Saints drop opener to Gordonsville, 46-16

After being delayed a week, the DeKalb Middle School Saints eagerly took the field last Thursday night for the first time this season when the Gordonsville Tigers came calling to Smithville.

The Saints’ Matthew Agee locked up with a Gordonsville player.

The Saints looked great on their opening drive as quarterback Tyler Cantrell and the Saints’ offense showed signs of promise, converting on a fourth down with a 50 yard touchdown strike to Paxton Butler for a Saints’ score.  Tyler Bundy’s two-point conversion attempt was good, and the Saints took the lead first, 8-0.

Unfortunately, that lead would last only 30 seconds.

Gordonsville would get the ball on offense for the first time on their 36 yard line.  One play later they would break off a 64 yard touchdown run to tie the game at 8-8.

After the Saints turned the ball over on downs their next possession, Gordonsville would break off another big run, rumbling 44 yards down the field on third down to take the lead.  Their two point conversion attempt would fail, however, and with 2:00 left in the first quarter the Saints trailed, 14-8.

Penalties helped kill the Saints following possession allowing Gordonsville to put together a 5 play scoring drive on their next possession, to expand their lead to 22-8 with 5:36 left in the half.

Gordonsville would strike one more time before the break, after the Saints threw an interception, giving the Tigers great field position on the Saints’ 24 yard line.  Five plays later, Gordonsville was in the endzone to give the Tigers a 30-8 lead going into the break.

Gordonsville got the ball to begin the second half and promptly marched 62 yards down the field on five plays to increase their lead to 30, 38-8.

The Saints looked like they would finally get something going on offense on DeKalb’s first drive of the half, but a Gordonsville sack stymied the Saints and DeKalb turned the ball over on downs.

Gordonsville would take advantage, again breaking off a big run, before a fourth down conversion put the Tigers in the endzone for their final score of the contest.  As time expired in the third quarter, the stunned Saints’ fans saw their team down by a score 46-8.

The Saints’, Dylan Cripps in the Gordonsville game last Thursday night.

Seventh grader Issac Hall would give the Saints something positive to end on, however, breaking off an impressive 58 yard scoring run on DeKalb’s next possession.  Luke Bryant would put the conversion attempt in the endzone and the Saints got their second, and final, score of the game to end the game with a loss to the Tigers, 46-16.

The Saints will host Macon County this Thursday at 6:30.