They knew it would be a fight ... two basically equally matched teams once again facing off in post season play. The DeKalb County Tigers would again take on the Nolensville Knights in the playoffs. In the end, it would come down to two yards in the fourth quarter.
It was a crisp fall night, a perfect night for football, as the hometown crowd came out in force to root on the Tigers in the second round of the TSSAA Class 4A Football Playoffs. The Tigers had earned their way to the playoffs by winning a historic first ever regional championship for DeKalb County. The Tigers then advanced in the first round by beating Spring Hill, setting the stage for a game against Nolensville, a team that had beat the Tigers last year in the quarterfinals, 42-6. This year's game would not be so one-sided.
The Tigers would win the toss and would defer until the second half. On the kickoff, the Knights would get good field position, returning the ball all the way down to the DeKalb 45. But the DeKalb defense would hold fast, keeping Nolensville to a three and out, with the Knights losing two yards.
After the punt, the Tigers began their first possession at their own three yard line, but a quick pass by quarterback Axel Aldino to Isaac Knowles gave them some breathing room up to the nine. A keeper on the next play was good to the 15, but a bad snap on the next play ended with Aldino falling on the ball back at the six. Next, a delay of game penalty had the Tigers right back where they started, at the three yard line.
It looked as if the Tigers drive might flounder, but on a second and 25, Aldino again connected with Knowles, up to the 39. With new life, Aldino next handed the ball to Colby Barnes, who ran to the 43, then a keep was out of bounds at the Knights' 49. A pass to Barnes was good for five more, then another keeper was good to the 36. There, Aldino dealt with another high snap, but was able to run to the 23. After a run made no gain, another keeper was good to the seven, then a Barnes carry brought the ball to the one. The next play, Aldino walked into the end zone. With the extra point by Jasper Kleparek, the Tigers took the first lead, 7-0, with 3:38 left in the first quarter.
Nolensville would return the kickoff to their own 33, and would waste no time moving down the field. On a second and 9, QB Ryder Galardi connected a pass to Chance Fitzgerald down to the DeKalb 27. A Samson Johnson run was good to the 23, and a keep took the ball to the 19. After a false start penalty, Galardi found Fitzgerald again to the 10. From there, a pass was broken up by Aiden Curtis, then a pass to Gage Skipper was stuffed for a one-yard loss. As the second quarter began, on a third and goal from the 11, Galardi connected with Parker Price for a touchdown. With an extra point by Reese Miller, the Knights tied the game with 11:52 left in the second quarter.
After a squib kick by the Knights, the Tigers fell on the ball at their own 26. An Aldino keep was good to the 29, then, after an incomplete pass, Aldino connected with Desmond Nokes down to the 43. Another keeper took the ball to midfield, but a run by Nathaniel Crook lost four yards. Another pass to Nokes was good to the 47 for a first down, then a keeper was good to the 21. From there, a third down Aldino run was good to the four yard line.
The Tigers looked poised to score another touchdown, but the Knights' D-line held tough. A pass to Nokes fell incomplete, then a Barnes run up the middle netted just one yard. On third down, a pass to Evan Jones fell incomplete, and the Tigers settled for a field goal attempt. Kleparek's kick was through the uprights and the Tigers regained the lead, 10-7, with 5:55 left in the half.
Nolensville would start their next drive at their own 33, but on a second and seven play, Knowles would come down with an interception at the Knights' 39. The Tigers' good fortune looked like it might be squandered however, after a Barnes run netted only one yard, then an Aldino sack backed DeKalb up to the 47. On third and 18, Aldino threw to Knowles for a touchdown. Kleparek's extra point was good, and just like that the Tigers had a 17-7 lead with 3:21 left in the half.
The Kinights may have been down, but they were far from out. They would return the kickoff to their own 47, and from there mount an air attack. After an incomplete, a false start backed the Knights up five. Then a pass to Fitzgerald was good to midfield. Another Fitzgerald reception was good to the DeKalb 32, but then two incompletes threatened the drive. On a fourth and five, from the 32, the Knights went for it. The pass to Parker Price was good to the 22. After another incomplete, a pass to Johnson was good to the 17, then another Johnson catch was good to the 14. From there, Galardi kept the ball himself in for six points. With the extra point, the Knights pulled to within three, 17-14, with 40 seconds left in the half.
The Tigers would get the ball to begin the second half, but after a return to the DeKalb 30, they would not be able to move the ball. A keeper took the ball to the 35, but then a fumble, recovered by the Tigers, pushed them back to the 32. There, an Aldino sack pushed them back further, to the 23. They would be forced to punt.
With momentum on the Knights' side, Nolensville wasted no time putting more points on the board. Starting at their own 45, the Tigers stuffed two runs, before a pass to Fitzgerald was good to the DeKalb 18. After a false start, the Tigers' D-line held tough, allowing only seven yards. The Knights went for the field goal and tied the score, 17-17, with 6:00 left in the third quarter.
Both teams would end up punting on their next possessions. The Tigers would get past midfield before punting and pinning the Knights back at their own nine. Aided by a personal foul on DeKalb, the Knights would drive to the 40, before a sack by Antwan McCoy, and another by Caven Ponder stopped the drive. On the punt, Nokes set the Tigers up, returning to the Nolensville 45, but the next play would prove fatal.
A long Aldino pass to Knowles was intercepted at the Nolensville 32, and the Knights would make the Tigers pay. As the fourth quarter began, a pass to Ethan Syling was good to the 45, then two plays later another took them to the 49. Another Syling reception was good to the DeKalb 23, then, after two stuffed runs, a pass to Fitzgerald was good for the touchdown. With the extra point, the Knights took the 24-17 lead, with 8:28 left in the game.
The Tigers returned the kickoff to the 38, and mounted a drive that looked to take the game into overtime. A second down pass to Nokes was good to the DeKalb 48, but after an incomplete to Travante Alexander, an Aldino sack backed them up to the 45. On third and 13, Aldino connected with Knowles down to the Nolensville 30. From there, a second down keeper was good to the 22, then another gave the Tigers a first down at the 19. Aldino kept the ball again on the next play, taking the Tigers to the nine yard line, setting up a first and goal.
A pass to Alexander was thrown away on first down, then another keeper was good to the seven. On third down, a pass was complete to Nokes but only gained two yards. Facing a fourth down from the five yard line, with 3:19 left to play, the Tigers went for it. The pass to Nokes was complete and he pushed towards the goal line, but fell just two yards shy. The Knights took over on downs at the two, and would be able to milk the clock to the end. They would take the 24-17 victory.
"At the top of the game we thought we would be very similar," Head Coach Steve Trapp said after the game. "It's crazy ironic how similar our statistics are. We had a feeling it was going to be this type of game. It would ultimately come down to who could make a few more plays. Unfortunately for us they made more plays than we did."
"We had a shot and I'm proud of our guys," Trapp continued. "They played hard and did everything we asked of them. With everything that went on this year, I'm just super proud of these guys. It hurts though. I don't like this moment, but I love these guys."
The Tigers ended the season at 7-5, though one of those losses was due to a forfeited game to Cumberland County due to coronavirus.
Nolensville move to the quarterfinals, traveling to Tullahoma next Friday night. Tullahoma is ranked #2 in the state, unbeaten at 12-0.
