalb found their way to the most hopeful opportunity with a free-kick. Sanchez whipped in the free-kick and it rocked the crossbar, missing the net by inches.
The Tigers would find their way through the White County defense and give a through ball to Sanchez who would volley a pass to himself and send a high arching shot over the Warrior’s keeper for the lead with six minutes remaining in the game.
Sparta knew they were pressed for time, and had to answer back with a goal to keep their championship hopes alive. The Warriors managed to get a shot off at the Tiger’s keeper, but to no avail, as he knocked the ball away, setting up Sparta for one last chance at a goal with a corner. The corner kick was struck well but it was the Tiger defense who came out on top as they blasted the ball down field to end the game  with the Tigers walking away with the trophy.