The 2021 Playoff run for the DeKalb County High School Tigers football team came to an end last Friday night as DeKalb fell to the Upperman Bees, on the road in the second round of the Class 4A State Play-Offs. The Tigers fell behind early and would never be able to get ahead of the Bees.

The Tigers won the toss and deferred until the second half. Upperman would return to their own 44, where they would quickly move the ball. A pass to Daniel Metzger was broken up by Nolan Gottlied, but then a run by Jaxson Rollins was good to the DeKalb 20. From there, a Ty Dutchess keeper took the ball to the 13, then a run by Terrance Dedmon was downed at the six. It was all Dedmon the rest of the drive. A run was good to the five, then another to the two. He was handed the ball again and was in for six. With the extra point, the Bees took the 7-0 lead with 8:21 left in the first.

Isaac Knowles would return the kick for the Tigers to the 31, but a personal foul on Upperman placed the ball to the 46. After a Briz Trapp pass fell incomplete, Knowles took the ball in the wildcat to the 50. From there, a pass to Knowles was good to the Bees’ 40, then a Trapp keeper was good to the 26. Colby Barnes got his first carry of the game, taking it to the 25, then another was stopped at the line. A Knowles run was only good to the 22, and facing a fourth down the Tigers went for it. The keeper was stopped at the line, giving the Bees the ball.

Upperman would once again look to put points on the board. After another incomplete pass, a Metzger run was good to the 28. A pass to Jaxson Bush had a first down at the 35, then a Rollins run was good to the Bees’ 49. A keep took the ball to the DeKalb 31, then another Rollins carry was stuffed at the line. A fumbled snap led to a sack deep in the backfield, but a facemask penalty on the Tigers gave the Bees new life.

Set up with a second and four at the 25, a pass to Metzger fell incomplete in the end zone, then a keeper was stopped at the 11, but a controversial targeting call gave Upperman a first down at the one. A Rollins run was stopped at the two, but another run as the second quarter began was in for the touchdown. The extra point was blocked by Knowles, but the Bees took a 13-0 lead with 11:56 left in the second.

As a cold rain began to fall, things looked dire for the Tigers on their next possession as they couldn’t gain any traction. Starting at their own 48, DeKalb would lose two yards before going three and out.

The punt backed the Bees up to their own 17, but Upperman wasted no time putting more points on the board. A deep pass to Metzger was complete to the DeKalb 41, then a keep was good to the 36. Dedmon ran to the 31, then another Dutchess keeper went up the middle for a touchdown. After a false start backed the Bees up on the PAT, they decided to go for two. Another keep was good, and the Bees took the 21-0 lead with 7:36 left in the half.

DeKalb finally got into the game on their next possession. Starting at their own 31, a pass to Knowles was good to the Tiger 49. A run was good to the Upperman 40, then a Trapp keeper took the ball to the 37. There, a pass to Austin Nicholson was good to the 14, then a keep was stopped at the line. A Knowles run was good to the nine, then another wildcat run was good to the eight. Facing a fourth and three, the Tigers again gambled. The Knowles wildcat run was good to the four, giving DeKalb a first down by an inch. Barnes was handed the ball and reached the one, but another carry lost a yard. Knowles was handed the ball again and this time he was in for the touchdown. A fumbled snap doomed the PAT, but the Tigers were on the board, 21-6 with 2:00 left in the half.

Upperman would go three and out ion their next possession, but with time ticking down on the clock, DeKalb would not be able to take advantage before the half.

The Tigers would return to their own 33 to start the third quarter, and a pass to Knowles was good to the 39, but an illegal procedure call negated the yards. Backed to their 28, another pass to Knowles was good to the 37, then another to the 41. A keeper was good to the 43 and a measurement showed it to be fourth and an inch. Knowles was handed the ball and was good to the Upperman 48. That plus a personal foul on the Bees set them up at the Upperman 34.

Knowles ran to the 31, then a Trapp pass to Knowles went out of bounds. A false start backed the Tigers up to the 36, then a pass to Knowles took the ball to the 14, where a fumble was recovered by the Bees. Upperman’s good fortune was short-lived however, as just three plays later the Bees would fumble with Knowles recovering at the 33.

The Tigers set up in the wildcat on the next two plays. Knowles ran to the 29, then he was in for the touchdown. DeKalb decided to go for two, and again it was Knowles. He was in the end zone and DeKalb cut the lead 21-14 with 6:00 left in the third.

DeKalb’s celebration would not last long. On the kick return, Rollins fielded the ball and ran it all the way in for six. The extra point kick was no good, but with 5:45 left in the third, the Bees extended their lead, 27-14.

Brady Hale would return the kick to the DeKalb 18, but the Tigers seemed deflated. After three incompletes, DeKalb would punt. The kick was partially blocked, setting up Upperman at the DeKalb 36.

A Dutchess keep was good to the 16, then a Dedmon run was stopped at the line. Rollins was handed the ball next and was in for another touchdown. With the extra point, the Bees commanded a 34-14 lead with 3:35 left in the third.

Starting at their own 25, DeKalb again couldn’t get moving. After a delay penalty, the team went three and out, and punted.

Upperman smelled blood and would go on to seal the game shut. On the punt, the Bees returned to their own 48. There, a Dedmon run was good to the DeKalb 43, then a keep was good to the 32. Another keeper was down at the 24, then a Dedmon run took the ball to the 14. Another Dutchess keep was good to the 11, then a Dedmon carry took it to the seven. It was Dutchess again, taking it up the middle for six. The PAT hit the goal post, but the Bees were up, 40-14 with 9:43 left in the game.

And that’s where the score would stay. Each team would have the ball two more times, but neither would get anything going. The Bees would take the victory.

The Tigers end the season at 7-5, while the Upperman Bees are at 11-1, and will travel to Red Bank next Friday night, November 19, for the Class 4A State Play-Off quarterfinals.