September 23, 2023
By: Dwayne Page
The DeKalb County Tigers efforts to notch a win over Stone Memorial and maintain their undefeated race for the regular season Region Championship fell short Friday night with a 27-24 loss to the home standing Panthers at Crossville which also snapped DC’s three game win streak.
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A 42-yard field goal attempt by Tiger Adrian Prater as time expired would have sent the game into overtime tied at 27 but the kick didn’t make it through the crossbar.
The loss evens the DC record at 3-3 and hands the Tigers their first region loss at 1-1. Stone Memorial improves to 5-1 and 3-0 in Region 4 of Class 4A. The Tigers return home to host Macon County in another region clash Friday, September 29 with kick-off starting at 7 p.m. in Smithville.
Freshman kicker Adrian Prater gave the Tigers their first points of the game on the strength of a 28-yard field goal with 4:19 left in the 1st period completing a Tiger drive that began at the DC 28-yard line.
Stone Memorial took a 6-3 lead with 13 seconds left in the 1st period on a 23-yard pass play from Nick Osmun to Bear Eldridge completing a 67-yard drive. The PAT try was no good.
The Tigers answered on the ensuing kick-off as Ryan Lyons scored on an 80-yard return. Prater converted the PAT and DC grabbed a 10-6 lead to end the 1st period.
The Panthers went back out front with 6:47 left in the 2nd period on a 41-yard touchdown pass play from Nick Osmun to Chris Hannah capping a 55-yard drive. The extra point by kicker Tony Mauricio Ramos was good and Stone Memorial led 13-10.
The Panthers extended their lead with 10:21 left in the 3rd period completing a 68-yard drive with a 46-yard TD run by Max Oquendo. The PAT by Ramos was good and Stone Memorial took a 20-10 advantage.
The Tigers capitalized on a Panther fumble recovering at the Stone Memorial 25-yard line. Briz Trapp completed the drive on a 3-yard quarterback keeper with 3:25 left in the 3rd period. Prater kicked through the extra point and DC cut the Panther lead to 20-17.
Stone Memorial answered completing a 65-yard drive on a 2-yard quarterback keeper by Nick Osmun with 37 seconds left in the 3rd period. Ramos booted through the PAT and the Panthers again had a 10-point lead at 27-17.
The final score of the night for the Tigers came on a 32-yard pass play from Briz Trapp to Malachi Trapp with 10:25 left in the 4th period capping a 60-yard drive. Prater converted the PAT and DC was back to within 3 at 27-24.
With less than 2 minutes remaining in the game, the Tigers mounted a drive from their own 3-yard line and marched down field to the Panthers 24-yard line but with only 3 seconds left, DC had time for only a 42-yard field goal try which miss as time expired.
Here’s how the Region race is taking shape after six weeks into the season. The top four teams at the end of the year earn a state play-off berth.
Upperman: 6-0: Overall, 4-0-Region
Stone Memorial: 5-1 Overall, 3-0 Region
Macon County: 5-1 Overall, 2-1 Region
DeKalb County: 3-3 Overall, 1-1 Region
Livingston Academy:2-4 Overall, 0-2 Region
Cumberland County: 2-4 Overall, 0-3 Region
White County: 2-4, 0-3 Region