The year 2019 wasn’t merely a good year in DeKalb County sports – it was a record-setting year with teams and athletes achieving goals and shattering records, closing out the decade with a bang, making the year one of the most memorable in history.
Lady Tigers make state championships
It hadn’t happened since 1965 and with perennial powerhouses like Upperman, Crossville and Macon County standing in their way, not many would have expected the improbable run by the Lady Tiger basketball team that landed them in Murfreesboro, playing for a state championship. In a year that there were three or four teams and individuals that could have made the top spot in the DeKalb County sports retrospect, the fervor and pride that surrounded the Lady Tigers’ historic march to the state championship series, makes it the top story of 2019.
For the Lady Tigers, the regular season of 2019 had gone much to script. They had found ways to beat the teams they were supposed to beat while losing to teams like Upperman and Macon County, whom they were not supposed to beat. Upperman and Macon County had played for the state title the year before with the Lady Bees coming out on top.
With a pair of blow out losses fresh in their memory, the Lady Tigers took on the tough task of playing Upperman in the district playoffs. This time; however, the Lady Tigers sniffed the scent of victory, falling in a close tilt played at Hooper-Eblen Center on the campus of Tennessee Tech. While losing the district game, the Lady Tigers had reserved themselves a spot in the regionals by winning their opening-round district tournament game. That earned them a trip to Crossville for the regionals where they would face highly ranked Crossville who boasted one of the best players in the state.
A decided underdog, the Lady Tigers kept it close and then hit the final shot of the game for a 67-66 win on the Lady Jets’ home court. However, that win put them into a fourth matchup with the defending state champions. The fourth time; however, would prove to be the charm as the Lady Tigers, being cheered on by fellow district rival Macon County, nipped Upperman and sent the Lady Bees home, 36-35. The following night Macon County would not be cheering for the Lady Tiger. Instead, they hammered DeKalb in the region finals, 51-27.
The loss meant the Lady Tigers had to go to McMinn Central to take on a state ranked team which had just toppled the number-one team in the state. Again a huge underdog, DeKalb got the job done, winning 44-42 in the sub-state and click their ticket to the state championships in Murfreesboro.
With a convoy of DeKalb fans making the pilgrimage to the glass house at MTSU, the Lady Tigers fought a nip-and-tuck battle with Marshall County before being clipped in the end 34-31.
While falling short of a state title, the Lady Tigers did something that hadn’t been done since 1965 – make it to the state finals. They finished the year at 23-12 and with a 10-4 district record.
Tigers make third round of playoffs
The 2019 DeKalb County Tiger football team did something that had never been done in the history of football in DeKalb County – make it to the third round of the state playoffs.
Their improbable run began humbly as they started the season by being shocked by Warren County, 35-21 in the annual border battle in which the Tigers seemed all out of sorts. What followed were one-sided losses to Upperman, Livingston Academy and Watertown. However, mixed in with their losses to the state ranked teams were some key wins, like a 36-0 shutout over Stone Memorial who had crushed them just the year before. The district wins led up to a late-season showdown with Macon County with a home-field playoff game at stake. Both teams were looking up at the undefeated Livingston team and knew the winner of the tilt in Smithville would get the number-two seed.
Things looked bleak for the Tigers at half as Macon County blocked a punt and scored to take a 13-12 advantage into the locker room. However, the Tigers came out with resolve, not allowing another Macon County score and going on to a 26-13 victory. The win insured DeKalb County of only its third home playoff game in school history. The Tigers finished the regular season at 6-4, their only losses coming to top-five ranked teams aside from their failure to launch in week zero at McMinnville.
Their reward for getting a home playoff game as the high powered Tullahoma Wildcat squad who came into Smithville at 8-2, also only losing to state-ranked teams during regular season. The result was an instant classic as the two powerful offensive machines met in a shootout. The toe-to-toe action continued until deep in the second half when Tullahoma failed to match a Tiger score. DeKalb would finish off their visitors, winning 45-34, setting up a game at Lewisburg against former state champion Marshall County.
Aside from the Tigers themselves and Coach Steve Trapp, not many game DeKalb much of a chance at the number-one seed. However, the Tigers stayed game, hanging around the entire game, giving quarterback Axel Aldino a chance, with just 40 ticks on the clock, to fire a prayer downfield to Tyzaun Ladet who turned the bomb into the end zone for the winning score, the Tigers advancing to the third round of the state playoffs, 28-24.
The dream would end the next week as the Knights of Nolensville conquered them 42-6 before themselves losing to the eventual state champion, Elizabethton.
The Tigers would receive number accolades following their historic season as 13 members received region honors including Aldino who was named Offensive Player of the Year for the region.
Anna-Mania runs wild on the links
In a year dominated by team successes, Anna Chew found individual achievement as she emerged as one of the state’s best female golfers, at one point just two strokes out of the lead for a state title.
Chew had burst on the scene during 2018, finishing strong in several tournaments, doing enough in the district and state to get a state berth where she finished 18th. However, 2019 was another animal altogether as she rose to become a dominant force in high school women’s golf. She began carving a swath through the district and region by crushing it at the Early Bird Classic in Cookeville to start the season. She would then go on to own most ever meet she attended during the regular season before taking first in the district tournament by a country mile and then staking claim to the region title.
The state tournament saw Chew pull to within two strokes of the lead after the opening round at Willowbrook Golf Course in Manchester. However, she was unable to close, finishing seventh, seven strokes off the lead.
After having unparalleled success as a female golfer for DeKalb County, Chew chose Trevecca to play her collegiate golf after she graduates this May.
Middle School soccer makes finals
The Middle School Lady Saints soccer team built on what they began in 2018 as they were able to make the playoffs that year for the first time in team history. That year saw the Lady Saints bow out in the first round during a monsoon, eliminated from the playoffs after a questionable penalty call.
The 2019 version of the Lady Saints returned bigger and better as they fielded a 30-girl squad, by far the largest roster in their existence. DeKalb then burst through their regular season, going 7-2 in district, good enough for third which was their best ever finish in the 10-team district. Their next step was to win their first playoff game, which they did thanks to a goal by Tatum Young, lifting them over Algood, 1-0. They then went on to beat Macon, 2-1 off goals by Caroline Tobitt and Kendall Davis. Their ride ended in the championship game with a loss to Overton County.
Walker named new baseball coach
Tad Walker was hired as new Tiger baseball coach after the sudden departure of Adam Kefauver. The move came less than two weeks after the former skipper revealed his resignation during the summer after coaching the Tigers to a 500 season. Kefauver took a job with the Cookeville school system, explaining his unexpected departure.
Prior to being tapped as new coach, Webb had been transferred to the high school from DeKalb Middle School where he has served the last two years as Assistant Principal. He will be teaching Algebra I at DCHS.
Walker, a local product, is no stranger to the Tiger way. Coach Webb has been in the school system for 16 years. During that time he has served as teacher at Northside Elementary School and later at DeKalb Middle School. He served as assistant DCHS football and baseball coach and later as head coach of the Saints Football and Bulldogs Baseball programs.
Middle School Cross Country sprints to region championship
The Lady Saints cross country team proved they were the best in the midstate region as they claimed first place at the regional competition at Macon County High School this past October, setting them up for the state championships in Knoxville where they took a fifth place finish.
The Lady Saints took first from a field of six teams which included 65 competitors in the regions. The title marks their first region championship in the program’s history which began competition in 2014. They won the region in strong fashion, placing five runners in the top 10. Meanwhile, the boys’ team took fourth at the regionals out of 12 teams in a field of 92 runners and also qualified for a trip to Knoxville and a shot at the state title.
On the girls’ side, Ella Van Vranken led the Lady Saints and the entire field with a first place overall finish with a time of 13:02. Zoe Keys finished on her heels in second place with a time of 13:18, Katherine Knowles was fifth at 13:55, Mylie Phillips was eighth at 14:15, Madeline Martin ninth at 14:16.
