For the second year in a row the DeKalb County High School Tigers football team traveled to hostile territory, to a far away land known as Macon County. Last year's game was a close nail biter that would end with DeKalb coming away with a victory and the Region championship. This year's stakes were also high, and the game would once again come down to the wire.

The Macon Tigers would get the ball to start the game, but beginning at their own 33 they would only reach 49 before being forced to punt on a fourth and nine.

DeKalb wouldn't have any better luck with their first possession. Starting at their own 30, but after a couple of Colby Barnes carries, and an incomplete pass to Isaac Knowles, the Tigers would punt from there own 37.

With a return to Macon's own 30, a couple of runs by Landon Colter were stuffed at the line, then a pass to Gabe Borders was good to the 39. Facing a fourth and one, the Macon Tigers went for it and a keeper by Quarterback Braydee Brooks was good to the 43. After an incomplete pass, another carry by Colter was good to the 46, but a pass to Borders fell incomplete. Facing another fourth down, Macon punted.

DeKalb started their next possession at their own 29, and as QB Briz Trapp dropped back to pass, he was caught at the 25. It was then that the first of DeKalb's bad luck emerged. A pass to Knowles bounced off his hands and into the hands of Macon's Cameron Houston, who ran it back for a touchdown. The extra point kick was good, and with 52 seconds left in the first quarter Macon took a 7-0 lead.

The DeKalb Tigers would get back in the game on their next possession, mounting a drive that would gain points. Knowles would return the kickoff to the 44, then a Barnes carry was good to the 46. Then a pass to John Ellis fell incomplete as the clock ticked to zero, but a holding penalty resulted in DeKalb being backed up to the 33 and the down being replayed, un-timed. A block in the back penalty on the next play resulted in the penalty being declined and the quarter coming to an end.

A pass to Knowles was good to the Macon 38, then a couple of Barnes runs were good to the 20. Knowles took the ball next, reaching the 17, then Barnes went up the middle for a touchdown. The extra point was good and with 9:12 left in the half DeKalb had evened the score 7-7.

The celebration didn't last long however, when on the kickoff DeKalb would make another critical mistake. Houston fielded the kick and made his way all the way to the end zone. The extra point would be wide, but in just 20 seconds, Macon took a 13-7 lead.

Perhaps flustered by the previous events, the DeKalb Tigers would make yet another mistake on the kickoff. The kick would go to the DeKalb 35, where Macon would fall on the live ball before DeKalb. Just like that, Macon was back in action with great field position.

It would take long for the home team to make DeKalb pay. A Colter carry was good to the 30, then a Nate Green carry was good to the 26. A keeper up the middle took the ball to the 25, then a deep first down pass to Houston was good for six. Again, the extra point was no good, but the Macon Tigers commanded a 19-7 lead with 6:37 left in the second quarter.

Some teams might have folded after such misfortune, but DeKalb fought hard and would soon be right back in it. Starting at their own 43, a Barnes run was negated after a block below the knee penalty, backing the DeKalb Tigers back to the 27. Barnes was handed the ball again, and took it down to the Macon 47, then a pass to Ellis fell incomplete, but a pass to Austin Nicholson on the next play was aided by a defensive holding penalty, giving them a first down at the Macon 37. A Barnes run was good to the 22, then a pass to Holden Trapp was broken up, but a roughing penalty put the ball down at the 12. The next play saw Knowles reverse to find his way for a touchdown. With the PAT good, DeKalb cut the lead 19-14 with 4:57 left in the half.

Both Macon and DeKalb would have the ball for three downs before having to punt. Then Macon would get a possession as the half would end.

The DeKalb Tigers would get the ball to start the second half, and looked to put points on the board. Starting at their own 37, a Barnes run was good to the 40, then an Ellis catch was got the ball to the Macon 24. There the drive would stall, and facing a fourth and 11, a pass went incomplete to Knowles, with Macon taking over on downs.

Macon wouldn't do any better. They would only reach the 37 before false start penalties doomed the drive and they themselves had to punt.

The black and gold took the ball at the 26, and turned up the ground game. Barnes ran to the 35, then a Trapp keeper went to the 40. It was Barnes on the next three plays, running all the way down to the Macon 41. After a high snap, Trapp kept the ball and ran to the 28, then another Barnes run took them to the 19. Another keeper was good to the 16, but a hold put the ball back to the 28 as the third quarter ended.

An option to Barnes resulted in no gain, but the next play, a deep pass to Ellis, was good for the touchdown. A two-point pass attempt fell incomplete, but DeKalb took their first lead of the game, 22-19, with 11:45 left in the game.

The game suddenly became an offensive battle, and Macon started their next drive at their own 35. After gaining two yards on a run, then another carry stuffed at the line, a deep pass to Houston went all the way for the touchdown. A two-point attempt failed, but Macon retook the lead, 25-22, with 10:03 left to play.

The DeKalb Tigers returned the kickoff to their own 40, then yet another mistake was almost disastrous. A keeper only gained one yard, then a pass to Knowles was intercepted back at the Macon 26.

Macon would not be able to do anything with the good fortune, and actually lost yards after a third down holding penalty. On a third and 16 play from the Macon 20, was intercepted by Nolan Gottlied and run back to the Macon seven yard line. From there, a Barnes carry was at the four, then a Trapp keep was in for six. With the point after, DeKalb regained the lead, 29-25, with 6:41 left to play.

But DCHS fans were far from at ease, and once again Macon mounted their own drive. Starting at their own 25, a Green run was good to the 33, then Knowles and Brady Hale caught the Macon QB in the backfield, who was caught for an intentional grounding call. It wouldn't matter however as Macon took to the air. Passes to Borders and Houston took the ball to the 42, then another catch by Houston was good to the DeKalb 40.

Later Brooks would run for his life, but find a way to the DeKalb 17, then a pass to Colter was good to the 14. On a third and three, a keeper was good only to the 13, and facing a fourth and two, Macon rolled the dice. A pass to Dawson Long was good to the nine, giving Macon new life. A pass to Houston fell incomplete, then a pass to Borders was good for the touchdown. With the extra point, Macon was up 32-29 with 38 seconds left to play.

DeKalb would get the ball back at the 42, with 29 seconds left in the game. The hurry-up offense was effective, moving the ball down to the Macon 28 with only six seconds left to play. Their last gasp was a pass to Knowles, in the end zone. The pass fell incomplete as the clock ticked to zero. Macon took the narrow 32-29 win.