Jr. Tigers Advance to Championship, Defeat Fentress County, 13-12

What a difference a year makes.  After a humbling 2013 season, the DeKalb Jr. Tigers tore through the 2014 regular season, finishing 5-1 and second in the MTYFC standings behind Smith County.  Saturday the team took the next step toward earning a championship and avenging their only loss to Smith County, by coming back to defeat the Fentress County Bulldogs 13-12 in the semi-final round of the playoffs.

Behind the always stingy Tiger Defense that allowed only 115 total yards, Silas Cross led the team offensively with 101 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns, enough to lift the Tigers over a feisty Bulldog team bent on revenge.

Andrew Vickers

The Tigers looked like they were going to have their way with the Bulldogs early, putting together an impressive 17 play 7o yard opening drive ending with a 5 yard Silas Cross rumble into the end zone.  Andrew Vickers converted on the point after and the Tigers took the early lead, 7-0.  The Tigers were methodical and efficient in the drive, taking up the entire first quarter in the effort.

They wouldn’t reach the end zone again, however, until the final period.

Kicker, Diego Coronado

The Tiger Defense looked like it would control the Bulldogs on Fentress County’s first possession, forcing FC into a 4th and 11 and figuring to get the ball back to it’s offense.  Fate intervened, though, and the Bulldogs connected on a 59 touchdown strike to answer the Tiger scoring drive.  The Tiger Defense again stiffened, though, and stuffed the point after, keeping the Tigers with a 1 point advantage, 7-6.

Both teams would turn the ball over on downs on their next drives to, leaving DeKalb with 20 seconds in the half to put together a drive.  In good field position, Head Coach John Kilgore opted to go for the big play, to extend the Tiger lead and make a statement going into the break.

Disaster awaited the Tigers.

Conner Close trying to break up an interception.

Flushed from the pocket, Kilgore’s pass was intercepted and Fentress County took the ball all the way back for a touchdown, stunning the Tigers and giving the Bulldogs a 5 point advantage. In what would prove to be the death knell for Fentress, the Bulldogs again couldn’t convert on the point after and settled for a 12-7 halftime lead, leaving the Tiger faithful in disbelief.

Both defenses controlled much of the second half, never allowing either offense to get into any kind of a rhythm.  It wouldn’t be until late in the fourth quarter that the Tiger offense would finally reawaken as the Tigers, behind the grind-it-out running backs of Silas Cross and Andrew Vickers, marched the ball 58 yards downfield before Cross pounded the ball in from 14 yards out to regain the lead for the Tigers, 13-12.

With just over a minute and a half left to work, FC began to put together what seemed to be an answer.

That was until Tyler Estes took matters into his own hands.

Marquez Chalfant

Estes, reading the quarterback perfectly, picked off FC to end the Bulldog threat, and save the game for DeKalb.  Three kneel downs later, the Tigers escaped with the win and earned the right to play for the championship the following Saturday.

For the game, Kilgore was 1 of 3 passing for 10 yards and an interception.  Silas Cross led the team rushing with 101 yards and 2 touchdowns, while Andrew Vickers added 31 yards on the ground.  Konner Young had 6 yards on 3 carries and Ryan Thompson ended up with a yard in the contest.

Tyler Estes proved to be the Tiger hero in the contest with 2 tackles and a very timely interception.  Ty Panker, Ryan Thompson and Andrew Vickers led the team in tackles, each with 4 with Vickers also recording a sack in the contest.  Briz Trapp, Marquez Chalfant and Silas Cross each had 3 tackles on the day.  Stetson Agee and Shady Newport each had a sack and a tackle and Mason Winter added a tackle in the contest.

With the win, the Tigers will play for the championship next Saturday at 6:00pm in Carthage.